Giant leaps and a small step

June was a busy month in the veterinary world. At least four products were introduced or given approval by the Food and Drug Administration: a canine cancer drug, feline hyperthyroidism drug, canine Lyme vaccine, and canine influenza vaccine (conditional approval). (To learn more about them, visit dvm360.com.) Major advances like these are exciting because of their potential to better pets' health.

While these monumental developments are awe-inspiring, I'm equally impressed by the everyday contributions each of you make. When you help a puppy owner understand the importance of life-long wellness care, you improve the dog's well-being and strengthen the human-animal bond. When a client accepts your recommendation for year-round flea and tick control, you protect pets and people. These seemingly small accomplishments often result in major victories.

Kerry Hillard Johnson

Case in point: My mother is getting her outdoor cats neutered. About two years ago, a mama cat and her five kittens showed up in my mom's garage. She started feeding them and they stuck around long enough for one of the kittens to have babies of her own.

I loved seeing my mom enjoy the cats, but I cringed at the idea of them running around free and fertile. Mom wanted to get them sterilized, but eight surgeries would've been too expensive.

Mom's alternate solution was to find homes for the cats. The only takers were farmers, and she couldn't deal with the dangers the cats might face as barn animals. So the cats stayed, and so did their reproductive organs.

Today, the cat count is at three, and mom has truly bonded with two of the little guys (the third just won't be tamed). This connection, coupled with a few statements from the local veterinarian, has made all the difference. Mom wants the cats to be happy and healthy, and the doctor explained what that would take. Done deal.

By simply doing his job with care and compassion, he's helped pet- and humankind. And this excites me as much as pioneering medicine. So here's to pharmaceutical companies and to you. Keep up the amazing work.