Veterinarians

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is again pushing lawmakers to expand the health care program Medicaid, which is widely supported by Kansans. But Republican leaders remain staunchly opposed. Plus: Female veterinarians still face skepticism and discrimination in rural areas, where there’s a shortage of animal specialists.

Despite the fact that more women are going into veterinary medicine than ever before, some female practitioners in rural areas still face discrimination and pay gaps — problems experts say the industry will need to overcome to fill a shortage of animal care in those communities.

Veterinarian clinics in rural towns have been dramatically declining in numbers for decades. Rural veterinarians often get paid less than urban practitioners, take on more workload and carry thousands of dollars in debt from medical school.

Dogs and cats can't cool themselves as efficiently as people, making them more susceptible to heatstroke.

The plaintiffs alleged in court documents that Dr. James Stannard did not advise plaintiffs that “the surgery he was proposing has a failure rate as high as 86%.”