Animal Medicine From A Vet's Eye View

[MartyT]

Dear Ones,

I've just listened to a re-broadcast of an excellent radio program that was aired yesterday on Public Radio and want to share it with all of you. Among other things, Dr. Trout discusses his observations about the heartfelt connections that develop between pet parents and their animal children. Here is NPR's brief description of the content, along with a link to the program:

Fresh Air from WHYY, March 20, 2008 · Veterinarian Nick Trout joins Fresh Air to talk about his new memoir, Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon.

The British-born, Cambridge-educated Trout is staff surgeon at Boston's Angell Animal Medical Center, a 185,000-square-foot facility treating 50,000 animals each year. He's performed CAT scans on rats and at least one ultrasound on a frog — and he says that in his two and a half decades of practice, he's seen the relationship between pets and people change dramatically.

His personality, says a Publishers Weekly review, "suffuses the many stories sifted from recollections of thousands of animal encounters during his 25 years of practice," and the book "shows how the daily life of a veterinarian requires the ability to be a social worker, a psychologist, a grief counselor, mentor, carpenter, plumber, cosmetologist, athletic coach, magician, grim reaper, and occasionally, guardian angel."

You'll find a link to the radio program here.

[Elizabeth A.]

Thanks Marty, I just checked out the amazon link, it looks like a modern "All Creatures Great and Small" which I was thinking until I stumbled on a review that said just that. "All Creatures Great and Small" was written years ago by a vet in the UK by the Name of James Harriot. Oh did I mention I love that man's books? Thanks for the tip!

[Maylissa]

Even though I wish he was also a complimentary medicine doc, too, I LOVE this guy. He's not in favor of tail docking, ear clipping, cat de-clawing, 'decorative' implants (some humans really ARE totally off their rockers!), etc.; compassionate and dedicated (how many vets nowadays ever attend to animal surgeries in the middle of the night??!), and most of all, he agrees with those who consider their animals to be on an equal footing (no matter how many more they may have) as human kids. What's not to love? Wish I lived in MA.

And thanks to one of his stories, I'm now seriously considering the wonderful idea of legally adding a couple of other names to my middle name. What a GREAT and lasting way to honour our furkids.

Thanks for another good sharing, Marty.

P.S. I'd wish everyone a Happy Easter today, but I'm not in a happy enough mood to do so.... another very lonely Easter Sunday that also happens to be Nissa's 19th Month Angelversary, and everyone's forgotten her (and me) again, except for me, her ever-faithful Mom.

Edited March 23, 2008 by Maylissa

[suzanne]

Maylissa

I am so sorry for the sadness this day has brought upon you as another marking of your beloved Nissa's passing. I have followed your postings of the devotion, love and care you have given both your Sabin and Nissa and the continuing support and nuturing for all fur animals. They give so much to us unconditionally. I think I told you before, after I lost my husband I adopted a dog (Layla) and she is such a comfort to me. Someone to greet me when I come home, someone to cuddle with, talk to. She has truly become my companion and furry baby girl. No matter how bad I feel, as soon as I open the door, there she is with a smile on her face so happy I've come home and I think, ah yes, someone is glad I'm here. They are so giving and so innocent. I didn't repy before but also I'm so sorry for the passing of your Maggie recently, I'm sure that makes today so much more painful for you.

Suzanne

[Maylissa]

Not to take away from the original intent of this thread (I really should have started a new thread for that last part, but just didn't have the gumption at the time), but I want to thank you truly, Suzanne. You've got it exactly right. The recent passing of my dear furry friend, Maggie, did indeed make this doubly-painful day/holiday triply painful. (thank you, too, for taking an interest in my stories) And you're so right.... the "someone is glad I'm here" is what always helped me cope with the ugliness of this world. I wish absolutely everyone knew and fully appreciated this (and so much more) about animals. I wish everyone were like all of us here who DO, and like Dr. Trout does, too.

I was SO grateful to Dr. Trout for saying that the pain of losing our fur-children was NO different in his mind and from what he's witnessed in his practice, than that of anyone who loves their human kids that intensely, and that many of us suffer all throughout their lives, besides, knowing from Day One that it's more likely we'll survive them....yet that it DOES still seem all wrong to us, just as it does in human child loss, but in our cases, regardless of the likely reality. So if you ask me, we're braver than brave for giving our hearts so completely, with this painful assumption hanging over our heads and hearts all the while, as we freely give them our hearts and souls anyway.

Thank you so, so much for your innate understanding and for loving your own girl as much as you obviously do. I'd give a limb to have that kind of pure, furry love to hunker down into tonight. Bedtime has not become any easier at all, especially after a day like this.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Maylissa