Veterinarian, Speaker & Author
It is with a heavy heart that I write this entry. For years, the United States has worked to preserve endangered and threatened species through the Endangered Species Act. A core tenet of the Act is having scientists from the Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service study proposed development for impact on habitat critical …
Continue reading “Don’t Endanger The Endangered Species Act”
“Dr. Nelson, I think there is something wrong with my dog,” a concerned owner whispers in my ear. Their face reddens before they speak again. “He eats his own feces. Although I support recycling, this takes it too far. Is there anything you can do?” While disgusting to humans, the condition known as coprophagia is actually a …
As a young woman, I loved horse racing. Watching the magnificent horses thunder around the track gave me goose bumps. I remember cheering for Secretariat as he finished the final leg of the Triple Crown. He was poetry in motion. I hoped to become a large animal veterinarian and someday work with race horses. All that changed in …
Tigre As a veterinarian, I usually adopt the hard luck cases. Animals that I affectionately refer to as “medical rejects”. After our beloved cat died, my husband and I drove to the Arizona Humane Society to adopt a cat named Cuddles. Someone tried to kill him by crushing his skull. The sweet cat survived the ordeal although his …
Job Job entered my life courtesy of the Burnsville, Minnesota Police Department. On a call that took him inside a home, a kind officer noticed the dove lying on the bottom of his cage. He volunteered to drive the bird and his owner to the nearest veterinary clinic. The night before, two cats attacked Job. They …
Welcome to “Ask The Vet”, a category of my blog dedicated to answering questions about the medical care of animals. Please post questions that conform to the following guidelines: Readers are advised to consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for medical advice regarding your pet. I can not comment on specific cases and will only provide information that is general …
SUSIE“Beep, beep, beep”, the pager sounded in the wee hours of the night. I squinted at the device, trying to read the numbers. A few minutes later, I was dressed and driving to the clinic. Golden Retriever puppies were on their way and I was summoned to make sure the delivery went well. Little did I …
GenevieveI met this adorable little furball while working at a friend’s clinic. A woman approached the counter carrying a cardboard box. Inside lay a newborn kitten missing one of its back legs. She said she found the kitten behind a dumpster and wanted it euthanized. When I opened the box, I saw a newborn kitten …
BongoPoor Bongo was plucked from her nest somewhere in Central America and sold into the U.S. pet trade. While on sale in Minnesota, she developed severe eye problems and limited vision. Since she could no longer be sold, the pet store donated her to the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. I persuaded the University to give her to me …