The Obama administration is working hard on solutions to the high cost, spotty availability and inefficiencies of our current medical system. As if the economic crisis, foreign policy nightmares and energy issues weren’t enough, taking on the US’s human healthcare insufficiencies as well will take an act of God to surmount. 

No matter, we have to start somewhere, right? Some proposals have...

Here’s my simple answer to the controversial question of "people food": Personally, this veterinarian hates the issue because of the words involved. “People food” is a loaded term––one full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Nothing, that is, beyond a Madison Avenue-originated, hard-blowing wind kicked up to keep most of us from feeding our pets anything that doesn’t come in a bag or...

OK so maybe I’m in a tiny minority on this issue. Nonetheless, I’m sure most of you still agree (especially in light of recent conversation here) that dogs and cats would be better off not procreating––regardless of the methodology applied to the problem before us.

Of course, that approach would have to be humane. It would have to be secure and irreversible. And it would have to be safe.

So why...

There’s been a lot of flak lately over the comments of a veterinary student at Oklahoma State’s vet school. Allegedly, the student passed along faulty information pertaining to the use of live animals in the surgery curriculum at the school...to one of the school’s heftier donors, leading her to rescind her offer for sizable financial support.

According to would-be donor, Madeleine Pickens,...

It’s a question that was raised recently after I posted on gas chamber “euthanasia” techniques. And it’s one I’ve received many private emails on. (So you know, the shy lurkers among you can always hit the ‘contact us’ button and get my direct line.)

Is it right for veterinarians to assist in euthanasias for “unwanted,” but otherwise healthy pets? 

My take is no. from my "lofty" position...

Veterinary students are less willing to tackle the hardships of a career in veterinary medicine now that the economic forces on earning a buck off the backs of food animals are skewed against them. So says Marketplace, American Public Media's show known for its inclusion in the early morning and late afternoon NPR lineup. 

As all NPR junkies know, Marketplace rolls up all the economic news...

I’m being seriously spoiled this weekend. It’s my first three day weekend since Thanksgiving...and our fifth anniversary (shocking!). That’s why we’re celebrating it in style at a fancy resort in easy distance to some of the best kayaking in the Florida Keys.  From Miami, it’s not such a splurge. It’s the ideal weekend getaway for the harried.

Three days and three nights at Hawk’s Cay on...

There are so many great ways to bring on the “beautiful death” we know of as euthanasia. While it may sound harsh to revel in this fact, here it is: We vets give great death...usually. 

Not so according to six more states seeking to outlaw gas chamber euthanasia for unwanted animals in shelter settings. The method is not humane, they say. The animals suffer as they stressfully asphyxiate....

I write a weekly column for the Miami Herald. I’ve been doing it for two years with nary a glitch. Yesterday, however, I received word that Hartz took offense at a mention of their supermarket-brand, flea product line in one of my recent columns. They subsequently sent a cease and desist letter to the Herald asking for a retraction, an apology and an errata notice. Here’s the column for your...

For today’s post I’d like to share the contents of a reader’s email for your consideration. This is Catherine Shaffer’s story, one she and I believe is worth sharing with other Dolittler readers. My comments will follow.

Dr. Khuly,

In 2006, we had a ten year old English mastiff named Nala. In October, she seemed to suddenly develop a lot of back pain. She'd been increasingly arthritic, but...