Being accepted in veterinary medicine

Years ago, I was assigned to follow Oprah Winfrey around Chicago for multiple magazines and newspapers because it was my job to cover celebrities when they came to town. It was fun until I was asked to do a nasty tabloid-style piece on Oprah. I simply said no because I had already been writing about pets for the Chicago Tribune, Dog World and others – and out of the blue, I received a call asking if I wanted to be a syndicated pet columnist.

Our dog Chaser, a Brittany, arrived at our home about a year before this and she was a mess. She was about 10 months old when she came to the big city, and clearly did not have a lot of socialization. She was fearful of everything, from city buses to other dogs to strange people (which there are many of in Chicago) and even fire hydrants. She also suffered from separation anxiety, and it was so bad that if I closed the door when going to the bathroom, she also went to the bathroom on the other side of the door.

I sought out advice from caring dog trainers because there were no veterinary behaviorists at this time, and most veterinarians didn’t have the knowledge base they may have today. Behavior pharmaceuticals, which surely would have helped, were also not being used yet. With patience and good advice, Chaser eventually passed the Canine Good Citizen Test, and participated in all sorts of dog events but most importantly, we bonded intensely. This dynamic between me and Brittany is what inspired me to look into veterinary behavior.

Now, I have a platform where millions read or listen to me on the air. Because of this, I was able to reach the top in the profession. I also am answering the most common questions from pet parents regarded behavior while attending and presenting at veterinary conferences. If I was not speaking, I soaked up as much as I could (and still do). Soon, I became certified as a animal behavior consultant.

I make no apologies for publicly sharing my thoughts and feelings on topics such as organized veterinary medicine, supporting laws to ban declaw, and those that ban pet stores from selling dogs and cats. However, I always stand with the profession which I believe is one of the greatest on the planet. In fact, veterinary professionals sometimes forget how important they are, and impactful their even apparently mundane contributions are to pet parents. To me, veterinary professionals are heroes for all that they do on a daily basis.

What a ride I’ve had with an unlikely outcome, from participating in legislation to change animal welfare to serving on many non-profit boards, to authoring a well-read blog and books, and continuing to lend my voice on the radio and on television.

My greatest joys have been finding that I’ve helped individual pet parents, like this recent Facebook post saying that at 26-year woman believed her cat was going to have a hard life because of arthritis. She read an article of mine on Solensia and asked her veterinarian about it. Now, her cat is moving again and using the litter box.

When I attend conferences like dvm360's Fetch, I can’t hardly turn around without seeing someone who I now call a friend. Being accepted by this great profession is something I never could or would have imagined and never take for granted. It was all topped off a year ago when my trusted friend of many years, Marty Becker, DVM, told me the American Veterinary Medical Association not only named me the first recipient of its AVMA Veterinary Communications Award, but also that in perpetuity, this award will be named for me.

Veterinary medicine has made a huge impact on my life, in ways I never could predicted. I called the grandfather of veterinary behavior the late Robert K. “R.K.” Anderson, DVM, MPH, DACVB, DACVPM, a friend, the late James Richards, DVM, founder of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, and so many others who have touched my life in ways they may not even realize…but mostly this passionate and empathetic profession.

Never forget what you mean to pet parents – even if some grumble (or worse), the overwhelming majority are so grateful, and more than you will ever know.