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Rick LeCouteur
Inviting young readers to marvel at the wonder of nature's creatures
Rick's Blog
#bunyipsbooksbeyond
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When Bureaucracy Fails: What Social Security could learn from a Vet Hospital (#349)
Let’s imagine something absurd.  Your dog is not well. Not just a little off. Something’s wrong. You try to book an appointment at your...
RIck LeCouteur
3 days ago4 min read
11 views
0 comments
Suspending Belief: Veterinary tools that outrun the evidence (#348)
One of the more intriguing developments in recent years is the Equusir BEST‑BOX , a device marketed to diagnose and treat energetic...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago3 min read
54 views
0 comments
Profit vs. Patients: When veterinary care becomes a luxury product (#347)
Veterinary medicine is quietly shifting into the realm of luxury. Â For many pet owners, especially those in low-to-middle income...
RIck LeCouteur
6 days ago1 min read
123 views
0 comments
When the Halls Fall Silent: The rise and fall of veterinary conferences (#345)
There was a time, not long ago, when the annual veterinary conference was the heart and soul of the profession. Â Names like BSAVA , NAVC...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 83 min read
25 views
0 comments
Speak Up, Even When It’s Risky: Why challenging power matters (#343)
There’s a quiet courage in standing up, not just for yourself, but for what’s right. Especially when the person you’re standing up to has...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 74 min read
55 views
0 comments
For Vets Only: Things we never say out loud (#341)
You know the look. The one you give your nurse across the room when the dog starts crashing. The look that says, “Get the crash cart -...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 52 min read
237 views
1 comment
To Younger Vets: Don’t mistake the growl for bitterness (#340)
A colleague recently challenged me, good-naturedly I think, that I was starting to sound like a grumpy old retired vet , always going on...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 53 min read
202 views
0 comments
Dropping the GRE for Vet School Admissions: Equity Boost or Quality Risk? (#339)
In recent years, many veterinary schools across the United States have dropped the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Â as a requirement...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 43 min read
6 views
0 comments
BSAVA Bows Out: But what happens to belonging? (#338)
After 68 years, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has announced that its 2025 Congress will be its last. Â Once a...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 43 min read
248 views
0 comments
Right Lane Ends: A Warning for Veterinary Medicine (#336)
Somewhere on a lonely stretch of asphalt, I saw a mangled guide rail twisted like a wound. Â Â Among the debris was a fractured road sign,...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 32 min read
550 views
0 comments
Academic Leadership in Vet Med: Public Service or Private Profit? (#335)
In an era when public trust in institutions is eroding, the lines between service and self-interest grow increasingly difficult to...
RIck LeCouteur
Jun 13 min read
83 views
0 comments
Deans, Dollars, and Divided Duties: The ethics of academic leadership on corporate boards (#334)
In academia, integrity and transparency aren’t just ideals. They're the foundation of public trust. But when university leaders step into...
RIck LeCouteur
May 313 min read
43 views
0 comments
In Search of Integrity: A reflection on modern veterinary medicine (#333)
Are ethics, honesty, and integrity old school in Veterinary Medicine? The Quiet Cost of Conflicts of Interest and Commitment  Once upon...
RIck LeCouteur
May 302 min read
154 views
0 comments
Public Office, Private Interests: A quiet reckoning in veterinary medicine (#332)
The evolving relationship between veterinary schools and corporate animal health companies raises important questions about  integrity , ...
RIck LeCouteur
May 294 min read
166 views
0 comments
Why Orange Cats Are (Mostly) Boys: Science cracks the code (#329)
For years, the genetic mystery of orange cats has gone unsolved. While their personalities have long inspired memes, comic strips, and...
RIck LeCouteur
May 264 min read
65 views
0 comments
The Myth of Being the Best: What does #1 really mean for Vet Schools? (#324)
Graduation season is upon us. Across campuses and live streams around the world, proud deans will take the podium, look out at rows of...
RIck LeCouteur
May 112 min read
49 views
0 comments
The Great Deception: When ‘independently owned’ means ‘corporate controlled’ (#323)
Walk into a veterinary hospital in your neighborhood and you might be greeted by warm staff, a comforting logo, and a sign that proudly...
RIck LeCouteur
May 112 min read
312 views
0 comments
The Chewy - PetSmart - BC Partners Saga (3 of 5): Who is BC Partners and does it matter? (#320)
Parts 1 and 2 of this series of posts on the Chewy - PetSmart - BC Partners Saga examined how Chewy evolved from a niche online pet...
RIck LeCouteur
May 34 min read
54 views
0 comments
Veterinary Medicine for Sale: When profit replaces purpose (#317)
Increasingly, private equity firms  and  multinational corporations are in charge. Not veterinarians.  In the U.S., U.K., Australia,...
RIck LeCouteur
May 13 min read
84 views
0 comments
The Chewy – PetSmart – BC Partners Saga (2 of 5): Raymond Svider & the billion dollar bet (#316)
In the world of private equity, convention is king: borrow big, slash costs, and squeeze profits. Â But Raymond Svider , Chairman and...
RIck LeCouteur
Apr 303 min read
37 views
0 comments
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