Blake Miller

By Blake Miller, For The Mountain Times About two weeks after graduating veterinary school, I started my first job in Woodburn, Oregon. Everything still felt new. I was learning the clinic’s routines, trying to sound confident on the phone, and realizing quickly that real-life cases move faster than anything you see in school. One afternoon I got an emergency call for a pet bull that was limping. The guy said it plainly, like it was the most routine thing in the world. A pet bull. Lame on one...

About two weeks after graduating veterinary school, I started my first job in Woodburn, Oregon. Everything still felt new. I was learning the clinic’s routines, trying to sound confident on the phone, and realizing quickly that real-life cases move faster than anything you see in school. One afternoon I got an emergency call for a pet bull that was limping. The guy said it plainly, like it was the most routine thing in the world. A pet bull. Lame on one leg. Needs a vet. I remember feeling my...

The holidays bring rich food, decorations, guests, and travel. They also bring a spike in preventable emergencies. A little planning goes a long way toward keeping dogs and cats safe and comfortable through Thanksgiving and Christmas. Kitchen and table risks Rich, fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes serious inflammation of the pancreas. Keep pets away from turkey skin, gravy, ham trimmings, prime rib fat, and buttery sides. Do not give cooked bones. Poultry bones...