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Dr. Robert T. Sharp is a veterinarian in Hillsboro, Ohio. Sharp's previous book, 'No Dogs in Heaven' (2005) was well-received, and - after Sharp's son Reid joined his practice - the veterinarian had time to pen another book of stories. In the preface Sharp writes, "Here are some new examples of why most veterinarians think we have the world's coolest job."
Dr. Robert Sharp (left) and Dr. Reid Sharp
Sharp's veterinary clinic is largely a family affair with son Reid as a fellow practitioner and daughter Amy as the office chief - and the heart of the practice. Registered Animal Technician Melissa already worked for the clinic when Sharp bought it, and the staff is well known among Hillboro's animal residents (and their owners).
Sharp's narrative includes tales that are funny, touching, sad, tragic, uplifting, and more. I'll give some examples.
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🐶 Sharp bought the veterinary practice from Dr. Bill Lukhart, who told this story: Lukhart was called to the farm of Grover Frank, and had to help birth a calf that was coming out backward. The same thing happened a week later.
The veterinarian asked Grover "Did you have Walt Smith come out and do artificial insemination on your cows?" When Walt said yes, Lukhart joked "When you see him, tell him to quit putting 'em in backwards." A week later, Lukhart ran into Walt Smith, who complained, "What are you doin' telling Grover Frank I was puttin' calves in backward? He just called me and gave me Hell." 😊
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🐶 Another tale from Dr. Bill Lukhart went as follows: Three farming brothers phoned Lukhart about a cow who had gone down with milk fever (calcium deficiency). When Lukhart arrived at the farm he saw the cow in the middle of a pond and asked, "Do you want me to put on my water-wings to treat her?" But the brothers had a plan: they put the doc into the front-end loader of an Allis-Chalmers tractor and drove him out to the cow, who was treated from the bucket.
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🐶 In an introduction to more heartrending anecdotes, Sharp writes, "You might think some of the stories that follow are indelicate or gross. To those who fix problems like these, they are just daily experiences and a challenge to repair. It's just another day at the office." Here an illustration....with a happy ending.
Big Alex, the county humane officer, carried a lanky, mud-covered, abused dog into Dr. Sharp's office. "You won't believe this by lookin' at him, Doc," said Big Alex, "but he's a purebred Standard Poodle." The poodle was skeletal, barely breathing, had eyes that were sunken and dull, had hair knotted into mats that were inches thick, gave off a nauseating smell, and had skin that was red, wet, infected, and covered with a million maggots.
The dog looked like he wouldn't last a day, but Sharp and his assistants gave the canine an anesthetic, clipped his filthy hair, washed his skin with antibacterial soap, and killed the swarming mass of maggots. The staff then proceeded to give the pooch IV fluids, antibiotics, vitamins, anti-shock drugs, and anything they could to keep him from dying.
The poodle - now called Clipper - (very) slowly recovered and after five months he looked like a shaggy, off-white dog with a few hairless areas - tall, long, and very happy. Clipper went home to live with Sharp's family, was taken to a groomer, and emerged as a light apricot full fledged foo-foo dog.
Clipper now became a Hillsboro celebrity: he went to schools with Sharp for career days; was welcomed at book clubs and libraries; charmed residents of nursing homes; etc. Sharp observes, "He was my dog.....my friend."
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🐶 A beagle appropriately named Mudflap got Sharp to thinking about pet names.
Sharp writes, "People rarely tell you their pet's name without telling you who came up with it - it's not their fault. For instance:
His name is Reynaldo. My son named him after some comic book guy.
His name is Anton, I can't tell you why my wife thinks that's a good name for a Lab. It sounds French to me.
His name is Armani. My daughter says he's very stylish. I wouldn't know.
Sharp finds himself doing the same thing for the office cat. He'll say, "Her name is Panther. She was named before we knew her."
Sharp goes on to describe many animal names, and the story is a hoot. 😊
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🐶 Sometimes it's the pet owners that are difficult to deal with. Dr. Sharp tells a story about Mrs. Anna Marie Tricomi, a crabby, demanding, sullen, paranoid, unsatisfiable grouch.....who had a really nice cat called Bubbles.
Sharp notes, "Any stray conversation would launch her into a tirade about some perceived wrong that had befallen her and the incompetent idiot who was responsible.....gas prices, snowfall, runny fried eggs, sermons, Republicans, child-rearing, Democrats, and human behavior in general. I was very careful to talk primarily to Bubbles and only ask about signs of the current problem. I knew that probably I was the incompetent idiot when Mrs. Tricomi is in other locales, and so I didn't want to give her more cannon fodder than necessary."
After relating many of Mrs Tricomi's bad-tempered rants, and her nettlesome complaints about a medication Sharp prescribed for Bubbles, the doc admits he finally asked Mrs. Tricomi to find another veterinarian. And Mrs Tricomi responded, "I would never consider that. I enjoy these discussions so!"
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Sharp has lots more stories, as well as praise for modern developments in veterinary medicine, like bloodwork analyzed in twelve minutes rather than several days. Sharp also provides information about the many jobs available to graduates of veterinary school, such as scientific research; teaching; meat inspection; zoo veterinarian; honeybee specialist; and more.
If you're an animal lover, and a fan of of James Herriot's books (such as All Things Bright and Beautiful), you'll like these accounts, which are both enlightening and entertaining.
Thanks to Netgalley, Robert T. Sharp, and Lyons Press for a copy of the manuscript.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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