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News|Videos|January 3, 2022

Life lessons from a hamster

San Diego

During an interview with dvm360®, Mark Goldstein, DVM, disclosed how 1 of the greatest lessons he learned in life was from a child and his pet hamster, Harold.

According to Mark Goldstein, DVM, his outlook on life changed for the better the moment he crossed paths with a young boy and his pet hamster named Harold. During his keynote address at the Fetch dvm360® conference in San Diego, Goldstein revealed the invaluable lesson he learned from this interaction, plus how embracing this young boy's mindset could make the world a better place.

View the video below for the entire discussion. The following is a partial transcript:

Mark Goldstein, DVM: Why did I learn from [this young boy]? Because when it came time to discuss the options for a swollen rear leg that looked like cancer and/or a severe lymphodema, he turned to his mom when we talked about costs and said, 'Mom I have been saving money for a new bicycle this year, [but] I can wait until next year. I want to do this for Harold.' In a lightning flash, this 12-year old taught me and reinforced what is really valuable in life, friends. In this case, it was a 4-legged, little furry [hamster].

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