Saturday, 14 May 2022

Book ~ "The Battle Cry of the Siamese Kitten" (2022) Philipp Schott

From Goodreads ~ From Dr. Schott’s 30 years in veterinary practice come over 60 heartwarming, funny, and adorable stories about angry pelicans, bug-eyed goldfish, and plenty of cats and dogs.

In the third book in this bestselling series, we meet the oddest creatures, from an escaped newt to a baby snow leopard, but the focus is on the dogs and cats that make up most of a pet vet’s day and on the wacky and wonderful people who bring them in.

Dr. Schott also pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like to be a veterinarian. Do some vet students faint at the sight of blood? (Yes.) Is it easier for vets to bring their own pets in for procedures? (No.) Did the pandemic change veterinary practice? (Yes, and how.)

You will also learn how to bathe a dog, why some rats love cats, why Dr. Schott is afraid of parrots, and a surprising way for a dog to accidentally get drunk. And, of course, you will meet Supercat, the Siamese kitten with the mightiest lungs.


I like reading books about animals and that's why this one caught my eye.  This is the third book I've read by this author.

Dr. Schott is a veterinarian in Winnipeg, MB.  He has advanced training in diagnostic ultrasound and for the last fifteen years has had the largest ultrasound referral practice in Manitoba.  His other special interests in practice are cardiology, oncology and internal medicine. He has also been the chair of the provincial Peer Review Committee (professional discipline) for a number of years.  

After reading all his qualifications, you would think that the writing in this book would be stilted and super professional.  It was quite the opposite ... I like his writing style as it was mostly amusing and casual.  When he did get technical or not for the faint of heart, he gave a head's up and tried to make it as interesting and fun as possible.

The book is full of stories of his experiences, some sad, some strange, most funny, of being a vet and treating various animals, including his experience with a couple farm animals, which is not his forte.  He also describes the serious side of being a vet like euthanasia of pets, how COVID affected the vet industry, and more.  It was interesting to read the stories about the animals he's helped and get the scoop on what it's like to be a vet.

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