A crystal-clear snapshot of the joys, fears, and responsibilities of a small animal veterinarian
Being a vet requires a special kind of intelligence, patience, and empathy. It’s not only about caring for our (mostly) sweet and lovable pets experiencing pain and illness; it’s also about caring for us: the heartbroken pet owners who are watching their furry little loved ones struggle. It’s us who will remember these moments together: doc, dad, and dog.
In North of the Collar, Dr. Heath McNutt takes you behind the scenes of every appointment in a two-day span at his small veterinarian practice. Some appointments are big, life-changing ones, and others are short ones filled with canine or feline attitude or sweetness.
Like McNutt, you never quite know what you’re walking into with each new appointment, and this creates a real genuine source of intrigue from the moment each new chapter starts. How will this day transform? How will this kindhearted, animal-loving man make it through a day when the patients are as unpredictable as animals?
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like being a veterinarian, there couldn’t be a clearer book than North of the Collar. It takes on a sort of diarist approach, like you’ve nabbed a notebook from a vet’s desk. You get all of the details—from actual medicine to actual remedies—but also the emotions and internality that comes with it. McNutt isn’t a cold, separate entity from this medical diary though; he’s a real, feeling, empathetic animal doctor who wants the best for his little friends and their humans.
Like McNutt, you grow to love these animals over the course of the memoir. Sure, some of them only pop in for a chapter/appointment and disappear from our lives forever, but it doesn’t take long for some dogs or cats to make lasting impacts just from a wild wagging of their tail or a single off-putting scowl.
Some animals—like Winston, a doodle who ate too much sugar-free gum, and Slim, a golden retriever who’s bleeding from the inside—get more screen time than others. Because some animals need more round-the-clock care than others do. Their stories are scary for animal lovers—you never know when you’re going to run into a surprise disaster as a vet—but McNutt’s expertise tied with his big heart for these little animals makes him someone you can trust. Vets might not be able to solve every problem, but if they have the bedside manner to show you and your pet they care in addition to their experience and expertise? There’s not much more you can’t ask for.
This book would be a great pick for students looking to become veterinarians and for those who are interested in being vet assistants. Animal and pet lovers will also be interested in it simply because it will help them better understand what a vet’s job is and how they can be good guardians to their pets.
And, of course, a vet’s job changes, maybe like yours does, when he comes home from work. (Can someone please teach us how to parent these kids?) A deeply relatable book that’ll open your eyes to the essential practice of animal medicine.
North of the Collar succeeds at what it sets out to do. It’s incredibly easy to read and feels as intimate as a doctor’s notepad. If you want to get to know your vet better, this is a no-brainer.
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