Vet Wisdom® Café

Where the Red Fern Grows

**Spoilers ahead. If you haven't read this book and don't want to know the ending, don't continue reading!**

I have been on a fun journey this year. I've decided to re-read my way through some of my childhood favorite books. So far, these have included: Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea, The Little House on the Prairie series (all of them!), Island of the Blue Dolphins, Homecoming, and most recently Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.

I fondly remember this story. My grandaddy used to call me up and let me know when the movie was coming on TV (we didn't have a television until I was well into my teens.) We'd all head over to his house to watch the replay of the movie with him. He was a huge animal lover, especially dogs. Before I was born, my grandaddy owned a pet store in Fort Collins, CO. And throughout the rest of his life, he raised angel fish. They had something on the order of 27 fish tanks in their small house!

So, this book has special meaning to me beyond just the wonderful story. I hadn't read the book in probably about 20 years, so going back was quite the journey. It was an old, familiar friend. The love that Billy has for his little dogs is the best example of human-animal bond I've ever read, honestly. This kid back in the Ozark mountains saved for TWO years to be able to buy his hound dogs so he could hunt coons with them. (Can you imagine any kid these days working so hard toward something they wanted? I know I never did, that's for sure!)

Old Dan and Little Ann are his loyal companions, and they are completely attached to one another. One won't eat until the other is fed. Through all of their hunting adventures, they are a team. The bonds between boy and dog are amazing. I was so moved by the relationship that Billy had with his dogs. Reading this story again with a different perspective than I had as a kid was a great experience.

Back when I watched this movie with grandaddy and read this book, I had never lost a pet. I hadn't experienced the grief of pet loss yet. My childhood dog, Beau-Beau, died when I was about 13. Since then, I've lost a number of my own pets, but I've also experienced the euthanasia process and pet loss with so many other people because of the work I've done over the last 10 years. Thinking about the loss that Billy experienced in losing Old Dan to a horrendous wound, and then losing his Little Ann too because she wouldn't live without Old Dan, was so very sad. This young kid had worked so hard for these dogs, and then loved and trained them tirelessly, and then had a catastrophic loss. But he gained so much by having them.

I think the lesson from this book for me is this. Having pets is a wonderful experience, and losing pets is a horrible and sad experience, but the joy you get from having pets as a part of your life far outweighs the loss. Billy says in the story, "You were worth it, old friend, and a thousand times over." And I fully believe that is true!

Do you have a pet related book that you remember fondly from your childhood? Have you ever gone back to re-read the story as an adult?  (Image is from the movie Where the Red Fern Grows)

--Tammy

Related articles you might find helpful:

Five Minutes of Grief Education

Preparing for Loss

Popularity of dog books

I read an interesting article the other day talking about the rise in popularity of dog-related books. There are so many right now, including numerous titles that have made it to the bestseller list! It seems that we are a little bit dog-crazy!

I am not necessarily a "dog-person". As an adult, I've only been pet parent to cats. I had a poodle while I was growing up - Beau-Beau (he was a French poodle). And when I was a teenager, my dad rescued a standard Chihuahua from a puppy mill - called Little One. But since being out on my own, I have had cats (lots of them!) (That's me - holding my Beau-Beau. He was always very scruffy!)

I do, however, like to read dog books! I've joined in some of the craze and read a number of these dog books over the last couple years. Marley and Me, A Dog's Purpose, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle... I have The Art of Racing in the Rain on my "to be read" shelf. What is it about a story about a dog?

And it seems that the sappier the story is, the better the book does. Is it because of all the bad news we hear all the time that we want to read these stories about dogs?  I think that is, at least partially, true for me. I appreciate reading about these creatures who can bring us so much joy. While I don't have dogs, I do love them. I enjoy it when I get to be around one for a bit of time. They are so different from cats!

Just in reading this article, I found a couple more titles that I have added to my "to be read" list. (Yes, I do have a real list, and a stack of "to be read" books too!) What dog books have you read? Do you have any that you highly recommend? And, if you could write a dog book, what would your subject be?

--Tammy

Related products you might like:

Dog Heaven

Old Dogs are the Best Dogs

Connecting with Grieving Clients

Just a quick blog to let you know that Dana Durrance and I put the finishing touches on the book we have been revising for the AAHA Press.  We submitted it to our editor just before the holiday rush began. 

Whew!!  Does that feel good!

The revised title is set to be something like Connecting with Grieving Clients:  Practical Solutions for 10 Common Situations.  I hope you'll watch for it when it's published next fall and pick up a copy for your clinic staff.

In the meantime, you can start your staff training with the AAHA Press book Dana and I published last year.  It's called Connecting with Clients and offers a range of communication skills and techniques you can use in 10 common client relations situations.  There is even free access to online role plays based on the book that you can watch together as a practice team!

This month is a good time to get your copy as World by the Tail, Inc., has all books on sale for our Twitter and Facebook fans!  Visit http://www.veterinarywisdom.com/connectingstore.htm to learn more. (To get the coupon code for the book sale, you'll have to follow us on Twitter and/or "Like" us on Facebook! They are the only places we'll be sharing these special sale codes!)

--Laurel

Related products you may also like:

The Practical Guide to Client Grief

The Veterinary Caregiver's Book of Quotes

Thoughtful Holiday Gift for the Vets or Techs On Your List

"I have seen many pets arrive in our clinic for euthanasia, die in our care, or arrive deceased.  I show empathy for the pain and loss the family is experiencing.  I also find that making clay [imprints of pets'] paws for the clients allows me to grieve for the family's loss, and I feel better knowing I am creating a memory for them." --Andrea Tucker, Client Care Professional, Colorado Springs, CO

Andrea is quoted in a book called The Veterinary Caregiver's Book of Quotes by Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR.  While we're happy to learn that she makes clay paw prints for her clients, we're actually more excited about the feeling of empathy she demonstates. This book is filled to the brim with many more comforting and inspirational bits of advice and wisdom (like the quote above) from veterinary nurses and hospital managers like Andrea.

If you have a veterinarian or veterinary staff member on your shopping list this season, this book would make an ideal gift.  And, if you are a pet parent who is interested in gaining some insight into how these caring professionals really feel about their jobs and the clients they serve, it would make a great read for you, too!

Honestly, the dedication and empathy for others that characterizes the veterinary profession always leaves me in awe.  That feeling shines through in this book.    

You can get a copy through AAHA (the American Animal Hospital Association), the publisher or by visiting our website at www.veterinarywisdom.com/caregiverbookstore.htm.

Enjoy!

--Laurel

Related products you might like:

Handcrafted Silver Pins

Connecting with Clients, 2nd Edition

Dana and I are happy to announce that the revised 2nd edition of the book we wrote 10 years ago for AAHA Press is published and ready to be snapped up by all of you dedicated veterinary professionals out there!  It's called Connecting with Clients: Practical Communication for 10 Common Situations and it's available from World by the Tail.  You can read more about it at www.veterinarywisdom.com/connectingstore.htm

AAHA (The American Animal Hospital Association) added a new feature to this edition that's really exciting.  There are free online staff training videos that demonstrate each of the communication skills described in our book.  The role plays allow you and your staff to see the techniques in action and decide how you want to handle these common client relations situations in your practice.

Hope it helps you with those tricky communication situations we all encounter in our lives.  Thanks for checking it out! 

--Laurel and Dana

I Flipped My Wig for This One!

The other day a friend asked me for cute gift ideas for her sister who loves cats.  Of course, I told her about ClayPaws® kits and then she told me about Kitty Wigs, a new book of photos by Jill Johnson and Julie Jackson showing--you guessed it---cats wearing wigs. (Full title is Glamourpuss: The enchanting world of kitty wigs)

Now, I must admit I usually get all snobby and self-righteous about dressing up animals.  I think it turns them into play things and doesn't encourage people to treat them with dignity and respect.  But, these pictures are so absurd and, well, downright clever, that I found myself feeling delighted by them.

I guess it's not for me to say it's right or wrong to use animals in this way.  I just know it's funny.  Check it out at www.kittywigs.com and see what you think.

--Laurel

Fun Ways to Start the New Year with Pets

I can't believe it's almost 2010!  Honestly, doesn't Y2K seem like just yesterday!!??!!

Anyway, I love the time around New Year's Day because the world seems fresh and filled with possibilities.  I don't make resolutions because I never keep them, but I do spend some time thinking about what I really, truly like to do and figuring out how I am going to make time to do more of those things.

Two things always come up high on my list:  1) scrapbooking because it fills both my creative needs and my tendency toward family nostalgia and 2) reading because it's how I relax and stay connected to the larger world outside my own head.

It occurred to me that we have a couple of items in our online store at www.veterinarywisdom.com that fill both these needs. I'm going to make use of both of them and I wanted you, dear blog reader, to know about them, too, because they're perfect for starting the new year with your pets. 

The first item is the scrapbook calendar kit, complete with stickers, die cut frames, wonderful background papers, etc.  This kit contains everything you need to make your pet the star of every single month of the new year.  It's great to make and then take with you to work...keeping your pet ever close and making you smile through all those dreary hours at your desk!

The second is the Dog Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Living a Rich Life with Your Dog by Wendy Nan Rees and Kristen Hampshire.  This book includes so many ideas and conveys so much information about life with a dog that it's hard to describe.  Examples include how to make a doggy "passport" if you're traveling with your pet, as well as guidance for the question, "does my dog really need boots?"  If you like to read and you like to read about dogs, this book has something for everyone...

Anyway, happy new year and we look forward to having you in our blogging community in 2010!

--Laurel

And Tango Makes Three

National Banned Books Week was September 26 - October 3. From my days of working at Barnes and Noble, I knew about this week, but hadn't really paid much attention in recent years.

This title caught my eye though. It is a children's book called "And Tango Makes Three". It is a heavily contested book (in fact the most contested book recently) about two penguins living in the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Roy and Silo are a unique pair - they are both males. The zoo keepers observed Roy and Silo trying to hatch a rock as if it were an egg. They realized that both penguins were male, and they gave them an egg from another penguin couple to try to raise.

Roy and Silo successfully fostered the egg and hatched Tango. Roy and Silo remained a couple for six years. They unpaired with Roy remaining single, and Silo found a new partner, a female named Scrappy. Silo and Scrappy weren't paired for long though, and Silo is a single penguin now too.

Now, there is a book about this unique penguin couple, and it apparently has raised some eyebrows, and has received many requests to be banned. Cited are homosexuality and anti-family themes.

This really interests me. I am curious about the idea of banning books in general. I don't like it, and I am opposed to censorship in general. What do you think of a book about Roy and Silo? Would you let your child read about this unique partnership? To me, it seems a great way to educate children about the unique relationships that exist. I think it's wonderful that these two male penguins were able to "adopt" and successfully raise their daughter, Tango.

--Tammy

Reality Doesn't Bite

I'm currently reading a book written by a veterinary surgeon named Dr. Nick Trout. His book, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" is an intriguing, informative, and very touching account of a day in the life of a veterinary surgeon. The book takes the reader through a 24 hour time period of Dr. Trout's work and covers a multitude of challenges veterinarians face every day (such as making complex diagnoses, performing tricky surgical procedures, and reassuring frantic pet owners to name a few). It showcases the field of vet medicine in a truly realistic manner without coming across as tedious or tiring.

Dr. Trout also demonstrates how people can use humor to help them survive a particularly difficult day. I'm finding the book to be fabulous. It contains an excellent and accurate portrayal of 21st century veterinary medicine and explores many of the complicated issues arising  in this current time of great technological advances. When reading it, I literally feel like I'm sitting in the office of his emergency hospital! It's an amazing way to understand the typical day of a veterinarian and provides a very positive view of veterinary medicine in general.

What about you? Have any of you read books about veterinarians or veterinary medicine that have really stuck with you? What were they, and how did the author make the book come to life? I'm sure every one has their favorites. Which ones are yours?

--Dana