Book ~ "Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight [Acts] Pets" (2011) Nick Trout

From Goodreads ~ "In Ever By My Side", veterinarian Nick Trout turns the lens inward to offer a funny, moving, and intimate memoir about how the pets he has had throughout his life have shaped him into the son, husband, father, and doctor he is today. Using his relationships with those beloved animals to tell his life story, Nick shares the profound lessons he's learned about friendship, loyalty and resilience. The result is a moving story that speaks not just to animal lovers but to any reader who appreciates the bonds we have with our loved ones, be they animal or human, and the lengths to which we go to nurture those bonds.

Nick waxes nostalgic about his boyhood in a working-class British suburb, where a large German shepherd named Patch was the perfect companion to a scrawny, bookish boy in a neighborhood full of bullies. He writes about his relationship with his father, the man who nurtured Nick's dream of becoming a vet, even though he couldn't have imagined the career would lead his only son 3,000 miles away. He describes wooing his future wife and stepdaughter and (perhaps most difficult of all) their ornery cat. And he offers a poignant chronicle of his daughter's devastating diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and how a little yellow Labrador retriever played an important role in bringing joy to their family when they needed it most. Alongside Nick's warm reflections, the pets in these pages come alive as irresistible characters in their own right and showcase the power of animals to offer a lifetime of consolation, guidance, and abiding affection.

Nick Trout is a veterinarian who was born and raised in England but moved to the States after vet school graduation.  While Duncan, his father, was pleased and proud his son wanted to be a vet, Duncan had dreams of him living the country life of James Herriot.  Alas, this wasn't meant to be because Nick moved to the States, fell in love and got married and made a life there.

When Nick was young, Duncan loved dogs but his mother did not.  After a lot of convincing, the family finally got a German Shepherd named Patch.  Unfortunately Patch wasn't trained well and wasn't very social around people or other dogs.  But Duncan loved Patch and Patch was definitely Duncan's dog.  After Patch's passing, his family got two more dogs, Whiskey and Bess.  Whiskey and Bess loved Duncan and again they were definitely his dogs.

Nick moved to the States and met Kathy, who had a young daughter named Whitney and a cat named Reggie.  Nick was never a "cat person" and it took a long time for Reggie to warm up to Nick.  A small dog named Sophie came into the family and became Whitney's dog.  Their younger daughter, Emily, has cystic fibrosis and wanted a dog of her own so that's how Meg, a golden lab, came into their lives.

This book is about the pets Nick has had in his life, including his grandmothers' dogs (one dog was nice and the other was nasty) and the lessons he'd learned from them and the experiences he's had with them.  I like reading books about animals and have read a couple others by this author.  I liked the writing style ... it was funny at times.  I found his stories and experiences interesting.

Book ~ "Dog Gone, Back Soon" (2014) Nick Trout

From Goodreads ~ When Dr. Cyrus Mills returned home after inheriting his estranged father's veterinary practice, The Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the last thing he wanted was to stay in Eden Falls, VT, a moment longer than absolutely necessary. However, the previously reclusive veterinarian pathologist quickly found that he actually enjoyed treating animals and getting to know the eccentric residents of the tiny provincial town, especially an alluring waitress named Amy. 

So Cyrus is now determined to make Bedside Manor thrive. Not an easy goal, given that Healthy Paws, the national veterinary chain across town, will stop at nothing to crush its mom-and-pop competitor. And the rival vet practice isn't Cyrus's only competition; a handsome stranger shows up out of nowhere who clearly has a mysterious past with Amy. To top it off, Cyrus finds himself both the guardian of a very unique orphaned dog and smack in the middle of serious small town drama. 

This charming sequel to The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a wild and delightful ride through one jam- packed week, where Cyrus must figure out how to outsmart the evil veterinary conglomerate, win back Amy's heart, solve several tricky veterinary cases, find a home for an orphaned dog, and detangle himself from an absurd case of mistaken identity. Dog Gone, Back Soon brims with Nick Trout's trademark humor, charm, and captivating animal stories, and is proof that all dogs, lost or not, on four feet or two, deserve a second chance.

This book follows a week in the life of veterinary, Cyrus Mills.  After the recent death of his father, who he hadn't had contact with in many years, Cyrus moves back to Eden Falls, VT, to take over his inheritance ... his father's veterinary practice.  Unlike it's hip and happening competitor, Healthy Paws, it doesn't have fancy equipment or the backing of a fancy chain.  Instead Cyrus must rely on his quirky scientific mind and his background in pathology to figure out what is going on with his patients.

His patients include Gillian, a dog who refuses to eat and is losing weight; Stash, a dog who is well-trained as a helper to the disabled; Marmaduke, an obese cat; Ermintrude, a cow that might have Mad Cow Disease; and Crispin, a dog who is dead but has been stuffed whose tail has come off.  As he tries to figure out what's wrong with his patients, he is attracted to Amy, a waitress, who is giving him hot and cold signals.  He also has to contend with a vet from the competitor who is interested in him but she doesn't realize who he is.

Though this is the second in the Cyrus Mills series, it works as a stand alone (I haven't read the first one) ... there are enough references so you can figure out what happened in the first one.  I found the writing style quirky (like Cyrus) at times and found it flowed well.  It's written in the first person perspective from Cyrus' point of view.  I like reading stories about animals and this one fit the bill.

I liked Cyrus.  He didn't have any social skills which made being a pathologist a good occupation for him.  When he takes over his father's clinic, he is forced to interact with people which makes him less introverted.  Gabe and Charlie, a couple of geeky teenagers, add some comedy as does Lewis, an elderly veterinarian that Cyrus also inherited.

If you are a fan of James Herriot stories, you'll probably enjoy this one. The author is a vet in real life and that comes through with his technical knowledge.

Book ~ "Tell Me Where It Hurts" (2008) Nick Trout

From Goodreads ~ From the front lines of modern medicine, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" is a fascinating insider portrait of a veterinarian, his furry patients, and the blend of old-fashioned instincts and cutting-edge technology that defines pet care in the twenty-first century. For anyone who’s ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at your veterinarian’s office, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" offers a vicarious journey through twenty-four intimate, eye-opening, heartrending hours at the premier Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.

You’ll learn about the amazing progress of modern animal medicine, where organ transplants, joint replacements, and state-of-the-art cancer treatments have become more and more common. With these technological advances come controversies and complexities that Dr. Trout thoughtfully explores, such as how long (and at what cost) treatments should be given, how the Internet has changed pet care, and the rise in cosmetic surgery.

Interesting combination of experiences along with scientific facts.

It was a good read for any animal lover. It was interesting getting into the head of a vet. The chapter about having to put pets to sleep was a bit tough to read, though.