I love stories about animals, so it's no wonder that I enjoyed this book. Anecdotes, snippets of facts, how to's on various subjects and a look into the everyday in a vetranarians life. Sections on dogs, cats, and the exotics such as hedgehogs, snakes, lion cubs, ferrets and more, all told in a humorous manner. Of course there is sadness too, which every pet owner . I love the way he writes, self deprecating at times, but humble as well. Like many times, there is always more to learn.

A terrific book for animal lovers.

Thank you Netgalley and ECW Press for access to this arc.

I was delighted when the publicists reached out to me and invited me to read Schott's latest book about his life as a veterinarian. I’ve read a lot of books about human medicine and animal medicine but something he said finally crystallized for me the difference in the reason for each. I’m fascinated by the science of human medicine. But I mainly read books about vet medicine because I love animals. His redo of the group practice logo makes perfect sense: “Birchwood Animal Hospital. For the love of animals since 1959.”

When I saw the title of the book, “How to Examine a Wolverine,” my immediate thought was “Carefully. Very, very carefully.” How wonderful is it that he got a chance to see and examine one (albeit a heavily sedated one because – claws) –

"The first thing that struck me was his coat. It was a mahogany reddish-brown running from somewhat lighter, as if bleached, on his sides and head, to a much deeper, almost black, tone on his legs and back. I know it’s a cliché, but the coat could only be described as “lustrous.” Plunging my fingers into his fur was a strange thrill, as it was thicker, plusher and softer than anything I had felt before, yet at the same time I knew that being able to do this while keeping my face attached to my head was a rare privilege."

– plus pythons, hedgehogs, ferrets, and mice, along with the bog standard cats and dogs. I knew about small animal practice vs big animal farm work and that there are zoo specialists but call me amazed that there are bee vets (no I won’t make jokes about tiny equipment), salmon vets, lobster pathologists, and those who (nope, couldn’t do it) treat invertebrates. How does one know if a tarantula is having a bad day? Never a dull day in the vet world.

The (small) list of true emergencies for going to an emergency vet clinic is appreciated. Thank goodness no dog has ever said “Hold my beer and watch this.” The section on euthenasia – while emotionally wrenching for me to read, it must be worse for vets who provide this last compassionate service for their patients – was informative. Wow, I knew crows recognize human faces but sheep can be trained to, too? I tend to agree with him about the silliness of expecting cloned pets to be exact replicas of the original and the question of why do that with so many lovely animals in shelters waiting for homes. And (ew) everybody out there, do a better job washing your hands after cleaning up after your pets.

"I am in a very privileged profession. What other professionals are you primarily motivated to visit because of love? Family doctor? No. Lawyer? Ha. Accountant? Double ha. Dentist? Triple ha. The list goes on. For sure many veterinary clients (and parents of children?) are also motivated by a sense of duty, a desire to do the right thing or even feelings of guilt, but the basic driver is usually love."

What can you say beyond that. Most pet owners know, even if they will not admit it, that they are crazy nuts about their “children.” I know I am. My mother swears she wants to be reincarnated as one of my cats. I thank him, and his staff, for continuing to deliver the best care they can and may I put my request in for book three? B+

My thanks to ECW Press and NetGalley for a review copy of the book.

How to Examine a Wolverine is the memoirs/reminiscences of German-born, Canadian veterinary doctor, Dr Philipp Schott (this is his second book, the first being The Accidental Vet). In its various short chapters, Dr Schott relates different experiences from his over three-decade long practice and training. The book is divided into four sections—dogs, cats, vets, and other beasts. In these, Dr Schott covers a range of issues, from experiences with specific patients and illnesses to practical aspects such as feeding and care for our pets, some issues in veterinary care and services, his own experiences from the days of his training and early practice, and also some of the more unusual patients he has treated.

From a too-curious dog who was bitten by a beaver, to similarly inquisitive dogs who end up often with porcupine quills (which actually have antiseptic properties), impacts of feeding fads, the issues and temperament (very sweet) of flat-faced dogs or brachycephalics, cats’ hunting habits and cats as patients, false alarms and nail-cutting (or rather, claw-trimming) woes, to more heart rending instances of pets who are diagnosed with more serious conditions, or having to take that difficult last decision, Dr Schott talks about it all. Alongside, he also tells us of his experiences with some of the more uncommon patients he had treated including the wolverine of the title (scanned but not examined; though we are not cheated, and he does tell us how one would go about examining a wolverine, if one had to), and Albert the Burmese python, his largest patient (who needed four people to carry him in). We also learn of his experiences getting into and training in vet school, and also a prank he played on his staff involving his daughter’s real-looking toy cat and a not-so-innocuous placard they attached to its ‘cage’. And he also gives us a step-by-step guide to surgery for dummies (‘simple’ though it is, one does need a licence).

Written in a simple and enjoyable style, full of humour, each of the anecdotes he tells or issues he brings up are interesting and enjoyable to read. I especially loved that he covered such a range of subjects in his stories, not only introducing us to some interesting animals (his own pets among them), but also covering various more practical aspects from every-day pet care to more serious aspects (including the hardest of them all for all us pet parents—euthanasia). Another important aspect he touches upon is the corporatisation of veterinary care which while it has its benefits, also has its downsides which can be a cause for concern (something one is witnessing perhaps in more corporate involvement in human health care as well).

Among my favourite stories in the book was that of Major Harry Colebourn of the Royal Canadian Veterinary Corps who rescued a black bear cub in Ontario, whom he named Winnie. Winnie became their regimental mascot and later was sent to London Zoo where she became the inspiration for a very famous bear (I’m sure you know who)! I also loved meeting many of his more unusual patients (though I probably wouldn’t want to handle Albert the python myself). [On his observation of it being ‘right and proper’ for human health and life to be valued over animal life, I found myself disagreeing because I genuinely feel that because we are taught this, we treat other life with much less respect than it deserves—every life needs to be respected and valued—I know this isn’t such a simple or straightforward issue and there is much to be addressed but still …]

A lovely, quick and enjoyable read, perfect for any animal lover!

I'm a fan of book written by vets and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It made smile, moved me and I liked the style of writing.
It's a book that can be read one story at a time and the author is a good storyteller.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the follow up to the author successful first book relating to his practice and profession of running a veterinarian office in Canada. There are various stories about the many cats and dogs brought in for a variety of ailments along with some not so common patients like high dollar ducks, a mouse and squirrels and of course from the title a wolverine. They even have unique patients due to the fact of having an ultrasound machine. Along with the various patient issues the author discuss various issues or things that you maybe able to use or observe with your pets. There are also stories about the profession. Over all this is a good read more so if you are an animal lover. Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for an ARC for a fair and honest review.

How to Examine a Wolverine by Philipp Schott is an amusing collection of anecdotes gleaned from Mr Schott's many years of veterinary practice. It is perfect to dip into whenever you have a moment to spare, and the variety means that there is something for everyone. As a small animal vet, Dr Schott describes his experiences with a range of animals, from the expected dogs and cats to the more unusual like ducks and snakes. It is clear that Dr Schott cares deeply for his patients and for the people who care for them and it was interesting to see a glimpse behind the scenes of the practice to see what the job really entails.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

How To Examine A Wolverine is the second non-fiction book by Canadian veterinarian and author, Philipp Schott. That’s certainly a catchy title, and the cover picture also speaks volumes: this is a book by a vet about animals and, of course, their owners. It comes in the format of essays with intriguing titles like Dogs Getting High, How To Make A Sheep Sit and Surgery for Dummies.

Schott divides his book into four sections: dogs, cats, vets and other beasts, and includes anecdotes about patients he has seen over his thirty-year career. He shares successes (which often amount to asking the right questions) and admits to failures, including when succumbing to flattery taught him an expensive lesson; there are happy endings and sad ones, but he does issue warnings for squeamish readers when necessary.

Regarding dogs, there are encounters with skunks, porcupines and beavers, amputations, barking, flatulence, nail clipping, balding dogs, stoned dogs and escapes.

Cats take him into the territory of catnip, ageing, barfing and furballs, poisoning, obtaining blood samples from uncooperative pets, and euthanising companion animals.

Vets leads him to expound on the practices of some of his colleagues, corporate monopolies, the gender distribution of the profession, his early graduate experiences, costs and charges, and a myriad of aspects of veterinary practice.

Other beasts delves into the variety of unusual animals treated at his practice: ducks, bees, hamsters, lion cubs, poisonous fish, ferrets, rescue squirrels, a wolverine, and the challenge of doing an ultrasound on a very long python.

There are amusing illustrations by Brian Gable and Schott manages to include a great deal of information in easily-assimilated form, as well as lots of good advice. He throws in a few dad jokes, but you will also learn some interesting tidbits (porcupine quills are coated in antibiotic; beavers can kill a human being) and yes, he does explain how to examine a wolverine, but if you want to know that, read the book.

Even when he mounts his soapbox on something about which he feels strongly, such as flat-faced breeds, boutique dog foods, raw diets, or fad foods and treatments, he’s never preachy; rather his explanations are redolent with expertise and common sense. The tone is conversational and this makes the book very readable. You don’t have to be a pet owner to enjoy this informative, entertaining and frequently laugh-out-loud funny book.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and ECW Press.

The amiable veterinarian Dr. Philipp Schott is back with a second collection of blog posts, short essays, anecdotes, and thoughts from his decades practicing medicine for the furry denizens of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This volume, How to Examine a Wolverine, might be the coziest thing I’ve ever read. And, fittingly enough, I read it mostly on a Sunday afternoon with one or the other cat napping in my lap.

The chapters jump back and forth in time from Dr. Schott’s days in veterinary school almost up through the present. Unlike the previous book, this collection is a little light on the animal stories. Rather, Dr. Schott spends a lot more time answering frequently asked questions about cats and dogs (Why do cats like catnip? Is catnip addictive? Why are dog farts so pungent? Is being a vet now at all like it was in Dr. James Harriot’s day? How do you examine that wolverine from the zoo?) He also ruminates (‘scuz the pun) on what draws people into veterinary medicine, why vet care is so expensive, how to deal with difficult customers, why the profession flipped from mostly male to mostly female in the last 50 years…and so much more. This sounds like an awful lot of topics for such an easy read. Dr. Schott mostly manages this by keeping the chapters short.

The best chapters in this book are the animal stories. (My personal favorite involves a cat named Blizzard that is as destructive as its namesake.) In fact, this book makes me wish that I could spend a Sunday afternoon with the doc himself, a mug of tea, and lots of time for me to winkle every cat and dog story out of him that I can.

I loved this book. The writing is clever and some of it downright funny. I’ve never had pets, but this book was still relevant to me because it’s about people. Philipp Schott is a great writer and he captivated me the whole way through the book. He’s one of those writers, where, when the book is finished, I feel like I lost a friend. The individual stories are short, so I fell into the trap, as I frequently do, of just one more story. It’s never only one more story. I didn’t read Schott’s first book, but because of the nature of the book, I didn’t feel like there were any blanks. The illustrations in the book were very cute so kudos to Brian Gable. I also loved the front cover, so a shout-out to David A. Gee. This book is well worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for the advance reader copy.

Thank you for the EArc NetGalley and ECW Press. When I was a kid I’d always wanted to be a veterinarian but I quickly realized I was way too emotionally attached to all domestic animals I encountered and so I dabbled in wildlife rehabilitation, this book has the best of both worlds. If you’ve ever loved a fur baby this book will make you laugh and pull at your heartstrings. I really enjoyed the way he shared his memories with us and gave us a better understanding of what goes on in your vets mind.

A great addition to my kindle! The book is full of stories of the authors experiences, some sad, most funny, of being a vet and treating cats and dogs and other animals. He also describes the serious side of being a vet like euthanasia of pets. It was entertaining to read the stories about the animals he's helped but it was also interesting to get the idea on what it's like to be a vet. Definitely recommend a read of this book.

Debating between 4 and 5 stars, but I feel like I've learned a few things so I'm going to go with 5 stars.

What did I learn ...

- there is a secret to examining wolverines (although not surprising).
- Mars Company is heavily invested in VCA, multiple dog foods, doggie boarding and daycare facilities.
- some people really love their mice, ferrets, dogs, cats and hamsters ... and 250 lb pythons
- it never occurred to me that it might take 4 people to bring a python into a veterinarian office and how difficult it might be to do an ultrasound if the beast decided it wanted to investigate the office.
- its challenging to rid a clinic of mice without harming them.
- some people have some really great names for their pets (with the exception of hedgehogs)
- I'm smiling as I write this, so I'm glad I'm going with 5 stars.

This book is very similar to Philipp Schott's first book, an Accidental Veterinarian. After reading The Willow Wren (awesome!) by Philipp Schott I thought I'd give his non-fiction books a try. They are a collection of essays based on his experience as a veterinarian.

I live in the country and our neighbor is a veterinarian. The first time I took my dog to her clinic someone in the waiting room had a duck. (more smiles). I really enjoyed the essays.

Thank you to NetGalley and Philipp Schott for the opportunity to read the advance read copy of How to Examine a Wolverine and also to the publisher ECW Press Paperback. Publication date is 28 Sept 2021.

Loved the stories! Sweet book.

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I like reading books about animals and that's why this one caught my eye.

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. Dr. Schott was named Manitoba Veterinarian of the Year in 2009 and was presented the Award of Merit by the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association in 2015.

After reading all his qualifications, you would think that the writing in this book would be stilted and super professional. Actually it was quite the opposite ... I enjoyed his writing style as it was amusing and casual, sometimes a bit too sarcastic. As a head's up, there are a couple swear words. 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 chapters are:
* Dogs
* Cats
* Vets
* Other beast

The book is full of stories of his experiences, some sad, most funny, of being a vet and treating cats and dogs and even a duck, a python and a wolverine. He also describes the serious side of being a vet like euthanasia of pets, etc. It was entertaining to read the stories about the animals he's helped but it was also interesting to get the scoop on what it's like to be a vet.

This is entertaining and informative and often humorous book about a Canadian veterinarians’ experiences with pets and pet owners. Pet owners may learn something from reading this that could save them money and/or save them a trip to the vet! Written in a light-heartened way even when dealing with dire situations. The author shares a lot of information in short-easy to read chapters. In other words, the author does a great job explaining things in a succinct and understandable way. Who knew veterinary medicine could be made so engaging.

Good book of the life of a veterinarian. Short, cute stories that will give you a look at this profession. Really enjoyed the book. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

Thank you to ECW Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review "How to Examine a Wolverine" by Philipp Schott, DVM. Publish Date - September 28, 2021

This was a quick read full of anecdotes about dogs, cats, ducks, and yes, even a wolverine. Dr. Schott worked as a small animal vet in Manitoba for 30 years. This is his second book about his patients, their owners and the life of a veterinarian. Many of the anecdotes are poignant; many are downright hilarious. If you love animals, you will enjoy this book.

At last….a book that addresses one of life’s burning questions. Just how does one examine a wolverine? Wonder no more, friends. Dr. Philipp Schott, an experienced veterinarian in Winnipeg, Manitoba tackles this & other thorny issues that have come his way during a long career.

It’s a slim volume that is broken into 4 section: dogs, cats, vets & other beasts (wolverines!!). Each is essentially a collection of short essays, making it the perfect bedside-table book. You can pick it up & read a story that will inform, make you laugh or ponder the profound bonds that exist between parents & their furry kids. But fair warning, it can also make you cringe (just google “kidney worm”…go ahead, I dare you)

Schott is a great story teller. There are plenty of amusing anecdotes to keep you entertained but there’s also a lot of good information about different breeds, how to pick your pet & common medical conditions associated with each. The author mixes this with comments about the profession, pet peeves, common misconceptions & the practicalities of running a small animal practice. Sort of a hairier, bitier version of "This is going to Hurt".

Whether it’s celebrating a new life or saying goodbye to a much loved companion, his genuine love & respect for all creatures shines through. This is a man doing exactly what he was meant to. Luckily for us he kept notes along the way.

It’s a light, enjoyable read that entertains & informs. Best of all, you will leave fully prepared for your next wolverine encounter.



P.S.: BTW if you ever find yourself in need of an assassin, consider hiring a beaver. You’re welcome.

I enjoyed this collection of short essays about veterinary care by Dr. Philipp Schott. They are filled with humor and gave me an insight into the daily life of a small animal veterinarian. As a pet owner, I identified with many of the essays, having experienced exactly the same thing or something very similar, with one of my fur babies over the years.

I read Phillip Schott’s last book a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it very much. The publisher reached out to me directly to ask if I wanted to read his new book, which I assume is with the assumption that I would provide another good review. And indeed, I plan to. So, some might assume that I am giving this book a favorable review because I didn’t pay for it; however, I believe that it is simply that I am a sucker for stories about veterinary practice.

Just as with his last book, I found How to Examine a Wolverine charming and a quick read. He has a wonderful conversational style to his writing, that includes quite a bit of humor. He reminds me a bit of Bill Bryson in this way. The stories he tells in this book are interesting, entertaining and provided some insight into how actually being a veterinarian differs from what we might have pictured when we were in kindergarten.

However, the one caveat I have with this book is the same I had with his last one. That is that the brevity of his stories left me feeling dissatisfied. As he says, being a veterinarian means working with people who just happen to have animals they care about. And I felt as if I was missing out on some of the longer-lasting, more in-depth stories that he might be able to tell. It would be wonderful if he would have one or two longer lasting stories that he could continue in separate chapters throughout the book. For example, he tells the story of the Kobayashi family, and he describes them as long time clients with great senses of humor. The story he actually includes in this book is about his experience with one of their dogs, but I would have loved to read multiple chapters about their visits with their other dogs over the course of the book, with the included chapter (with both tragedy and redemption) as the finale to their story.

That said, on the whole, I did really enjoy this read, and would be happy others as he writes them. Although, I can not thank him for the Welcome Back Kotter ear worm that I am experiencing right now!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced reading copy.