This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
I am quite full from the last minute Fourth of July dinner that my brother and I threw together - featuring grilled chicken-apple sausages, roasted pork tenderloin with lemon-pepper dry rub, and chocolate peanut butter cookies. Too full to blog. Instead as I'm working my way through season six of Buffy on Netflix, I've got something different for you today.
Instead of the usual Monday fare, I want you all to go over and say hello to The Dog Zombie.
She describes herself thusly:
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The Dog Zombie studies dog brains by pursuing DVM and MS degrees. She is currently in her research year, between years two and three of veterinary school. Her interests include neurobiology, neuroendocrinology, ethology, animal behavior, canid domestication, shelter medicine, animal welfare, veterinary ethics, open access publishing, and the philosophy of science.
She doesn't post too terribly often, but when she does, her posts are interesting and thoughtful. She has an awesome post urging the reader to think twice before adopting a domesticated fox from Russia (in response to my post). Another one of my favorites is a post in which she considers how good (or bad) cortisol might be as a measurement of stress. And, for that matter, what counts as stress in the first place, especially when you're doing your research in an animal hospital?
Most importantly, The Dog Zombie is an excellent example of a blog written by someone out there in the trenches, working on becoming a veterinarian, taking a research-based approach to her work. Not only do the veterinarians - who work with many of the same animals we study under highly controlled experimental conditions - have something to learn from the experimental scientists, but we also have something important to learn from them.
Plus, she might be the only other person who is as fascinated by the domesticated foxes as I am.
So go on over and say hello. Tell her Jason sent you.