Thursday, August 9, 2007

Advice on 'Animal Doctor'

The quality of The Washington Post in its philosophy and dedication to accuracy makes the newspaper second to none. As a subscriber for well over a decade, I've felt that information presented in The Post is absolutely reliable and not simply opinion unless clearly so labeled. Therefore I must bring your attention to a feature I find appalling.

My censure of The Post deals with one and only one item -- "Animal Doctor" by Michael Fox. This syndicated column, which The Post now publishes toward the back of the Thursday Extra section, conflicts so significantly with the newspaper's underlying philosophy of excellence that it's perplexing at best. Please seriously consider eliminating "Animal Doctor" as soon as possible.

The reasons for immediate deletion:

· Fox's stuff is rubbish. Veterinary medicine is science. Science is built on reason and not "feel-good," unproven, fad advice.

· Fox is not mainstream. Convene a peer-review panel of veterinarians to assess his advice and see the results. Alternatively, visit his Web site ( http://DoctorMWFox.org), and it will be rather obvious that he's in a world of his own.

· Fox is a liability. The practice of veterinary medicine (answering specific medical questions) without having a doctor-patient relationship is constrained by every veterinary medical board in every state of the country.

And, notwithstanding that, much of the time Fox is misleading, incomplete or dead wrong with the advice he dispenses.

The column is a source of bemusement for veterinary professionals who can incredulously dismiss Fox's advice. Unfortunately, the unknowing public seems to believe that what Fox says is credible, since, after all, his words are published in The Post.

On the positive side, The Post's support of Fox does get conversations started between veterinarians and pet owners. At least, that is positive for pets lucky enough to be owned by clients who are wise enough to ask questions of licensed veterinarians before implementing Fox's advice.

I implore you to take a close look at the type of "information" that's been conveyed through "Animal Doctor" over the past several years.

You are demoting your newspaper and doing its readers a disservice by continuing to endorse Fox's feature as fact. If you can't drop it altogether, then run a disclaimer stating that the column is "presented for entertainment purposes only."

Remember, you are The Washington Post.

Al Woldin

Great Falls

Redirect Harsh Penalties

Virginians apparently are concerned about being too harsh on drivers disobeying driving laws. Interestingly, they apparently want to throw the book at so-called illegal immigrants for disobeying immigration laws (a civil offense) and don't consider the effect on families as being too harsh.

I suggest that we confiscate all illegal vehicles -- particularly those exceeding the 55 mph speed limit on the Capital Beltway and Interstate 66 -- and return them to where they came from. There would be a tremendous improvement in traffic flow, air quality and general quality of life.

Raymond E. Meyer

Falls Church