Voss: Send your pet questions this way!

When I first moved to the Roaring Fork Valley last fall, I was in awe of how deeply pets are woven into daily life here. Dogs on ski tours, trail runs and coffee shop patios; cats curled up in sunny windows on a chilly mountain day; and a community that truly sees animals as family. It is one of the many reasons I am so excited to introduce this new weekly column in The Aspen Times, a space dedicated to veterinary medicine, pet ownership and the unique questions that come with caring for animals in a place like Aspen.

As a veterinarian at Aspen Animal Hospital, I have the privilege of working closely with many of you and your pets. Every day, I am reminded that veterinary medicine is not just about diagnosing and treating illness, but it is also about supporting the bond between people and their animals. That bond looks a little different in the mountains. Our pets hike farther, play harder and experience environments that can be both incredibly enriching and, at times, uniquely challenging. 

This column is meant to reflect that.

Each week, I will be covering topics that are relevant to pet owners here in the valley. Some will be practical, such as how to keep your dog safe on high alpine adventures, how to handle wildlife encounters or how cold is too cold for your pet’s paws in the winter. Others will dive a bit deeper into medicine, breaking down common conditions, new treatments or frequently misunderstood topics in a way that is approachable and relevant. My goal is to make veterinary information feel less overwhelming and more empowering so you can make informed decisions for your pets.

Veterinary medicine is constantly evolving and there is no shortage of information online, but not all of it is accurate and much of it is not tailored to our environment or lifestyle here in Aspen. My hope is that this column becomes a trusted local resource, one grounded in both evidence-based medicine and real world experience in this community. Living in Aspen means our pets get to embrace the mountain lifestyle right alongside us, including backcountry excursions to apres-ski downtime. Keeping them healthy and safe in this environment requires a little extra awareness, and that is something I’m looking forward to exploring together. 

One of the things I’m most excited about is making this column community-driven. If you have ever found yourself wondering, “Is this normal?” or “Should I be worried about this?” you are not alone. Chances are, if you have a question, someone else in the valley does, too. That is why I am inviting readers to submit their questions directly. Whether this is about behavior, nutrition, preventative care or something more complex, I will be selecting questions to answer in future columns. 

You can send your questions to dr.kellyvoss@gmail.com.

I am so excited to connect with the community via this column, and can’t wait to hear from you!