The Other Family Doctor

A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us About Love, Life, and Mortality

By: Karen Fine

Narrated by: Karen Fine

Calling all animal lovers! A heartwarming memoir about one woman's career as a vet and the unique role pets play in our lives • “Filled with compassion and wisdom, Karen Fine is a healer whose own wounds have deepened her gifts for bringing animals and their people comfort and peace.” —Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus and How to Be a Good Creature

A tribute to our furry, feathery, scaley, and wet family members, All Creatures Great and Small meets Being Mortal in this compelling memoir of one woman's dream to become a veterinarian.

Karen Fine always knew that she wanted to be a vet and wasn't going to let anything stop her: not her allergy to cats, and not the fact that in the '80s veterinary medicine was still a mostly male profession. Inspired by her grandfather, a compassionate doctor who paid house calls to all his (human) patients, Dr. Fine persevered, and brought her Oupa's principles into her own practice, which emphasizes the need to understand her patients’ stories to provide the best possible care.

And in The Other Family Doctor, Dr. Fine shares all these touching, joyful, heartbreaking, and life-affirming tales that make up her career as a vet. There's:

• The feral cat who becomes a creature out of a fable when he puts his trust in a young vet to heal his injured paw

• The pot-bellied pig who grows too big to fit in the car but remains a cherished part of her family

• The surprising colony of perfectly behaved ferrets

• The beloved aging pet who gives her people the gift of accompanying them on one final family vacation

• The dog who saves his owner's life in a most unexpected way

Woven into Dr. Fine's story are, of course, also the stories of her own pets: the birds, cats, and dogs who have taught her the most valuable lessons—how caring for the animals in our lives can teach us to better care for ourselves, especially when life seems precarious.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of additional resources and guides from the book

Can't recommend enough

This is a must listen for every veterinarian, animal lover and anyone considering sharing their heart with a pet. Dr Fine's experiences reflect my own and listening ti her voice retell her story was cathartic, empowering and motivating. The PDF will be a great resource for my clients. My pets second my review with purrs and tail wags.

Heartfelt and beautiful!

I loved this book! Although i cried my eyes out a couple time, it was healing. I really enjoyed hearing stories about Dr. Fine’s experiences with animals, seeing how pets really can change our lives and we theirs. I’ll never forget the Rana Colored Thread.

We don’t deserve pets

I’m a big animal lover, and have had several pets. I have given little thought to our veterinarians over the years, until just a couple months ago when my sweet old dog had to be put to sleep. Our vet often said that she loved Zeke, and commented on what a good dog he was. I don’t think I realized until reading this book that she wasn’t just saying that - she really loved our dog. This memoir is a beautiful honor to Dr. Fine’s own pets, as well as the animals she has treated in practice. I definitely have a deeper appreciation for vets now!

Wonderful

Animal lovers everywhere will enjoy this book. I laughed and cried as the author related her life treating animals and the people who share their lives with them.

Wonderful narrator

The book was wonderful and the fact that the author narrated her own book added great dimension and a unique experience.