Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing, and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon

When beginning, one can't help but to compare any vet/animal stories to the omnipresent reputation of James Herriot's stories. He is the quintessential English vet and has set the tone and reputation. However I was determined to get through this narrative without comparing the two, if only because of the differences in time between the novels. I was both amused and surprised when the author himself decided to not avoid those comparisons himself, but embraced them, acknowledging the master, and unapologetically continuing with his own style.
The narrative comprises exactly one day, which we are informed of in the prologue, at first I was skeptical, how could any one typical day be packed with enough variety and interest to write a novel show more about? Surely there wouldn't be the range needed to cover the entire story in any one day that would be believable! The author addresses this beautifully with flashbacks and comparisons. The cases are typical and believable, but are integrated with previous cases, animals and people almost seamlessly. There were only a few jumps between subjects that felt slightly schizophrenic, but they didn't last long enough to be bothersome.
The stories here tend to be a little less pastoral and a little more technical. The author is not shy about sharing statistics and studies and quoting vocational journals. But, the jargon is kept to a bare minimum and is explained when present, so it becomes interesting instead of just confusing.
The stories run from entertaining to poignant, to downright tearjerkers. Life and death, and birth and illness, and everything in-between is explored in a way to cause the reader to ponder. Never preachy or pushy, Nick Trout has taken his place among the timeless animal stories, and steps side-by-side with Mr. Herriot on my bookshelf. show less

Is it possible to cry and laugh at the same time? There are many heartfelt stories about much loved pets and their ailments in this book. The story of Sage, and the heroic efforts to save her, giving her a little more time with her owner was very moving. I laughed along when I read about the man who spent $35k to save his dog, only to realize he only spent $32K on an engagement ring for his fiance. I hope she doesn't find out where she stands. Trout describes some of the challenges he faced when treating animals, but the pet owners provided some of the entertainment in the book.

Trout also discusses when do you treat an animal, and when do you make the decision to euthanize? When is the treatment causing more pain and trauma than the show more alternative? He has a chapter on "cosmetic surgery". Thank heavens most states have outlawed ear cropping and tail docking which I feel is barbaric. The animals look better as nature intended.

It took me back to occasions of standing in a vet's office waiting for the results of an xray, or blood test and the agonizing decision to put a loved pet down. I am thankful for empathetic vets such as Nick Trout.

I received the book yesterday and finished it this evening. A very quick and very entertaining read. Some of the narratives about sick animals are very moving, but there is enough humor woven through the book to keep it light. I highly recommend this book to those with a canine or feline family member. show less

I found this to be an easy read - interesting, fun, and touching in turns. Having mostly thought about veterinary medicine in terms of general practice, it was interesting for me to read a specialist’s perspective.

Dr Trout’s descriptions of surgery are somewhat detailed - fascinating for someone like me (who mentally compares it to “people surgery” for the same conditions), but it may not be comfortable reading for some folks.

Although “Tell Me Where it Hurts” did have had a few faults (it is in need of some editing), all in all it was pretty good for a first book.

At first I found the jump-around style of storytelling distracting. I kept wanting it to read like the James Herriot books -- a chapter for this case, a new chapter for that case. Once I understood that the whole book was going to be back and forth, I was good with it and enjoyed the reading immensely. Of course, the back and forth style fits this book since it is one day of following Trout in the hospital. There isn't a definitive chapter between all patients, especially in surgery, what with post-op check-ups and all. And so the narrative is juggled in the same manner that Trout juggles between multiple cases at once.

This was a delightful read. I loved to learn some of the updated methods and options for treatments in the animal show more world. Medicine is worlds beyond what Herriot practiced in his day! Trout has wonderful insight into the ways of both animals and their humans. Anyone who understands the bond between a person and his pet will enjoy this book. show less

Who could walk past this book cover and not pick it up? "Tell Me Where It Hurts" is a memoir, a day in the life of a vet. You think you know, but you have no idea. (I couldn't resist)

The book is laid out as if all the events occurred in one day. The chapters are marked with timestamps in addition to the topic being covered. Within each chapter is the story of an animal that has come to visit Dr. Nick Trout. He tells many other stories within each chapter, covering his entire life with animals, related to each particular visit. The layout is fluid and an absolute breeze to read, considering the amount of information.

The stories are touching, he really manages to humanize the profession. He shows the ugly side people assume vets have, a show more money grubbing advancement stance to the profession. He also discredits that claim, stating his case and showing some excellent examples.

Dr. Trout also shows the bond between a person and their pet. He understand that bond better than most people and his novel shows how he has worked his entire life to understand and honor that bond.

He also shows the complexity of dealing with many species, from box turtles to persians. He jokes that at least human doctors only have to learn one species anatomy. He adds validity to the career of a Veterinarian by exposing the complexity of the profession.

The stories are downright charming, at times tragic. Most of us have a pet and can identify with the relationships featured in this novel. A must for pet lovers and non-fiction lovers alike. show less

"Tell Me Where It Hurts" is a greatly enjoyable read, from and including the expressive portrait on the front cover to the back. Nick Trout has condensed a library of interesting stories about his practice, his patients and their owners into a fascinating day-in-the-life of an animal surgeon.

I couldn't put the book down until I knew how the day ended, and friends and family have been regaled with clips from the book since. (Our thought that our Labrador -- not Fatador -- mix is smarter-than-most, has been confirmed!)

His writing style is engaging and warm, even when the story being shared is frustrating. A British ex-pat, he has weaved familiar American references into his telling (although he refers to "regular" paper as A4-size). He show more has successfully told stories within stories without losing the reader in following the plot.

The awareness and care that Dr. Trout puts into not only the pet's health, but the relationship with its owner is what every loving pet owner hopes for from their vet, and the examination of the vet-patient-client relationship is an integral part of the book's journey through this day-in-the-life story. Whether you are already aware of this complex relationship, or trying to understand why your friend/lover/spouse feels "that" way about their pet, the reader can learn something. show less

What a wonderful book! I grew up reading and re-reading James Herriott's veterinary stories, so I looked forward to trying out this modern-day vet's tale of emergency animal surgeries. I was not disappointed. He had me laughing and crying with every chapter. It was a fascinating read. I appreciated how, in between the anecdotes, he sprinkled up-to-date facts about the nature of veterinary practice today both in the UK (since he's originally British) and the US. I found that very enlightening. And some of the characters, both animal and human, had me chuckling out loud (loved the story about the macho Boxer owner whose male dog has a bit of a gender identity problem!). I recommend this to anyone who loves animals and medical tales; it is show more very inspiring, too, because Dr. Trout's love of animals and his deep need to save lives and care for our pets really shines through. show less