← Living The Next Chapter: Candid Conversations with Authors and Writers for Readers Searching for a New Read
Living The Next Chapter: Candid Conversations with Authors and Writers for Readers Searching for a New Read
E707 - Dr. Dawn Filos - Tales of a Pet Vet - Stories from the Clinic and House Calls
00:46:10
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- [00:00]
A
To hear that somebody went through this end of life issue with their pet and didn't realize it was an option because I never did an in home euthanasia until I was practicing 20 years and I did one and it was a game changer for me. And I'm like, and then I started my house call practice like three weeks later and never came back. And I think. And also in that chapter, there's a lot of grief support, things that I've seen that, and resources that. That I've connected people with. And I thought it was good to have it. And a lot of people are like, yeah, I want to read your book, but I want to skip that chapter. It's too sad. I'm like, actually, the Petra chapter is sadder. And other people will read my book. And then they're like, I need to buy this for my friend or cousin. They're going through this for that chapter in particular. So you can certainly read it and skip it. You can read it in small doses, you know the book and skip that chapter. Depends on your frame of mind, but it's there if and when you need it. And we all get to that point, sadly, where you know their lives. We get to that point being pet parents, because it's an unfair reality that they just. We outlive them in general.
- [01:14]
B
Everybody, welcome back to Living the Next Chapter. It's the Author podcast. You get to meet great authors. If you love animals as much as I do, you're gonna love, love, love, love. Our guest today, dawn is here. We're gonna be talking about her book, her journey. She got so much to talk about. And if you're looking for some tails, not the ones that, you know, wiggle on the back of your dog, but tails of a pet vet, you're gonna love having time today with Don. Don, welcome to the podcast. Glad to have you here.
- [01:42]
A
I'm so happy to be here. Thanks for having me.
- [01:44]
B
Good. Awesome. We have so many wagging tails from all the pets listening to our podcast as well, because pets listen to podcasts, right? I guess so. But we have a lot of pet parents who are here to fall in love with you as an author. So it's exciting. Tell everybody. Don, where are you in this big world of ours?
- [02:01]
A
Currently, I am in Scottsdale, Arizona. I'm in the north Scottsdale, near the mountains. And I'm here about seven months of the year and five months I'm out in Long island, but when it's warmer there. So we're what we call snowbirds, apparently, officially But I love both places for different.
- [02:25]
B
Yeah, so I've been down to Phoenix and Scottsdale. I went to the old part of Scottsdale downtown area and some of the old buildings down there. It's so cool. What an amazing place, like for a Canadian to be walking around down there. I remember walking past a, like a patio bar and I got sprayed by water. I'm like, what is going on here? Because that wouldn't happen where I am. That would turn to ice probably. But yeah, it's such a great place. Oh, it's so gorgeous down there.
- [02:53]
A
It's fun. We have a lot of Canadian neighbors here. They're very strict about. They own, you know, live in our development. And there's a very, there are rules, you know, they have to. Can only spend a certain amount of days here without their citizenship being at risk. But I have many Canadian friends that I've met here, which is wonderful.
- [03:13]
B
Are they rowdy, noisy people? Are they quiet? Like, what are they like?
- [03:17]
A
There's a mix.
- [03:18]
B
There's a mix. Okay. All right.
- [03:20]
A
Yeah, they're not rowdy. You know, I, I, you know, we sometimes I play golf with them. So there's not a whole rowdiness on the golf.
- [03:29]
B
All right. Okay. As long as we're well behaved Canadians. That's the idea. They are good. Awesome. So, okay, let's talk a little bit about your background because it really feeds into your book and your journey as an author. Tell people, Don, what do you do? What have you been doing in the past around animals and pet care, because that's really important to the audience as well. Tell us a little bit about your background.
- [03:54]
A
Yeah. So I was raised in New Jersey and my father was a Greek immigrant where they didn't have animals in the house, which I talk a little bit about in the book. My mother was an animal, like, fanatic, sort of eccentric and everything stems from that. Next door, my grandmother lived. She was also an animal lover. So she was a qu. Outbreeder of German shepherds, which she wasn't. She kept having puppies. So we always had this dogs. My mom loved cats but was allergic to them. So it was mainly dogs. And then we had birds and we had a monkey, which is, we're sort of locally remembered, famous for that. Which sadly, you know, he's probably got him in Florida. Who knows what journey to get him there. But so we had Willie, who was a woolly monkey. And there's a story in the book, like, I went to a Catholic grammar school in high school and you know, kind of like, show and tell I brought in. And needless to say, I think 25 years later, at my high school reunion, like, people were not surprised I became a veterinarian. They always. And so these animal lovers in my family, it was natural to see them as part of the family, which is now the normal. But as you said before, the pet parent, that wasn't even a term that was part of our vernacular, but now it says everything about this kind of evolution that I've experienced in my lifetime and in my career of pet ownership to pet parenting and the. I talk a lot about. A lot about that in the book and in my blog about the human animal benefits, the bond, the psychological, physiological, all of that. And. But we were like that decades ago. We weren't the only ones. But I completely see where society is and some of these eccentric pet parents stories that I talk about in the book, I relate because I was the ex, you know, we were the eccentric or unglued family when something went wrong. So I do relate to those clients. As a pet parent, you know, you. You experience all these emotions. So as a veterinarian and a pet parent, you get it, or at least I hope you do. I know I do. And the intent of this book, you know, it's about me in the beginning, but it's quickly about all the clients and patients and wonderful people I've met and eccentric. And some interesting stories, at least that I think are interesting, kind of from puppy and kittenhood to the end of life and everything in between. And with more than just puppy and kitten, there's my favorite chapters, exotics about all the snakes and lizards and crazy things that I did end up seeing. Not by design, but by necessity. But it made for some exciting work days.
- [07:03]
B
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. We've been pet parents. Well, for my. My family, with my wife since our kids were little and then growing up, pets have always been in my home. I don't think there's ever not been a pet in my home. So I can't imagine a home where one of my parents would be like, absolutely not. We're not having any animals in the house. So you mentioned that. Is that what your dad was kind of. That was his belief.
- [07:28]
A
Well, they just didn't have animals in the house.
- [07:31]
B
In the house. Okay. But outside would be okay. That type of thing.
- [07:34]
A
I think they were outside. But he quickly adjusted, converted.
- [07:38]
B
Did he convert? Yeah, he sure did.
- [07:40]
A
He couldn't help it. And we had. We didn't just have, like, calm, we had Irish setters. And, like, if you've ever had it, who were just, like, kind of crazy. And we adopted. We had rescues and, you know, so we had every variation. We had all different, but mainly dogs because of the allergy issue. But he loved. He grew. But we had my father from Greece. We had a Irish setter named Zorba and an Irish setter named Atlas. So we come. My mom tried to kind of help him welcome these animals into his life by giving them Greek names, which. Funny. But it worked.
- [08:20]
B
Yeah, it worked. I don't think he could. Stood a chance against the rest of the house. Right.
- [08:24]
A
No, certainly.
- [08:27]
B
Yeah. Yeah. We. My son. My oldest son wanted a snake when he was in high school, and we got him a king snake that was about the length of a pencil, a little bit longer than a pencil. And now she is long. She's a big girl, but she loved to just climb up your sleeve and get warm and just nest under with you. And I know people that are like, oh, heck, no. Am I gonna go near a snake? But she's just the nice, calmest, like, the most best pet for somebody with allergies, too, because there's really nothing for her that you have to worry about. Right. And, yeah, she's just a smart. This is a great little pet to have. Anyways, a lot of people don't like snakes, but for me, yeah, they're great.
- [09:13]
A
Yeah. Yeah. I'm. I do think that I've been surprised to get to know patients and their personalities. So I, like. Apparently rats in general are really affectionate and lovely, except for one in the story. But, like, you know, and they. And ferrets have tons of personality. I. And, you know, they're. They're really fun. So I learned that not living at first experience, but through my career. So, yeah, I. I don't doubt that snakes can be affectionate. They're, you know, here I live in the desert where there's tons of rattlesnakes, so all snakes, I'm sort of.
- [09:59]
B
Yeah, no, that's great. And. Yeah. And I think the one thing that I think pet parents would agree is the bond that we have with our pets over time there. We do treat them like. Like they're our children. Almost like we. We love on them. They care for us. They. They make us. They make us want to exercise, be active. They. They. It's like they know we're having one of those days where we just need some kind of comfort or affection. They'll just come put their head on your knee, and it's like they're they're super amazing as, as far as how they can just be so intuitive of what the human needs. Right. As a pet. And I just love that bond.
- [10:40]
A
Yeah. And that's what makes it so special. And I always say, you know, their intuition. But if you imagine if you were reading body language all day every day, you'd get really good at it. And that's what they do. They pick up on our moods. They know it's normal. They sense, you know, she's not moving or she, whatever. They, they pick up on the non verbal cues immediately because that's their main way of communicating.
- [11:06]
B
Yeah. Yeah. And of course they can have their moments but for the most part, I think all the pets we've ever had, they just been like a joy for our home. And I can't imagine not having a pet. So as you listen to this parents, with your kids, it might be easier to not have a pet when your kids are little, but your kids will grow up having that memory and those interactions. I think it's a valuable lesson for kids to learn how to care for something as well, you know, and all the things that go with having a pet. So I see a lot of advantages. So I'm pro vet and pro pet at the same time here. So there you go. You got me on both. So there you go.
- [11:44]
A
Good. Agree. Yeah. And I've contributed, you know, and I've blogged about this. And it's, it's responsibility. There's also, you know, empathy, having, you know, some with depression and with social things that they can't control. They have this un, you know, this love that no matter what they, they have some reason, you know, to, they're, they're dependent upon the family. So being responsible for a pet, there's huge emotional and psychological advantages. So I, it's more work, a little bit more work. But you're busy with kids anyway. You might as well have.
- [12:27]
B
What's one more. What's one more thing? Yeah, right. Yeah. And then when kids grow up and they leave the house, perfect time for you to, to be a pet parent. Right. As your kids leave.
- [12:38]
A
So very, very common, we see that nest replaced by.
- [12:44]
B
Yeah, yeah, it's that routine. I love that. So okay, your, your journey as an author, then how did this come to be that you were like, you know what, I'm going to write a book, I'm going to share these stories. What was the idea behind writing the book?
- [12:58]
A
So about. So before I started my house call practice, so probably about 15 years into, I was I liked giving, I like teaching. I would teach cpr. And I taught a community course on pet first aid at a community college. And I had all this information that I got together from my students and I thought, will this be helpful for my clients? So I, I started a blog and it was mainly medical and veterinary. And then I just started finding journaling and then really therapeutic for whatever reason. And I started writing blogs that were more personal or humorous, like are about the human animal bond, you know, or try having working from home with dog barking or the benefits in autism or, and, but. Or just any topic that was sort of relatable. I got a lot, a lot of feedback and that struck me as maybe people want to hear more about this. So I sort of divided the book into chapters based on popular blogs that really, that were topics based off a blog. But then I kind of had to extricate the actual blog from the book because my editor said, you know, you don't republish published work. So I sort of rewrote the book, pulled it out, but basically the. So the chapters are divided into topics somewhat based on that. And so then from. So that was the jumping point for the book. And it just was such a learning process for writing because, you know, I would tell these stories to friends and families like, oh, you're not going to believe what happened. This is crazy. This was awful. And it's not, you know, and I. And there's so much humor and just like you're not craziness that goes on with pets, particularly when you're in their home, you know, and they're jumping fences and police. It's like crazy stuff happens. And I kind of. It's similar, I think, to like comedians or where they're, they're practicing their, their material or their standup and they kind of see like this joke didn't go and this one did. And you, you figure out, you know, my friends will be like, dawn, tell them about the dog passing $100 bill in his, you know, whatever. Like all of the stories that they wanted to hear and some that didn't make the cuts. So from that. And I just had this mental inventory and I would go to the beach where it was quiet and it's amazing. It just all came back to me, just different things. So there's a lot of that that went on and that's kind of how I selected the stories and then edited out. There's like two other books that were edited out at this point. Then they keep coming all these crazy stories and. Or Interesting. Two of the chapters are a little more. I talk about the book being its stories with just enough information to support the stories with the exception of two chapters. One is the euthanasia chapter and the other is about pet trusts. The pet trust was a blog about legally preparing God forbid, you know. And that became huge because right around the time when I had posted that blog I had started my house call practice and I posted the blog and so many people were like my, my mother in law won't go to assisted living without her cat and my grandmother. And so I became their house call vets at assisted living facilities as well as so many people that lived alone with their pets. So many like 85 year old widows and a giant dogs for so many of like little older ladies with giant dogs and vice versa. So they were so near and dear to my heart. The other back to that euthanasia chapter because I did so many in home euthanasias and spent so much of my career and time. There's such a process of making that decision and knowing the options and talking to clients and helping them through that emotional decision and then making sure people know that there are house call vets. Like when I started my practice in 2014 there weren't many of us, but since COVID it's a valid option in many locations. And the saddest thing for me is to hear that somebody went through this end of life issue with their pet and didn't realize it was an option because I never did an in home euthanasia until I was practicing 20 years and I did one and it was a game changer for me. And I'm like, I. And then I started my house call practice like three weeks later and never turned back. And I think and also in that chapter there's a lot of grief support things that I've seen that and resources that I've connected people with and I thought it was good to have it. And a lot of people are like, yeah, I want to read your book but I want to skip that chapter, it's too sad. I'm like actually the Petrus chapter sadder. And other people will read my book. And then they're like I need to buy this for my friend or cousin. They're going through this for that chapter in particular. So you can certainly read it and skip it. You can read it in small doses into the book and skip that chapter. Depends on your frame of mind, but it's there if and when you need it. And we all get to that that point. Sadly where, you know, their lives. We get to that point being pet parents, because it's an unfair reality that they just, we outlive them in general. So it's there. But some of this euthanasia stories are really kind of uplifting. Like it's sort of, it was an honor for me to sort of be called into their home and get to know the, the people and the family and watching videos and one cat was a ring bearer at the wedding. I mean, amazing, amazing experiences I've had. And it's such a personal thing, you know, to earn the trust and to come into the home. Usually it's my clients. It used to be where I would just kind of meet people. At that point I stopped doing that for various reasons unless I had, you know, a recommendation from specialists. Like I would look, work with oncologists and different specialists who I would sort of bridge that care at their home and send results and different things. So sometimes I would meet them just at that point and. And it's. But it's a beautiful, loving way to say goodbye to a pet. And I people, it's. It's hard to explain, but I did my best to sort of say, just really consider this because you might be surprised how beautiful it can be. I'm not to say that it isn't in a hospital. We do our best, but it's a lovely tribute. I think I did about 230 in home euthanasias in my career.
- [20:02]
B
Yeah, the loss of a pet is such a traumatic thing. We had a German shepherd with us for years and years and years. He was a rescue from somebody that I knew that did something very illegal and had to go away for a while. And he abandoned his dog. Beautiful German shepherd, gorgeous dog. So I went and found him at some other house where somebody had taken them in, but they didn't want them. And I rescued him and brought him home. So he lived with us. His name is Duke. Beautiful boy, just a gorgeous dog. Super smart, like smartest dog ever. And he was getting close to the end of his life and he couldn't navigate stairs anymore in our home. So he stayed on one level. And where I record my podcast, I'm on a lower level. But he could never come down the stairs. He couldn't make it. And his last day with us, he somehow, while I was recording, I had made sure he was okay and I came down to do my recording like this. I went out to go upstairs to check on him and he was at the door, which meant he came down the Stairs, which he couldn't do, and he made his way down, and that's where he. That's where he passed right by my door, right? And he made his way to me, right? And so I'm like, oh, my gosh, buddy. Like, you know, he. He knew that it was important to be as close to me as he could in that moment. And it just. It's just the bond, right? And then to see my kids reaction to losing him as a pet that they've grown up with, just. It was. It was like losing a family member really, in that moment. Right? It is. It was very, very, very tough, right, to see your kids weeping and that part of their story is now gone. You know, there's a lot of things you don't realize in the moment. So my caution for everyone is to treat that with respect and honor when you do lose a pet like that or someone like you comes in, Dante, to help with that end of life. Because it's a sacred moment for us. Like you mentioned, there's a lot of memories wrapped up in that moment, and we need to handle it very, very carefully and Right.
- [22:19]
A
You never forget your whole life. I can tell. I remember every single. And so it's so important to get it right. And what I feel very strongly about and I talk about in the book is because the respect and to die with dignity and the euthanasia, you know, it's a good death translates in GRE people. So I just want them to go naturally. But I disagree. If naturally is painless, yeah, that's fine. But those are. Whenever a client says that it never happens now, you know, or I always say it's better to, you know, you know your pet best. And if it's to spare them of inevitable pain and suffering, I would much rather be called in earlier than too late, which I've been in way too many times more than. I mean, it's. It's worse. Far worse for me and I think the family. So my job is to help guide clients or support whatever it is that they want. But I, I. Having seen both sides, I really try to. Like, I have a questionnaire that is a quality of life questionnaire that people. It's more of an objective way of making a subjective decision. And you. Because it's. It's awful. It's the hardest decision I ever made was for my. My dog, India, because, you know, they have. They have some good days and, you know, plus my kids were out of state, a few of them, so, you know how it is. You have holidays and people come into town that maybe haven't seen the pet for months and they're like, oh my gosh, the dog is declined. And it's more obvious to when you're not there every day and it's this insidious march. So it, there's so many conversations that happen in and around that and I think that that's the single most important thing to get right because if it, if it goes wrong, you have the horrible memory forever. And I hear the stories, so I try. So that is why I'm such an advocate for these in home euthanasia is one of many reasons. Just because they, I mean I. They're eating chocolate on a bed or at like they're living, they're having these amazing days at home and then I just give them a sedative. They just go to sleep.
- [24:42]
B
That's it. Yeah.
- [24:44]
A
Where it's where they're happy. They're not in a, in a strange environment where sometimes emergencies happens. It's happened to me where you. It's preferable if you can plan, but sometimes you can't. But it's nice to sort of think about it and think and get your family on the same page. If you have the luxury of having time to make these decisions. And that just kind of, if you read that chapter, it's in the back of your mind for if and when. And hopefully people will read it well before it's right in that time period, you know, but when they need it there I thought it was important to include.
- [25:23]
B
Yeah. When you go in to do in home care for pets in someone else's home. Like you don't have all of the tools that you would have in your office. You don't have the nice table to get the dogs up at height level. Like you don't have all the accessories that you would normally have in your office. Is it difficult for you to do that in a home environment compared to someone coming to an office that's set up for clients?
- [25:46]
A
Yeah. When I moved to Arizona, I sold my house call practice and I was doing relief and I work in these and I volunteer and I'm like, oh my gosh, you weighed the dog, you took his temperature. Oh, this is so easy. Like I just walk in and because, you know, I, I joke that I sort of, I pulled out my back so many times with big animals and lifting them and I'm like, I think I'm aging out of my career. Wrestling with a 200 pound mastiff to trim his nails is overrated. There's so many huge advantages to being in the house as a veterinarian, but you gotta load up your van. It's like I'm traveling 12 times a day in and out with the luggage. I got a whole system. I got coolers. You, you know, it's. You're pulling. I don't. I. You know, my husband was always like, why don't you get this hydraulic table with wheels? I'm like, how am I going to get it in and out of the car? You know, those things weigh like 500 pounds. So I'm like, in theory, that's lovely, but that's not gonna work. So I'd drive my Subaru and we'd have our wheeled luggage and all of our things that we needed. And I was just packing and unpacking and super kind of organized with. Got it down to a system, and it worked for me. The. The. I sold my practice to this company, that. And a lot of these companies, they have, like, big vans. And there are some that the dog goes into the vehicle in the driveway. I went into the home. I didn't do surgery. I didn't take X rays. Some of these traveling vet hospitals are remarkable. They're amazing. But for me. But, you know, you're at their home. It's convenient. But there's really something to be said for in the home, because you see them in their environment. I get all these visual cues that might take 15 minutes of questions, like, why is your, you know, what's the setup with like an older German shepherd and arthritis? You know, I'm like, okay, right away, you need a ramp here, you need mats here, you put a gate, because if he gets up the stairs and can't, you know, you just look around. It's like, you know, so efficient in that regard. Or behavioral issues like cats, you know, and the environment and stress and minimizing stress, then you minimize the medical effects. You know, if an animal stress, they're going to show disease or it's just going to add to their discomfort. So, you know, you might have cats that are fighting and they're being fed too close together or the food's too close to the wall. There's tons and tons of visual cues that I get. And for the most part, especially cats are never really happy to see a vet. But before they know what happened, they're done. You know, you have a cat brought into the vet hospital. You gotta get them probably in a carrier, then in a car. They walk in, there's all this smells and sights, and they're done before you even touch them. Like, try getting blood pressure on a hyperthyroid. Like, what's the point? You know, at home they're sort of like, oh, hello, you know, and sometimes they're very. They're completely calm at home, and the opposite. And vice versa. So. So it. I had so many cats that just literally would never go to the vet hospital. So I had an inordinate amount of anxious pets and cats. Or senior clients or senior. I had giant dogs. I had a house. They had like four Leon Burgers. Leon burgers are like tiny ponies, furry. They're. They're giant. And imagine getting them all in the car just to do anything. So. And for the most part, with the exception of pets that were really guarding their home. Yeah, those are probably the only ones that really don't do better in the home where they're super territorial, aggressive like. But for the most part there, it's a much better situation. Sometimes we sedate. I wouldn't put them. I wouldn't give injectable sedations, but I would give oral. I was. I did that a few times. But I like to be there for them to wake up. And I wasn't real comfortable just leaving, you know, if a dog was fully awake. So we figured out what worked and what didn't.
- [30:24]
B
So for Tales of a Pet Vet, who would you say is your ideal reader for the book? Who would you think envision loving this book?
- [30:32]
A
So I think anyone who has ever lived with pets and loves pets, you know, I've had. I'm going, I have all these book fairs. There's one or two little like bleeped out words that were relevant, you know, that maybe are not appropriate for under 14 or something. Really. Mainly any pet lover. I think little. Some little kids, I've gotten feedback and they're fine. It's not, you know, little heavier topics as well. So anybody who's ever had a pet or is thinking of getting a pet, I compare the book and I don't know if I've said this, so I would describe it as one part modern day James Herriot, kind of All Creatures Great and Small, one part behind the Scenes, kind of like Anthony Bourdain, like Secrets of Vet's Life behind the Curtain. And one part the humor and humility of Marley and Me. And I encourage people and like, there is a ton, ton of funny stories. You'll laugh much, much more than you will cry because everybody doesn't want to, you know, thinks it's sad. I'm like, there's a lot. There's just a lot of funny stuff that goes on and you'll learn a little, you'll laugh a little, you'll relate a lot because, you know, it may not be all the stories, but you just, you have this spectrum of experiences as a pet parent and, you know, people will. Will kind of, maybe that'll trigger memories in their mind. And there's a lot about this, the human animal benefits and like, why we do this. And I'm just fascinated by the way society is and pets that are spoiled, like, they live better than human children. And I'm just fascinated by it. And I kind of talk a lot about that on my social media and like, just amazed at the overwhelming options. And it's not just diets, it's clothing, it's everything, these experiences. And so I find that fascinating. And I talk a little bit about that in the book as well.
- [32:37]
B
Nice. That's. Yeah, I think that we, we do spoil our pets. We. Yeah, they have no idea what's going on. But yeah, when I got. We have. We just adopted another German shepherd recently from our local humane society here, where I live. And his owner had turned him in due to mental health concerns for him as the, the owner. And so the dog has nothing to do with the dog. Right. He was just like sitting there going, why am I here? As we went through to pick him out. Right. And so we brought him home, but we took him to a pet store on the way home and he got to pick out his own pet, his toy, and he has his own toy and it's with him all the time now. It's his little comfort thing and it's his best friend, this little toy that he picked out. But yeah, it's, it's amazing to see, to see that, to see him come out of that, that shelter to the car and just the joy that he was experiencing in that moment that he was away from all the other barking dogs and that feeling and the smells and everything. And then to be with us, he was just like, you could see him transform. And I watch videos on Tick Tock and stuff with people, people bringing home a pet from, from a shelter or something. And you can see this, just the delight it looks like on the pet's face that I've got a new home. Like, it's just like, ah, I just want to go and adopt another pet right now. Yeah.
- [34:01]
A
Crying. Right. I'll sit there and cry with those videos. Oh my goodness. On social media. And it, the thing is, I always say they're like children forever. They. They don't talk back unless they're huskies or.
- [34:16]
B
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Y.
- [34:18]
A
They don't move away. They don't, like, you know, get in trouble. It's. They're just these unconditional love, perfect little support systems that are like an arm, you know, I can't imagine without. And. And I always say they're such good listeners.
- [34:37]
B
I talk to.
- [34:38]
A
To all my fish. I would talk to.
- [34:41]
B
When we let our dog outside and there's a squirrel or a bunny or something in the backyard, he just goes. The shepherd goes right after it. So we call that fast food because he's trying to catch them in the moment. He never catches them, but he just. He's just gone. Right. He just loves that. So it's entertaining to watch.
- [35:01]
A
They're just. They're very entertaining. And what's not to love? But you know, that moment when you see the transformation, it's the greatest thing. And. And sometimes it takes a while because they've abandonment issues, you know, and depending how long it takes for them to gain trust and so many stories or clients and that I haven't. Like some cats, for example, or dogs, it took like six months. And then one day it was just like, okay, I get it. It was just like it happened. The click. They let their guard down. But, you know, you can't blame them. They don't understand why they're in a new home or their pet parent died, you know, and you. You're particularly. Or any number of reasons. But, you know, since. Particularly since COVID and you know, in here in the US we actually have a bit of a vets shortage because so many people were adopting particularly during COVID And nowadays compared to, you know, there's so many reasons other than reason, nothing to do with the pet's personality. People can't afford or they're relocating or so many reasons that they have to give up their pet that may not be medical or psychological issue on the pets. And see, there's so many great pets to adopt and so so many more pets that I have worked with that have been rescued. Some of them do come with emotional baggage and I talk a lot about that in the book that. So those anxious pets that maybe had it from birth and. Or by situation dealt with a lot of that in my particular once I started the house call because I worked for like 20 years in brick and mortar in every capacity. And then I started it the last 10 years of about the last 10 years. So. And everything in between, you See all these different patient populations, but it doesn't mean there's anything wrong, you know, Definitely. I'm a huge fan of adopting and rescues and I work with lots and lots of rescue groups in that capacity, particularly no kill shelters, which are the greatest thing. So that's. I have more time to do that later in my career. Now that I'm not working full time, I get to kind of give back. And it's really, it's huge. It's really important as well because I work with this homeless shelter that has this facility for people that are homeless or home endangered. We only, you know, they. So they don't want to get help if it means leaving their pet pets because mostly that is the case. So they'll stay in a bad situation because of wanting to remain with their, their pets. So that's what I, I love about the organizations that I, I work with. It's so important.
- [37:59]
B
Nice. So, okay, I have one more question to kind of wrap up our conversation. Don, I really love having you here and congratulations on your book. You're winning awards. It's amazing. People are noticing. People are loving the book and it sounds like a great book for any pet parent to understand the behind the scenes of working with a vet and trusting a vet and what a vet can do as well. And all the things around these pet stories make you laugh and cry and all these things. It's a great book. Before we go to that last question, where would you like to send people to connect with you, get more information about the book, you know, and just follow up from this conversation if they want or interested to reach out. Where would you like to send the listener?
- [38:41]
A
I have a lot of. I have a website, drdonthepetvet.com and it's got a lot of information on my book. It's got like hundreds of blogs and all sorts of other articles I've written and I tell people because I'm so the book is paperback, ebook and audio and the audio is really fun and it's not my voice, which is why I, I really like it. My social media. Dr. Dawn, I'm on Instagram, TikTok and so forth. There's a. I'm on Instagram and TikTok more regularly with a lot of trying to not just share about the book and my art. I do pet portraits. But I want to be my kind of this chapter in life as well as a reliable source of veterinary information in a sea of misinformation. So pet parents are always in search of books that'll Help them be better pet parents and media and medication and supplements and advice. But you really have to question the source. There's some not so good advice out there and I find it frustrating and that is my other message in life. So I have a lot of videos talking about that and how to recognize misinformation versus that good information. So on Instagram, for example, and my LinkedIn which I'm forgetting but insta my linked link tree is linktree Dr. Donthepet vet. And it has all my social media stuff as well as the blog. But yeah, books are wherever books are sold. You can get my book.
- [40:17]
B
Excellent. You mentioned earlier that there's a need for more people to go down the path of becoming a vet, to service all the pet parents out there. What would be a couple key personality traits or things that, that a new vet should have, you think? I would think like empathy would be something you'd want to have. What else, what else would stand out for you for someone who's considering to become a vet?
- [40:43]
A
I think that, and I talk about a lot of this in the book, like, you know, the, it's a long course. You, it's really rewarding. But you really, I tell people don't become a vet because you don't like people and you just like animals because you're going to be communicating with the pet parents all the time and you are so probably more than the pet. So you have to sort of figure out a way to talk to people in a way that there's like different personality types. So it's be a good listener and be empathetic, not just to the pets, but to the families. You know, you can make recommendations. Here's the best thing, but don't make assumptions. People can't or, or aren't able to afford or willing to necessarily do things. And you learn that as you go and you figure out what we can do in this circumstance with escalating prices, with real life happening, you know, so you want to bridge, you just want to be there to emotionally support people. And I think that there's so many great vets out there. If you're not happy with your vet, find another one. And it's, and somebody told me, and I believe this decades ago, the hardest to replace in your life as a woman, they say, is your, like if you move is your pediatrician, your hairstylist, which is, and your veterinarian because you have these bonds with them. And, and for me as the vet, like from put puppyhood and kittenhood to the end of Life like they, you know, you particularly in the house, like it's such a special bond and I love having, I love where I would like be in my town and walking in the park and be like there's my client houses Rash, how are you? You know, and it's so great. You don't just walk in. It's very kind of old school. What I recreated in my career with the house call in particular, it's like this old fashioned way of practicing medicine which was perfect for me. So I think you have to like people or get to like people and you see them through their love for their pets, however they express it. So they become a key. They became a key part of what I loved about my career. It could be frustrating, but mainly the rewards and really having that connection with the pet and their family is, is what I cherished about my career, particularly with the house calls. So that's what I strive for and I hope for anybody who is heading into this profession and patient.
- [43:31]
B
Yes, very good. Excellent. Dr. Dahn, thank you so much everyone. Again, the book, Tales of a Pet, Stories from the Clinic and House Calls. It's a great book for everyone. It's Christmas season coming up at the time of recording. So not only can you buy one for someone else that you know is maybe having a new pet or has a new pet, this would be a great book for them. But also be selfish and buy one for yourself as a pet parent. This is a great stories that you can have and read over the holidays and enjoy. So everyone please go check it out. And if you love audiobooks like I do, then grab the audiobook. There's a sample right there on the Amazon page. You can hear a little bit of the audiobook before you purchase. But you don't need, you don't need to be convinced. You've already had time with the doctor. So it's time to go now. Follow the prescription and buy your copy of the book as well. Don, thank you so much for being part of the show.
- [44:21]
A
Thank you. It was really great chatting and yeah, thank you for having me. It was really fun.
- [44:26]
B
Excellent. Everyone please go check out all the information for Dr. Don in the show notes. Grab a copy of the book, leave a review wherever you purchase the book so more people will find it, fall in love with it as well. It's a way for us to help Dr. Don to sell more books and that's what we want, reach more people with this book. So again, Dr. Dahn, thank you so much for being on the show.
- [44:45]
A
Thank you it was such a great opportunity. I love what you do, and I'm so glad to be part of it.
- [44:54]
B
Hey, thank you so much again for pressing play. As you've heard, great guests on the show, and one thing you didn't hear in this conversation is what? What did you not hear? Think about it for a second. That's right. Not a single solitary commercial for a mattress or a supplement or whatever you call it. No. Why? Because we don't want to break up the conversation with commercials. So the fact that you're still here means that you are a fan of the show, I'm assuming. So if you want to help to keep the podcast going and to make me feel really happy, all I really care about is coffee. Okay. I just got to be honest. I love coffee. I'm drinking one right now. Starting to get cold. I need. I need to warm it up. Helping us with our Buy me a coffee link over at Living the next chapter.com and also in the show notes helps kind of keep the lights on around here. Remember, I'm doing this for free. I. I'm paying for everything, so I would love to have a little coffee donation. You know, even five bucks kind of fills up my cup. Cup. And I would love to enjoy a coffee from you. So if you're interested, again, thank you for listening, but you can use our Buy me a coffee link and fill up the cup. Thanks for being here.