NetVet Pick of the Litter

Past Picks of the Litter

August 4-10

Food Safety CAI

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

Cyber-Pet

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

AVMA Online

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

Community of Science

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

National Library of Medicine

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

Wildlife Web

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

Animal Connections

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

The Aviary

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

Animal Network

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

EpiVetNet

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

The Tree of Life

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

HMS Beagle

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

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

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

Amazing Animal Facts

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

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

HHMI's Virtual Lab

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

Canadian Animal Network

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

Gerbil Information Page

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

Consultant

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

Groundhog Day

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

MooMilk

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

Pets Need Dental Care, Too

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

Birmingham Zoo

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

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

Columbia Animal Hospital

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 State University" theme is highly original, informative, and entertaining, everything a good website should be.

December 23-29

Bear Den

This time of year, cold weather is on many people's minds. When I think of cold, I think of bears, who get to take it easy and hibernate throughout the winter. To learn just about everything you would ever want to know about hibernation and bears, visit the Bear Den. This multi-award winning site features detailed information on 8 different kinds of bears, a kids area called the Cub Den, a Photo Gallery, and much more. Webmaster Don Middleton provides a wealth of online knowledge about the Ursidae family, which you can experience while hopefully keeping yourself warm.

December 16-22

NORINA

Veterinarian and Webmaster, Dr. Adrian Smith and his wife, Karina, live in Oslo, Norway, and have compiled the NORINA Database over a period of many years. NORINA (A Norwegian Inventory of Audiovisuals) consists of information on over 3000 computer programs, laser discs, films, slide series, 3-D models and classroom charts, that can be used as alternatives or supplements to the use of animals in teaching, at all levels from K-12 to university. This database is easily searched and should prove useful to students and teachers alike.

December 9-15

Cat Tales

Webmaster Mike Wyche's website, Cat Tales has been a work in progress for quite some time. Cat Tales is located in Spokane, Washington, and is a nonprofit zoological park dedicated to the preservation of endangered felines. They also operate a training center, and the website offers a plethora of pictures, links, and FAQ's about large feline species. Cat Tale's mission includes education, rescue, and research. You can also "adopt" one of the animals in order to support its annual care. Good job!

December 2-8

Dinosauria On-Line

Okay...like millions of others, I watched "Jurassic Park" on television again. While that was a great movie, you might want to check out the real thing at the Dinosauria On-Line website. Webmaster Jeff Poling has assembled a great dinosaur science resource, appropriate for experts and amateurs, with numerous paleontological references and images.

November 25-December 1

Kaplan's Turkey on the Web

In America, it's that time of year again and surfing the turkey sites is made all that much easier by going to Kaplan's Turkey on the Web. A previous "Cool Site of the Day", I think you'll find just about all the tidbits about Thanksgiving and Turkey you'd ever want to know. Have a good holiday!

November 18-25

Mississippi State University Bulldogs

When an event that has only happened twice in my lifetime occurs, I simply cannot let it go unheralded. The Mississippi State University Football Bulldogs stood toe-to-toe on National Television with the Univeristy of Alabama Crimson Tide this past weekend and came out on the winning end, 17-16. I understand the goalposts are still missing :-)

(Okay, so I bleed Maroon....did I mention that the MSU Basketball team went to the Final Four this year? :-) Just in case everyone isn't sharing in my alumnus enthusiasm, here are bonus "pick of the litter" links to the Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine, the Bulldog's Home Page, and the Elephant Manager's Association.

November 11-17

AVMA's Care for Pets

This is definitely one of the most informative and attractive veterinary sites to grace the World Wide Web. The Care for Pets site is a project created by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Over 180 pages deep, this site covers the spectrum of veterinary medicine and animal health, with pet health news, pet loss information, what you need to know when buying a pet, animal safety, pet stories, how to select a veterinarian, veterinary career information, and a "Kid's Korner". The pages are very well laid out and a pleasure to surf. I'm sure you will enjoy this one.

November 4-10

AALAS

This week marks the 47th Annual Meeting of AALAS, the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. AALAS is dedicated to advancing and disseminating knowledge about the responsible care and use of laboratory animals for the benefit of human and animal health. AALAS's Alpha server is the latest in a long history of electronic communications for this organization and serves as a source of information exchange about the field. Available there are numerous reference and contact sources and for members, there is the new AALAS Careerline, listing job opportunities, course outlines for laboratory animal technicians, newsletters, and articles from the journals Laboratory Animal Science and Contemporary Topics.

October 28-November 3

Interactive Frog Dissection Tutorial

Having just returned from a recent meeting on Animal Alternatives in the Netherlands, I thought this might be a good week to highlight one of the classic web sites known as the Interactive Frog Dissection Tutorial, located at University of Virginia. Designed for use in high school biology programs, this program can function as a supplement or an alternative to the use of real frogs in teaching dissection and anatomy. When I was that age, I preferred working with the real thing. However, some people learn in different ways, so check it out for yourself. I'm sure the frogs would appreciate it. :-)

October 21-27

All the Virology Servers on the WWW

All the Virology Servers on the WWW is pretty well summed up by its title. This invaluable resource, put together by webmaster David Sander of the Garry Lab at Tulane University, serves both the scientific community and the general public, providing information and insights to agents that are important to both human and animal health and disease. Here you will find microscopic and macromolecular images, notes, diagrams, even videos of many viral organisms + a comprehensive set of links to all relevant and related websites on this topic, including labs, techniques, taxonomic and genomic data, and more. I would be surprised if you did not find useful information at this site. Well worth your next click.

October 14-20

Outbreak

On the Internet, the world becomes a smaller place. The same is true in real life, with increasing contact between cultures and people. Much attention has been focused in the media on the Ebola virus, an infectious agent transmissible between monkeys and humans. However, as you'll see on the Outbreak web page, this is only one of many emerging diseases that we should be concerned about. Maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers, Outbreak is truly one of the more ambitious and important sites you will find on the Web.

October 7-13

Chin Net

Chin Net, covers the World Wide Web of pet chinchillas in great detail, offering pointers on everything from pet chin sites on the Net to book lists, directories for organizations, cage designs, genetics, FAQ's, and lots of pictures. The real enthusiast will want to join the ChinMail Mailing List or follow along on the Usenet newsgroup, alt.chinchilla.

September 30-October 6

The Dogpatch

I guess webmaster Mary Jo Sminkey is just going to have to add one more entry to her growing list of accolades :-) Her website, The Dogpatch, is a brilliantly designed and informative set of pages encompassing numerous canine topics, including the Doghouse, the Sheltie page, the Dog Obedience and Training Page, the Dog Agility page, the Frisbee Dog page, and much, much, more. I'm sure you will surf this site for hours.

September 23-29

USDA Animal Care

The 30th anniversary of the Animal Welfare Act was recently recognized. The AWA is administered by the Animal Care branch of the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A great deal of information may be found at this site, including a variety of reports, lists, fact sheets, press releases, regulations, pending legislation, a Missing and Found Animals Page, and the Horse Protection Home Page. Webmaster Jerry DePoyster has done an excellent job of assembling these materials for easy and efficient retrieval.

September 16-22

Zoological Society of San Diego

The Zoological Society of San Diego website serves as the electronic home for the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species. Known the world over, more than 4.5 million people visit these resources each year. Until you can plan your trip, check out the website and see hippos, gorillas, chimpanzees, pandas, polar bears, and other species in natural habitat settings.

September 9-15

SCIVAC

SCIVAC is the Societŕ Culturale Italiana Veterinari per Animali da Compagnia, a non-profit association of companion animal practice veterinarians. SCIVAC originated in Milan, Italy and has 5,500 members. The SCIVAC website is very well designed and easy to navigate, with sections on continuing education, specialties, upcoming congresses and seminars, and more. They also sponsor a veterinary professional mailing list called Vetlink.

September 2-8

The Guinea Pig Hutch

A site sure to catch the eye of guinea pig fanciers and pet owners is The Guinea Pig Hutch. Webmaster Todd Medley has assembled a superbly designed collection of information, health and care tips, bedding information, related links, and guinea pig photographs. Anyone interested in cavies would do well to check out this site.

August 26 - September 1

WWW.Woofs

One of the more well designed and informative sites to come around on the web may be found at WWW.Woofs. This is a non-profit corporation devoted to the care of (as you might guess) our canine companions. Among the numerous things to see are sections on Adoption, Health Care, Nutrition, Training, News, Images, a Celebrity Dog Owners Column, and a Chat Line. I found it to be an entertaining site and I'm sure you will, too.

August 19-25

BIOSIS

And I thought I had some links :-) .... Check out the (many) pages of BIOSIS. This non-profit organization supports the growth, communication, and use of biological knowledge for the common good. They have accumulated the world's largest collection of abstracts and bibliographic references to biological and medical literature. Two essential online indexes they've produced include the Resources for Biologists page and Taxonomy and Nomenclature page. There's a lot more....so get your mouse finger warmed up.

August 12-18

James Herriot Home Page

Heather Mazzaccaro has created a tribute website to popular veterinarian/author James Herriot, who wrote the classic All Creatures Great and Small and many other wonderful stories, certainly a huge inspiration for many young veterinarians.

August 5-11

Australian Environment On-Line

As the Olympic torch passes from Atlanta to our friends in Sydney, many may want to virtually explore the land down under at the Australian Environment On-Line web site managed by ERIN, the Environmental Resources Information Network, located in the Federal Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories. Read about Endangered Species, the Diversity of Australian Fauna, and much, much more. G'day, mates!

July 29-August 4

Marine Biological Laboratory

Always a great web resource, the newly redesigned home for the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, is better than ever. The Aquatic Resources section is attractively designed with easy to follow tables and graphics. The Marine Biological Laboratory is a non-profit institution devoted to research and education in basic biology. Scientists and students throughout the world come to the MBL to conduct research, teach, and study. Other resources at this site include the MBL courses and programs, as well as information on fellowships and scholarships.

July 22-28

AVMA - American Veterinary Medical Association

This week marks the 133rd Annual Meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association in Louisville, Kentucky. The AVMA has approximately 56,000 members engaged in a variety of professional activities. The membership represents over 80 percent of the active veterinarians in the United States. The objective of the Association is to advance the science and art of veterinary medicine, including its relationship to public health, biological science, and agriculture. The Association provides a forum for the discussion of issues of importance to the veterinary profession, and for the development of official positions. The Association is the authorized voice for the profession in presenting its views to government, academia, agriculture, pet owners, the media, and other concerned publics. (Big Hint...keep your eye on this site as it develops on the Web.)

July 15-21

CLIVE - Computer Aided Learning in Veterinary Education

The Computer Aided Learning in Veterinary Education home page, CLIVE for short, provides training materials from the 6 UK veterinary schools. Many excellent examples of these collaborative efforts may be found, including software modules on anesthesia, pathology, ophthalmology, cytology, diagnostic imaging and more. These pioneers bring us one step closer to a virtual veterinary university.

July 8-14

Not Just Cows

Longtime net wizard and librarian, Wilfred ("Call me Bill") Drew, is the author of the popular, award-winning Not Just Cows document and website. Recently renovated, bigger and better than ever, here you will find just about every library, gopher, BBS, website, database, electronic journal, or discussion group dealing with the subject of Agriculture. Clearly an inspiration for this site and one you should check out right away!

July 1-7

InfoMine

One of my favorite spots on the Net resides at the University of California-Riverside and is called InfoMine. Just as it claims, InfoMine is a comprehensive biological, agricultural, and medical Internet resource collection. You can search by subject, keyword, or title and all references are annotated. A great alternative to the larger search engines if these topics are what you are looking for. Highly recommended!

June 24-30

Infinite Wildlife Resources Network

Well, it's that time of year....everyone usually takes a break during the summer....another way of saying "I've gone fishing". If sport fishing is your way to relax, you might want to check out Infinite Wildlife Resources Network web page.....state by state listings of all the good spots. Here's hoping you find the big one that didn't get away. :-)

June 17-23

AAHA HealthyPet - the American Animal Hospital Association

New to the World Wide Web, but outstanding nonetheless, is the HealthyPet site created by the American Animal Hospital Association. AAHA is an international association of more than 12,000 veterinarians who treat companion animals and is well known for its standards for hospitals and pet health care. Their website has a Veterinary Hospital Locator, newsletter, pet care tips and library, and even a kid's coloring page. I think you'll like this one as much as I do.

June 10-16

National Wildlife Health Center

One outstanding and helpful site at the U.S. Department of Interior's National Biological Service is the National Wildlife Health Center. There you will find information on wildlife diseases and mortality reports, diagnostics, and helpful links to publications, meetings, and training opportunities. Also, learn more about WHIP, the Wildlife Health Information Partnership, and the WildlifeHealth Group Mailing List.

June 3-9

SeaWorld/Busch Gardens

My 8 year-old niece, Madeline, and 10 year-old nephew, Mark, visited me this weekend, and their vote for this week's pick of the litter is the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database. Come to think of it, they get my vote, too. This site is rich in information, both quick and detailed, on a wide variety of animal species. The site is useful for teachers and kids will get a kick out of the many images and, of course, Shamu! Well worth your visit, online, or better yet, in real life.

May 28-June 2

The Virtual Pet Cemetery

Memorial Day is a good time to remember all the loved ones we may have lost, including our pets. Dozens of people have left heartfelt eulogies to their furry friends at LavaMind's multiple award-winning Virtual Pet Cemetery.

May 21-May 27

Vétonet

If French is your native tongue, then you'll really enjoy visiting the Vétonet web site. Webmaster Dr. Fabrice Jaffre' has created what I would best describe as the French equivalent of NetVet, with organizations, veterinary schools, laboratories, mailing lists, French animal sites, and much more. Even if you don't read French, the site is well organized and easy to navigate. Well worth your visit. Bienvenue !

May 14-May 20

Dachshunds on the Worldwide Web and Dachshunds@Cybercom.Net

Okay....I'll admit it.... I .... (ahem...really my wife) has two dachshunds, Hompo and Mojo, thus the genesis of the "Pick of the Litter" Wiener Dog Logo. They bark a lot, but otherwise, they're really good dogs and I could recommend them for almost any family. Two of the dachshund sites you'll encounter on the Net include the comprehensive Dachshunds on the Worldwide Web & Dachshunds@Cybercom.Net, home page for the Dachshund Mailing List. These two will lead you to all the other worthy dachshund sites on the Wiener Wide Web.
(I suppose my cats will want equal billing now. :-)

May 6-May 13 - FutureScan's I Want to be a Veterinarian

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be involved in the veterinary profession? Check out the I Want to be a Veterinarian site from FutureScan. One of a series of career descriptions, this site provides information about the profession and what veterinary practitioners do every day. You can read about the personal experiences of veterinarians and there's also a page to submit questions.

April 29-May 5 - World Wide Raccoon Web

Seeing one of these little guys this weekend reminded me of webmaster and the worlds' #1 raccoon fan, Seth Morabito's World Wide Raccoon Web. Here you'll find stories, bibliographies, images, book reviews, even an interactive chat bulletin board, all dedicated to Procyon lotor. This crafty creature gets the full web treatment and no doubt, if there's any raccoon information you wanted, you'll find it here.

April 22-28 - AcmePet

These days, there are *lot* of pet sites on the World Wide Web. One which warrants distinction above and beyond the normal accolades, is AcmePet. You're likely to find just the information you're looking for, from puppies to pot-bellied pigs, and everything in between. Make sure you have the latest version of NetScape or Internet Explorer to take advantage of their Java and Multimedia pages. The Chat Areas are very popular and they have a Cool Pet Site of the Day, too. Very much worth your next click.

April 15-21 - HerpMed

The HerpMed website serves up much of what there is to know about the medical aspects of herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians). Webmaster Steve Grenard's pages describe how substances from herps may be used for medical purposes, why some herps dangerous to humans, and why some humans are dangerous to herps. Snakebite information, conservation resources, and many animal-related links await your next click.

April 8-14 - Mark Varner's Home Page

Don't judge a website just by the name. Just follow the link to webmaster Mark Varner's Home Page, and you will find one of the more complete set of Dairy Cow links on the WWW. Mark also manages one of the largest, if not the largest, animal-related Internet mailing lists Dairy-L. Of course one of the hottest topics around today is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or "Mad Cow Disease". Again, Mark's links are comprehensive. Another Varner special is the National Dairy Database....and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Settle in for a nice long visit.

April 1-7 - Washington University Mad Scientist Network

A great resource right here in my own backyard is Washington University's Mad Scientist Network, where you can ask questions on just about any area of science (animal and non-animal), and get an answer from an expert in that field. The Mad Scientist Network is part of S-SEN, the St. Louis Science Education Network. It is also a branch of the Young Scientist Program and is completely staffed and run by graduate and medical students at Washington University and Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, Missouri.

March 26-31 - Mississippi State University Bulldogs

Time out for a little March Madness and to show some obvious bias for my alma mater, Mississippi State University, whose Basketball BULLDOGS reached their first ever FINAL 4 Basketball Tournament. While you're there, be sure to visit the Home Page for the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. Congratulations to all the coaches and players on a fine basketball season!

March 18-25 - Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing

Many people have probably never heard of the 3 R's. A visit to the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing will enlighten you about that and more. CAAT's programs include laboratory research, education, information, and validation of animal alternative methodologies in product development and safety testing. They publish a couple of interesting newsletters and provide links to other useful resources.

March 11-17 - Rat and Mouse Club of America

Those who are interested in pet rats and mice should check out the website of the Rat and Mouse Club of America. Webmaster Brian Lee has done a fine job of assembling a variety of information on the Club and its services and activities. There's a newsletter, Show information, loads of rat and mouse web links, and much more.

March 4-10 - PathIT Pathology Online

If you want to visit a site that is useful for both veterinarians and pathologists, then check out PathIT Pathology Online. Webmaster (and veterinarian) Dr. Anil Dhiri pushes the bleeding edge of Web technology, with features such as server push, javascript, and Netscape frames, all in a content-rich site, filled with pathology news, links, directories, and more.

February 26-March 3 Primate Gallery Archive

One of the treasures of the Internet is the Primate Gallery Archive, in Seattle, Washington. Webmaster Tim Knight is responsible for putting together images and sounds of many, if not all, of a wide variety of primate species. You will also find references on taxonomy, identification, and natural history, as well as a healthy supply of other primate links. Be prepared to be entertained for hours.

February 19-February 25 USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

The webmasters at APHIS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, have been working overtime lately. You can easily spend an entire afternoon (I did :-) perusing the many veterinary and animal components that make up this organization. To take in a bit at a time, go on one of several guided tours that show how APHIS protects American agriculture.

February 12-February 18 Department of Poultry Science (Texas A&M University)

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? If your web questions concern poultry, search no further, as one of the key information resources may be found at the Department of Poultry Science at Texas A&M University. Webmaster Greg Martin and others have written several Departmental pages, as well as the WWW Virtual Library for Poultry Science and home pages for the Poultry Science Association and Journal.

February 5-February 11 ProMED - Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases

This week's pick is not so much about how great a website looks as it functions. One of the most important and fastest growing mailing lists on the Internet is ProMED, which stands for the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases. Sponsored by the Federation of American Scientists, ProMED represents a global system for early detection and timely response to disease outbreaks, both human and animal. At their website, you'll find archives of the ProMED list, in addition to lists that cover Emerging Disease Reports (ProMED-EDR), and Animal and Zoonotic Diseases (ProMED-AHEAD). Dr. Stephen Morse of the Rockefeller University chairs the ProMED Steering Committee.

January 29-February 4 PotBellied Pig Information & Resource Center

What started as a simple list just a short time ago, has developed rapidly into a fine web page. The PotBellied Pig Information & Resource Center tells you everything you want to know about these friendly pets, including their origin, health, and the latest "fads". Also useful are the other potbelly pointers and archives of the potbellied pig listserver. Webmaster Scott Graham and his pet pig Dweezil will be glad you stopped by. (recently appears to be MIA...maybe it will resurface one day.)

January 22-28 Veterinary Medicine Libraries

Before anyone ever heard of the Web, libraries and librarians were key resources for information storage and retrieval. Guess what? They still are. Hard-working library staff at each veterinary college are among the best resources to consult when searching for veterinary medical information. Webmaster Ken Ladd at the University of Saskatchewan has done a fine job in collecting all the names, addresses, and pointers in his page dedicated to Veterinary Medicine Libraries.

January 15-21 Cat Fanciers' Home Page

No doubt about it....if you are looking for information on cats, the Cat Fanciers' Home Page is the place to go. Webmasters Marie Lamb and Orca Starbuck have compiled a large quantity of information on cat breeds, diseases, organizations, breeders, shows, and other related items. My own cat, Elvis, gives his highest recommendation. :-)

January 8-14 CowTown America

The National Cattlemen's Association logs in with a fine web effort called CowTown America. Practically every aspect of beef cows are covered here, including market reports, surveys, reports, mailing lists, cow pictures and clip art, and a generous set of links to other cow sites, all done in an attractive format. I suggest you moooove it on over there. :-)

January 1-7 ZooNet

What can I say? I've got a natural affinity for zoos. :-) The best place to start when you're looking for zoo information around the world is the ZooNet Webserver. Many links as expected and a treasure trove of pictures of everything you might (or might not) want to see in the wild.

December 25 - 31 US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine

The US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine has produced a model website for government distribution of information on its role in the veterinary profession. Current press releases, FAQ's, phonebooks, organizational charts, links to other government and veterinary sites, and drug databases. Very informative and worth your visit.

December 18 - 24 Richard Ford, DVM - TV's PetVet

Perhaps not so well known for an Internet website, but very popular with NBC television news affiliate stations, North Carolina State University's Dr. Richard Ford aka the PetVet, provides information and tips for pet owners every week.

December 11 - 17 - Department of Veterinary Pathology (AFIP)

The Department of Veterinary Pathology at AFIP, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, has done a remarkable job of amassing megabytes of veterinary pathology information and images. This site also serves as the home page to the C.L. Davis Foundation, Pathology of Laboratory Animals (POLA) Course, the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, and webmaster Dr. Bruce Williams' Pathology of the Domestic Ferret pages. Set aside a few hours to surf it all!

December 4 - 10 - AgriGator

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Home Page, otherwise known as the AgriGator, has it all. Agricultural links galore, colorful graphics, and overall excellent design. Definitely worth repeated visits!

November 27 - December 3 - Entomology at Iowa State University and Entomology at Colorado State University

These two servers, Entomology at Iowa State University and Entomology at Colorado State University, have been the twin towers of their field on the Web for as far back as I can remember. Both webmasters John VanDyk and Lou Bjostad do such an excellent job of organizing the insect world that I have to recommend both.

November 20 - 26 - the Hay.net

The Hay.net, is an exhaustive list of horse-related sites on the Internet, and that's an understatement! If you're looking for horse-related information on the Internet, webmaster Karen Pautz has done a superb job of organizing it for your easy perusal. She also maintains the United States Dressage Federation home page.

November 13 - 19 - The House Rabbit Society

The House Rabbit Society, is an excellent site for finding information on all aspects of rabbits, including care and rescue information, as well as presenting articles from the House Rabbit Journal and numerous rabbit links. Paige Parsons is the webmaster who makes it all happen.

November 6 - 12 - Erin Miller's Pet Page

Erin Miller's Pet Page, recently chosen as one of the best Chicago sites by Chicago Magazine, provides great information on what you need to know about getting a pet. Erin has worked tirelessly to get a number of animal rescue and humane organizations online. Her site should be on any pet owner's bookmark list.

October 30 - November 5 - The Jackson Laboratory

At the The Jackson Laboratory website, in Bar Harbor, Maine, the mouse researcher will find a little bit of everything, from the searchable mouse genome database to nomenclature rules and all the Jax services. The Informatics Group has been producing information services on the Internet for a long time and their entire package is as good as you'll find anywhere on the Net.

October 23-29 - AAVMC - American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges

Brand new, but a very well constructed site for the veterinary profession is found at the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. AAVMC represents more than 4,000 faculty, 5,000 staff, 10,000 veterinary students, and 3,000 graduate students and is the primary coordinator of the affairs of North American Veterinary Medical Colleges, Departments of Veterinary Science, Departments of Comparative Medicine, and animal medical educational centers. If you're thinking about becoming a veterinarian, you should definitely visit here.

October 16-22 - World Equine Resource List (Aberdeen University Riding Club)

There are a lot of horse sites on the World Wide Web, but few are as comprehensive as the World Equine Resource List maintained by the Aberdeen University Riding Club. Constantly updated, the list is a must stop for all equine enthusiasts. Peter Asprey, an undergraduate student in agriculture, at the University Of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK is the webmaster that makes it all happen....good show! Site recently updated as Equiworld.Net

October 9-15 - Ferret Central

Every animal species should be covered so well as ferrets are on Ferret Central. Webmaster Pamela Greene has assembled a comprehensive set of FAQ's, photographs, organizations, and personal home pages, along with links to everything associated with these friendly critters.

October 2-8 - FINS: Fish Information Service

If you're into aquariums and fish, then you will eventually wind up at the FINS Fish Information Server run by Webmaster, Mark Rosenstein, of Active Window Productions. Mark has put together links of fish images, databases, FAQ's, clubs, software, suppliers, and much more. Swim on over and check it out!

September 25-30 - La bibliotheque de medecine veterinaire (Universite de Montreal)

Week in, week out, perhaps no one works harder than Jean-Paul Jette, librarian at the Veterinary Medical Library at the University of Montreal. Using both the Web and Gopher, Jean-Paul has entered the Table of Contents for a large number of veterinary journals and conference proceedings. Both English and French titles are available and the database is searchable. Worth your visit and highly recommended!

September 18-24 - Primate Info-Net (Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center)

If you are looking for information on primates or the field of primatology, the Primate Info-Net site at the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center (WRPRC) is the place to go. Run by WRPRC Library staff, Ray Hamel and Larry Jacobsen, Primate Info-Net has a long history of providing outreach and audiovisual services, the International Directory of Primatology, and the world's premier primate discussion list, Primate-Talk.

September 11-17 - Department of Animal Science - Oklahoma State University

This week's "Pick of the Litter" honors the multiple efforts of webmaster Larry Burditt and the Department of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University. Larry has organized the web world of large animals and livestock like no other. In addition to the exemplary departmental site, he's responsible for the WWW Virtual Library on Livestock. If you're looking for information on cattle, horses, small ruminants, or pigs, you'll likely find it there.

September 4-10 - Pet Talk

The first "Pick of the Litter" award goes to Cindy Tittle Moore's Pet Talk site. Cindy has dedicated countless hours to organizing and maintaining numerous FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) files on all facets of dogs, cats, and other pet-related topics for both Usenet and the WWW. Efforts like these are inspirational and truly represent the heart and soul of the Internet.

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