Bearded dragons, kinkajous, and tigers are all in the mix on Animal Planet’s The Vet Life television series. The reality series features three Black Houston-area veterinarians bringing laughter, pet health care, and family back to TV for a third season on Saturdays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
The Tuskegee-trained threesome do have one ‘pet’ peeve.
“So many people say, ‘Oh, I want to talk to a real doctor.’ First of all, we are real doctors,” fumes Cy-Fair Animal Hospital partner and animal physician Dr. Diarra Blue. “In the veterinarian community, we say, ‘you aren’t a real doctor unless you can treat more than one species.’”
His partner, Dr. Aubrey Ross II, asserts, “Veterinarians are just like human doctors. We have specialists like pediatricians, surgeons, general practitioners, and cardiology.”
The third partner and show co-star Dr. Michael Lavigne III, assures, “We are regular people, we have families, we pay our taxes and work every day.”
“Veterinary medicine is the thing I love the most,” Blue reveals. “I am never bored when I come to work. Treating animals is like a game of Clue, a mystery of sorts.”
Lavigne enjoys scrubbing up and using his scalpel.
“I love surgery. I like doing procedures and seeing animals get better after recovery,” he shares.
Ross is fascinated by extraordinary creatures.
“I like the pathophysiology of exotics. They are just different. Many veterinarians don’t like working with cold-blooded animals. But, it is very interesting,” he observes.
These multi-breed surgeons and varied-animal diagnosticians offer a three-part prescription for keeping your furry family members healthy.
Make Regular Visits: Lavigne notes, “Preventive care and regular checkups are very important. They can also help you with costs. Because if you find and catch something early, it is cheaper to treat.”
Protect Your Pets’ Oral Cavity: Ross advises, “Dentals are very important. Many times owners have not looked in their pet’s mouth. There are a lot of things happening in their mouths. Sometimes, the only time that gets looked at is when the veterinarian does it.”
Build a Rapport with the Doctor:Blue recommends you, “Develop a relationship with your veterinarians. They can keep you up to date on various diseases and things that are happening in your city. Sometimes, your pet could be vulnerable to a disease that is present where you live.”
For more information, log on to https://cyfairanimalhospital.com/
Zach Rinkins is an educator, former college administrator, and Associated Press award-winning multi-media journalist committed to transforming college students into emerging professionals. You can connect with Zach on Facebook and Twitter at @ZachRinkins or www.ZachRinkins.com
