Michelle Gerhard Jasny V.M.D.
Visiting Vet: Summertime hazards
Summertime, and the livin’ is easy. Or not. Let’s talk about summertime dangers for dogs.
The first is an oldie but goodie. Heat. OMG, folks....
Visiting Vet: The tale of PeeWee
PeeWee is a young hypothetical cat. Let’s say he lives with his owner, who keeps him indoors to make sure he stays safe (with...
Visiting Vet: Brain inflammation — MUOs
Bonito is a handsome chocolate Labrador retriever who has had his share of challenges in life. As a pup, one of his testicles didn’t...
Visiting Vet: Do dogs get poison ivy?
I dragged the hose across the yard in a halfhearted attempt to start cleaning out our long-neglected shed. Critters have chewed holes in the...
Visiting Vet: Captain Jack
Captain Jack was a bad cat. Even as a tiny kitten, found abandoned in a church alleyway in Worcester, he had cattitude. A little,...
Visiting Vet: Aslan in his old age
When I was in veterinary school, long, long ago, I had a professor who used to say, “Old age is not a disease.” What...
Visiting Vet: Dog aggression — take it seriously
I’m running late. April 7 was the start of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, a project sponsored by a coalition of the American Veterinary...
Visiting Vet: Vaccines work
The pandemic has taught us many things … from how to “Zoom” to how little many Americans understand science, especially the concept of herd...
Visiting Vet: No lilies for kitties
Easter is right around the corner. For religious Christians, Easter is a time for celebrating their faith. For more secular folks, it is still...
Visiting Vet: Bored cats can overeat
A few years ago at her annual appointment, I mentioned to Augusta’s owner that the cat was a little chubby. OK, maybe I said...
Visiting Vet: Gemma’s dilemma
Thursday is my day providing “Urgent Veterinary Care” on the Vineyard. Despite the fact that I haven’t taken on new clients in years, for...
Visiting Vet: The saga of heartworm meds
In 1977, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first canine heartworm preventive medication. I was just starting veterinary school. The drug was...
Visiting Vet: A heart murmur can mean many things
Smurf is a classic example of what veterinarians call an LWD. That’s a Little White Dog. He happens to be a Maltese–toy poodle cross,...
Visiting Vet: On call
I wasn’t too concerned about being short-staffed, even though it was my turn on call for “urgent care.” A small group of veterinary practices...
Visiting Vet: Let’s try happy
It’s January. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, but if I had to pick one for 2024, it’s simply this: Happy...
Visiting Vet: Onions and garlic are toxic for cats and dogs
Every time my friend Gail brings her pup for a veterinary visit, she also brings me a little bag. Usually when clients do this,...
Visiting Vet: Aging gracefully
I only met my little friend Beulah two years ago. She was already a senior citizen, with bilateral cataracts (meaning both eyes were affected),...
Visiting Vet: Cats in the cradle?
I’ve been watching with both empathy and amusement the trials and tribulations of Facebook friends with their various cats and kittens. I wish all...
Visiting Vet: Dog behavior
“When you walk your dog, you are on a date with him,” the speaker said in his charming Italian accent. “You wouldn’t like it...
Visiting Vet: Helping Geezer get around
My recent articles have been about depressing topics. Sudden death. Home burials. Constipation. I promised my editor I would write something more cheerful soon....