The Other Family Doctor

“Animals connect us to the environment... to our families... and to our own reactions to illness and death” writes veterinarian Fine (Narrative Medicine in Veterinary Practice) in this spirited homage to domesticated animals and their bond with humans. Fine first became interested in veterinary medicine while visiting her family in South Africa at age 11, and a safari trip paired with the influence of her physician grandfather sent her on her path. In recounting her career, she recalls the prejudice she faced for “taking away a spot from a man” as an aspiring female veterinarian and describes the bias against women for not being “physically capable of treating animals.” As well, she chronicles the beginning of her private house call practice and addresses difficult subjects, including caring for a terminally ill pet, making the decision to euthanize, and coping with the grief and guilt that frequently follow. She circles back to her profession throughout, examining what qualities make a good veterinarian (notably, being willing to learn from animals and recognizing the emotional impact animals have on humans) and sharing the particulars of how she developed her combination of conventional Western and traditional Chinese medicine. Fine’s keen observations will strike a chord with animal lovers, and her upbeat style keeps the pages turning. Agent: Jennifer Herrera, David Black Agency. (Mar.)