View from the Board: Interesting times

“May you live in interesting times.”

For fans of the author Terry Prachett, this phrase may bring to mind the book Interesting Times, featuring the hapless wizard Rincewind, caught in the middle of world-altering conflicts and chaotic political upheaval. For veterinary professionals, we may be feeling a lot like this fictional wizard, uniquely talented and possessing a specialized skill set while being caught in a world that is continually shifting under our feet.

Contending with AI chatbots, the expanding empire of online retailers, keyboard warriors, and the dismantling of public health systems might make us long for the days when all we had to contend with was Dr. Google and vaccines on the shelf of the local feed store. At times, our future may seem very uncertain, so we here at AAHA invite you to seek some clarity for the future by reflecting on the past. For the year 2026, we will be going “Back to our Roots.”

Last summer, I had the great pleasure to meet a grouchy grey kitty named Porculus. He really did not care for my ideas that he should be thoroughly examined from nose to toes and have some labwork done. But he was thin, his fur was a little greasy, he was having trouble jumping on the couch and he didn’t want to interact with anyone else (feline or human) in the household. After I convinced him to go along with my plan that he should have some bloodwork done, we discovered that he was hyperthyroid.

In fact, he was pretty spectacularly hyperthyroid with the heart murmur and elevated liver values to go along with that. This is not an uncommon diagnosis for an older cat, but I was reminded by his owner’s reaction that this was a very UNCOMMON diagnosis for Porculus and his family. We talked about treatment options, and what they could expect. We instituted a treatment plan starting with methimazole to see how he tolerated that, before addressing some of his other issues. Over the next several months, I watched Porculus transform. He put on weight, and his coat became glossy and soft. He started treatment for arthritis, and he began jumping on the couch and playing with the other cats in the household. Watching his owner rejoice to see Porculus regain his strength, mobility, and appetite lifted my spirits every time I got a progress update. It reminded me that we are still the people who can reach out and make the lives of people and pets better. What seems like the a mundane, everyday diagnosis to us might be truly miraculous for a family. I’ll never forget this owner’s joy in not having to clean up partially digested cat food vomit several times a week!

For this New Year, I challenge you to combat these interesting times by finding those cases that truly do take you “back to your roots.” Celebrate along with your owners in the small victories when medications create those small miracles for a beloved pet.  Know that what you do every day is powerful and helps us all move toward a better future in not-so-interesting times.

Jananne O’Connell, DVM, MVPH, is a director on the AAHA Board. She is lead DVM at Colony Park Animal Hospital in Durham, N.C.

Photo credit: © American Animal Hospital Association

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