December 29-January 4
Happy New Year! This week's link will take you to the website of the not-for-profit group known as the Delta Society. Their mission is to promote animals helping people improving their health, independence and quality of life. The Society's first president was a well-known veterinarian, Dr. Leo K. Bustad. At their website, you will learn more about animal-assisted therapy and dogs for people with disabilities. There are numerous other pages describing various services and programs, all of which I'm sure you will find informational and entertaining. The site is well constructed and easy to navigate.
December 22-28
Pedigree Petfoods has put together a winner of a website with PetCat.Com. Perhaps some of the best designed web pages I have viewed all year, the graphics are outstanding. Pet owners and cat lovers can register at the site and have a personalized version created online with a web cat of their specification. Find out all about cat breeds and care. View cat photographs or use the site to select a cat or even a cat name. The variety of cat-related articles and information seems enormous and will keep visitors of all ages entertained.
December 15-21
Multilingual Dictionary of the Horse
No one trick pony, the Multilingual Dictionary of the Horse by Jean-Claude Boulet, offers translations of equine terms in English, French, Spanish, and German. Italian and Dutch versions are underway. The main feature of the web version is a CGI search engine for cross-referencing various equine-related words. I found that by typing in the term "glanders", it not only provided the various translations, but also a brief description that the disease was caused by Pseudomonas mallei. It even provided a reference to the more chronic form of the disease, commonly known as "farcy". Now if it works for a search that esoteric, I'm sure it will meet your needs. Check it out!
December 8-15
DVM NewsMagazine is the online version of the monthly print publication for veterinarians in private practice. Segments are divided into News, Practice Management, Small Animal, Food Animal, Equine, Products, Editorial, Meetings/Continuing Education and a generous helping of relevant Web Links. The frames employed by the site make it simple to navigate and quickly reach what might be of interest to you.
December 1-7
Sandra Loosemore's Froggy Page is already so famous, I'd be surprised if you haven't been there yet, but just in case....here's everything, and I would call that an understatement.....that you would want to know about these amphibians, including pictures and sounds, and information ranging from one end of the educational spectrum to the other. Enjoy!
November 24-30
University of Minnesota Raptor Center
Well, this week being thanksgiving and all, I suppose most people will have turkey on their minds (or elsewhere.) :-). However, there are a number of other interesting "wild" birds and you can find out all about them at the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center. There you will find information on the Center's mission and history, a census of birds undergoing treatment, announcements, events, bird releases, Peregrine falcon nest updates, a gift store, membership and volunteer information, internships, jobs, and educational opportunities. In addition, they provide information on raptor legsilation, publications, bibliographies, newsgroups, and other Internet resources. Neat images and sounds to see and hear and all audiences will enjoy the site.
November 17-23
University of Pennsylvania SVM Computer-Aided Learning Project
Veterinarians and veterinary students alike will benefit from a thorough surfing of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Computer-Aided Learning Project. Watching this site evolve and expand over the past few months, it now includes a whole host of topics ranging from anesthesiology and dermatology to large animal radiology, neuroscience, and more. These projects are jointly developed by veterinary students and faculty and each module provides a useful example of how veterinary web pages can supplement classroom instruction. Everyone knows that the web as a communications medium is in it infancy, and hopefully, efforts such as these will inspire others to continue to explore similar possibilities.
November 10-16
Dr. Peter Auger, of the Barnstable (MA) High School, Boston College, and Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, is responsible for putting together bioSURF. The collection is closely matched to sections and chapters of the Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley textbook Biology: The Web of Life. This is an excellent link for teachers and students (from junior-high through college levels), as the projects lead through scientific concepts concerning the basis of life, genetics, biologic diversity, plants, invertebrate and veterbrate animal species, human biology, and the environment. Major sections also include related current news and spotlights on relevant careers. I could surf this site for hours and bet you could, too.
November 3-9
The American Kennel Club, or the AKC for short, just happened to be in St. Louis this past weekend, sponsoring the 1997 Molecular Genetics and Canine Genetic Health Conference. Prompting me to revisit their website, I found it has grown by leaps and bounds in recent months. There is so much there for dog owners including information on legislation, guides to dog shows, breed of the month, events, links, kid stuff....really more there than you can shake a stick at. So if you're looking for dog breed information, you will want to make this one of your first stops.
October 27-November 2
Hopefully, you will never have to go to this site for your pet, but it's nice to know that a reliable spot for information on animal poisons is available from NAPCC, the National Animal Poison Control Center. NAPCC is a division of the ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The NAPCC provides a fee-based service, but it's important to know that there are highly skilled veterinary toxicologists manning the Center 24 hours a day. From personal knowledge, I can attest to their professionalism and dedication. Their website provides basic information about the Center, emergency phone numbers, what to do in the event of an animal poisoning, and how to prevent poisoning in your pet.
October 20-26
Of interest to veterinarians and large animal farmers, FARAD, the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank, provides information about drugs used to treat animal diseases in the U.S., as well as corresponding safe withdrawal times for meat and milk production. The project is sponsored in part by the USDA and is a joint collaboration among the University of California, University of Florida, North Carolina State University, and the University of Illinois. The database itself is straightforward, comprehensive, and easy to search.
October 13-19
These days more and more veterinary practices have home pages. The Animal Hospital of Rowlett, Texas (near Dallas) serves as one of the best examples of a veterinary practice home page that I have seen . Great attention to details, with pictures of all the vets and staff, services and products offered, a "virtual tour" of the office, frequently asked questions, a feedback section and links, of course. If you're a veterinary practitioner and want to get some ideas for your own home page, or if you just want to see an attractively designed website, you should give this one a visit.
October 6-12
Probably one of the frequently asked questions for anyone who wants to become a veterinarian is "What schools can I choose from?". One of the most comprehensive resources I have found on the Internet for college information is located at Petersons.com. Here, they list 2 year, 4 year, professional and graduate programs in all fields of work. If you specify "veterinary" in your search, you will be able to locate those schools with pre-veterinary, veterinary professional, post-graduate programs. Veterinary technical schools are also featured.
September 29-October 5
You, too, will be surprised at the depth and breadth of the Nebraska Publications Catalog. Provided as a service by the Nebraska Cooperative Extension, I think farmers, producers, and veterinarians will glean a great deal of information from the various selections found there. Animal categories include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, swine, insects, and wildlife. Additionally, the site lists other general agricultural topics and computer programs.
September 22-28
What a resource! Everything you could possibly want to know about about DNA Vaccines is found on the DNA Vaccine Web. Presented in a colorful, easy to navigate site, Robert Whalen's webmastery makes the presentation of this topic an enjoyable, educational experience. You'll find articles, reviews, protocols, plasmids, contacts, and a great set of links. Well worth the bookmark for veterinarians, biomedical researchers, and graduate students.
September 15-21
Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center
The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine is home to the oldest raptor rehabilitation center in the Southeastern U.S., the Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center. This site provides good background educational resources on raptor rehabiliation, raptor rescue, natural history facts, including information on eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, kites, ospreys and vultures, great pictures, and an electronic newsletter. You can even adopt a bird if you wish to help support the program. Also contains links to other raptor-related sites. Did I forget to say, "War Eagle"?
September 8-14
The Feldman's, Henry & Lori, tagteam to provide you a dual purpose website on EMS & Veterinary Medicine. Highlights include outstanding
artwork (Henry), an Ask the Doctor page (Lori), and great info on Animal CPR and Advanced Veterinary Life Support.
Additionally, for those of you who might want to be a veterinarian, check out Lori's "Year in the Life of Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine" page. Finally, there's links galore if you want to explore the veterinary web universe a little further. I think everyone will find something useful here.
September 1-7
A really neat website that's been growing into a well-honed resource for biomedical scientists is the Microinjection Workshop. Webmaster Gary Brown,
who's been known to frequent the office of the NetVet, brings together a host of useful information and links about transgenic animals, including protocols and techniques, job opportunities, an electronic newsletter, vendor information, and links to just about all the transgenic facilities in the world that are online. The site is easy to
navigate and well designed. It would be of interest mainly to professionals in the field, but is also a good place to start if you want to find out more about this important aspect of research.
August 25-31
PetPath (appears to be defunct now)
Recently redesigned and relaunched, PetPath from Time-Warner's PathFinder website, makes for a worthy browsing experience. Lots of different pets are represented here, with informational columns, news articles, a breed finder, chat areas, games for the little ones, a vetpedia for the adults, as well as the opportunity to submit questions to veterinarians and other pet specialists. The site is very fast and a breeze to navigate.
August 18-24
Kratts' Creatures, straight up, is a kid's delight all the way, though I bet a few adults will get a kick out of this solidly designed winner of a website. Creature World,
Creature Games, Creature Clubhouse, Creature of the Week, even a Creature Joke of the Day. This educational adventure
is courtesy of the Kratts, Chris and Martin, and PBS. It is well-deserving of your next click.
August 11-17
Caring for Pets with Cancer - An Online Pocketbook
Dr. Kevin Hahn at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, has gathered together a
great deal of information under the website banner he calls Caring for Pets with Cancer - An Online Pocketbook. Updated quarterly, Dr. Hahn presents breaking news in the field, some classroom notes and lectures, literature references and select web bookmarks, in addition to describing the school's Cancer Treatment program. Veterinarians and pet owners alike will find this to be a useful spot to locate information on animal-related cancer.
August 4-10
Dr. Ron Smith at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, a long-time participant in veterinary medical informatics, has put together a great website known as Food Safety CAI. The lessons are designed for veterinarians and others who might be interested in the issues of food safety and food-borne diseases. The website makes extensive use of javascript and can keep track of responses, also making it an excellent example of distance education tools available to the veterinary medical profession. It's fun...even if you're not familiar with the topic, you soon will be.
July 28-August 3
Your next mission, should you accept it :-), is to choose whether Cyber-Dog or Cyber-Cat leads
you through the pet-universe of the Cyber-Pet website. Lots of imagination
and thought went into the development of this web-experience, evidenced by the numerous awards and accolades it
has achieved over the years. Once you're in, you'll find pet articles, breeder information, pet products & services,
dog and cat breeds, rescue & breed organizations, a PetChat area, and other related sites, all put together in an
enjoyable fashion. Hope you've got your speakers turned on.
July 21-27
This pick is somewhat self-serving, but for those who faithfully check in,
you will be interested to know that NetVet & the Electronic Zoo are in the process of moving, to be
found under the umbrella of AVMA Online, the virtual home of the
American Veterinary Medical Association. Though I will still be involved
with the website as a consultant, the web-team of the AVMA's Center for Information Management (Karl
Wise, Diana Tomasek, Craig Little, & Jay Crouse) will be responsible for maintaining and updating the
huge veterinary and animal database that NetVet and the Electronic Zoo have grown to be. The goal remains
the same, to be the Internet's central resource for information concerning the veterinary profession and the
people and animals with which we interact. The transition will take place over the next few weeks. If
you haven't seen what AVMA Online has to offer, time to click on over.
July 14-20
Here's a site I use all the time and probably should be in your bookmark file, particularly those of you
at educational, corporate, and non-profit organization sites. If you haven't discovered it already. The Community of Science Web Server is a one-stop shop for locating information on scientific expertise, funded scientific research, and funding opportunities for research. You'll find quick access to Medline, the U.S. Patent Citation Database, Federally-Funded Research in the U.S., Commerce Business Daily, the Federal Register, a Funding Opportunities Database, and the International Community of Science. (Again, this is a limited access database available only to certain domains....commercial accounts will not likely be able to access all portions of this site).
July 7-13
Just in case you had not heard about it already, the National Library of Medicine has made its famous Medline service free for everyone, via the Web or its Internet Grateful Med software. That's 8.8 million references to articles published in 3800 biomedical journals, straight from the
horse's mouth, so to speak....no cheap imitations. While you're visiting the library, check out (no pun intended :-) the Visible Human Project or Images from the History of Medicine. Take a look at this cool picture from the History Collection. The site is much deeper than I've described and is well worth the exploration.
June 30-July 6
Mining Company - Veterinary Medicine
Hosted by Webmaster (& Veterinarian) Scott Nimmo, the
Mining Company - Veterinary Medicine
is shaping up nicely as part of the main site's overall efforts. Scott, had one of the
first, if not the first, UK veterinary practice homepages on the Web, so he's been
around and is well-qualified to point out good sites to everyone whose interested
in animal health and the veterinary profession. Like the rest of the Mining Co. 400+
hosted sites, this one is very well laid out and easy to navigate. I think you'll enjoy.
June 23-29
Webmaster Tim Knight does another great website, this time around the Wildlife Web pages show an attractive,
easy-to-navigate series of links covering most major species of animals. You'll find some neat sound files, photos by Tim, and links to conservation organizations. Tim volunteered his time for the project, so be sure to let him know how much you appreciate
his efforts and fantastic work.
June 16-22
Way to go, Aggies! Check out the Animal Connections radio program
from the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine. It's broadcast on KAMU 90.9,
but is also accessible via Real Audio. If you have a sound card handy and the Real Audio plug-in for your browser, head on over to the site. Numerous archives of previous shows are on hand, covering a wide range of veterinary medical and animal-related material. While you're there, you also might want to back up to see the rest of the TAMU CVM website, one of the best on the Web.
June 9-15
UGA Veterinary Anatomy and Radiology
From the opening page, you know you're somewhere special. The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Anatomy and Radiology Department web pages, crafted by Jeanne M. Davidson and Fred Smith, are an outstanding resource. A great deal of course material is available online
covering behavior, embryology, histology, and practice management. You will definitely need a frames-capable browser. Though parts of the site are still under construction, you'll want to check out Dr. Smith's various links to the courses and lessons he teaches, ILINK being a great example of how to present educational material. In fact, you may want to take one of those courses if you aspire to have web pages this good.
June 2-8
Veterinary Information Network
A lot of people from America Online visit this website, probably more than any one source. As it turns out, a lot of veterinarians go to America Online to participate in the online community known as VIN, the Veterinary Information Network. The VIN website will give you a quick idea of what's available, with current events, an opinion poll, and a thorough description of the various services and content. Those who would like to subscribe can find information and pointers to the
software needed to access VIN on AOL.
May 26-June 1
With pages developed for both companion birds and more general birding information, all bird-lovers are in for a treat when you click your way over to The Aviary. Definitely one of the most attractively
designed websites available, surpassed only by its ease of navigation. There are sections on everything imaginable to do with birds, with a lot of original information, news, mailing lists, a section for the kids, and much more. You will certainly enjoy this site.
May 19-25
Got some time on your hands? You'll need it, because it's going to take you more than a little while to surf the Animal Network from Fancy Publications, Inc. Packed with information, you may choose channels ranging from dogs, cats, and birds to horses, fish, and exotic pets. There's even a veterinary channel carrying information from the well known magazine, Veterinary Product News. The animal channels feature interactive forums, databases, contests, kid stuff, pet product information, and plenty o' links. Enjoy!
May 12-18
USDA Animal Welfare Information Center
Back in the old days of the web (like a couple of years ago :-) I was fortunate to help put the original pages for AWIC, the Animal Welfare Information Center, online.
Time marches on and AWIC has moved to their new home at USDA's National Agricultural Library. AWIC has assembled an impressive array of bibliographies, news, and information about animal welfare and legislative issues. Those interested in the topic will definitely want to look into their CARE CD-ROM product. Also located at the site are links to other major components of US Goverment Animal Welfare agencies.
May 5-11
Wildlife Rehabilitation Information Directory
You know it's springtime when people start asking what to do with orphaned rabbits and squirrels. For answers to just such questions and much more, I suggest you visit the Wildlife Rehabilitation Information Directory. Webmaster and Veterinary Technician Ronda Devold has devoted a great deal of time and energy to creating a site of excellent resources about all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. Definitions, professional organizations, listings, wildlife laws, professional information and publications, the mailing list, WLREHAB, wildlife weblinks, stories, poems, humor, pictures, news, and more! Check it out now!
April 28-May 4
I am always impressed when other veterinarians take the time to create great web resources. The efforts of Dr. Dirk Pfeiffer are evident at the EpiVetNet site located at Massey University in New Zealand. The site serves to provide a forum for exchange of information about issues
related to veterinary epidemiology. The website is a companion to the electronic mailing list, EpiVet-L. Details for joining the list are located at the website. You will also find information on degree programs, mailing lists, meetings, publications, epidemiological research and computer software. A useful resource for veterinary practitioners, academicians, and students.
April 21-27
Long one of my favorite sites, The Tree of Life is the result
of the hard work and efforts of David Maddison and Wayne Maddison of the University of Arizona and many other contributors. In its briefest description, the Tree of Life is a collection of Web pages that collectively provide information about the world's
organisms. The project is massive in scope and represents one of the Web's finest educational contributions.
April 14-20
I suppose a site that I visit every day should be worthy of a "Pick". HMS Beagle lists all current happenings in biomedical research, biotech industry, and biological science. To dig deeper into the site,
you'll need to sign up, but it's free. Created by Biomednet.com, excellent design, well-written, and I just can't say enough good things about it. Definitely worth your next click.
April 7-13
LlamaWeb is the result of the creativity and superb webmastery of Dale Graham. Dale's attractively designed website contains just about everything you would want to know about these South American camelids. There are pointers to llama farms, a veterinary information resource area, event listings, and pointers to all things llama!....even llama games for the kids in all of us. (Maybe I'll see one or two of these critters on my upcoming trip to Brazil :-)
March 31-April 6
Pig Disease Information Centre (site not currently functioning)
A website that caught my eye when it was introduced and which keeps getting bigger and better is the Pig Disease Information Centre located at the Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge. Originally, PDIC was formed to create a central communicating body for information about Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, but since then has expanded to provide information on numerous swine health issues, breeding, welfare, and diseases. The site is attractively designed, easy to navigate, searchable, and will prove to be an excellent resource for those interested in porcine health.
March 24-30
Even before figuring out webmaster Brian Dawson was a member of Class 2000 at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, I was quickly making his
Amazing Animal Facts website the next "Pick". Though self-described as a collection
of totally useless animal information, I think you'll find instead it is entertaining reading, with a good selection of images, tunes, and wit to match.
March 17-23
Equi-Site stands out from the crowd of horse-related web pages with one of the most
attractively designed sites I've seen. Webmaster Nia Ridley has obviously been very busy creating an online environment any horse enthusiast will certainly enjoy. The pictures and artwork are among the best you will find at any site.
March 10-16
Now *this* is a cool website! The
Virtual Lab from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute shows exactly how scientists use
antibodies to detect disease. You will be able to do an ELISA test online (as long as you have the Shockwave plugin installed with your browser - well worth the download). HHMI is the largest private nonprofit source of support for biomedical research and science education in the United States. Scientists use tools like those demonstrated in the Virtual Lab to study cancer, AIDS, and other diseases. HHMI also provides grants to students and others to pursue careers in science.
March 3-9
An absolutely tremendous animal website, the
Canadian Animal Network is a "community" of pet owners, veterinarians, and animal-related companies, weaved together with discussion forums, organization and company sites, veterinary assocations, adoption programs, kids area, and much, much more. This site is attractively and intelligently designed and will certainly engage and entertain all visitors.
February 24-March 2
Veterinary School Search Engine
Heather Mazzaccaro scores a second "pick" (along with Eric Page)
for their very helpful
Veterinary School Search Engine. This is one part of a project conducted at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and actually contains search engines for medical and dental schools as well. Perfect for the aspiring student!
February 17-23
From the Netherlands, Karin & Fred van Veen have put together a great
web resource in their Gerbil Information Page.
Written in both Dutch and English, you can find details about the Mongolian gerbil and
several other related species, including distribution maps, literature references, and
even a gerbil screensaver. Something for everyone here.
February 10-16
The Consultant
web page is the latest version of many years of work by Dr. Maurice White and John Lewkowicz of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Consultant is a diagnostic support system and can provide possible causes for clinical signs and symptoms of animal diseases. Results from the database include a general description, species affected, signs/symptoms associated with it, a list of recent literature references. Definitely one of the most useful veterinary tools to be found on the Internet.
February 3-9
So what's it going to be? 6 more weeks of winter or is spring just around the bend? Go on over to Punxsutawny Phil's spot on the web and find out all about Groundhog Day, 1997.
January 27-February 2
The Super Bowl's over and the Cheeseheads rule!....as good a reason as any
to visit the MooMilk website, which is a multi-award
winning tour of the dairy industry. The site takes advantage of all the latest web
technologies, with plenty for kids and adults alike to see and learn. Mooo...ve it on
over now! :-)
January 20-26
An all too important message for pet owners is presented by the Hill's Pet Nutrition website
Pets Need Dental Care, Too. Attractively designed and informative, you will discover what's important to know about animal tooth and gum disease. February is National Pet Dental Health Month, but you can get a jumpstart by clicking to this site now.
January 13-19
Once upon a time, I lived in the Magic City and I'm proud to see that theBirmingham Zoo brings its own magic to the web.
Located in Birmingham, Alabama, you'll find much to see and learn about hundreds of animal species in the Animal Omnibus. You can also take a virtual tour of the Galapagos Islands
or an African safari. There are several zoo animal movies and information about the Zoo's Teen Volunteer Program.
January 6-12
BraveNet, the Brazilian Veterinary Network, is the brainchild of webmaster and veterinarian, Maurício Garcia. Bravenet has established itself as the central directory of online happenings in the country of Brazil, but has an intelligently designed interface easy enough for anyone in the world to surf. The site covers everything from meetings and publications to organizations and veterinary practice sites and more.
December 30-January 5
I've had the opportunity to view numerous veterinary practice web pages
over the years and feel that I have to give the creativity award to Dr. David Tayman's Columbia Animal Hospital. Located in Columbia, Maryland, it's "Pet's Health" theme is highly original, informative, and entertaining,
everything a good website should be.
Copyright ©1994-98,
Ken Boschert, DVM
All Rights Reserved