I loved the idea of “one medicine” which is a common theme in the book - whereby human and animal medicine need to collaborate for the greater good. I just didn't have the will to pick up the next chapter, as I knew it would be just the same as the previous ones.

A world leading orthopaedic-neuro veterinary surgeon who holds a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the first person to successfully apply an amputation prosthesis to a cat, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick obtained his Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from University College Dublin in 1990 and went on to set up Fitzpatrick Referrals in Surrey in 2005.

seeking to bridge the Veterinary Science/Human Medicine gap – which as he points out has taken an additional resonance with COVID. pages on how veterinarian medicine needs some changes from a governance and ethics perspectives, whilst saying that he is happy to work in the current way. He also touches on the mental and emotional toll that being an animal caregiver has, something that I truly connect with as I work with exotic animals myself and have had my own battles with self-worth and worrying each day about doing enough. Incidentally as a watcher of Supervet I've quite often thought there was over treatment but then as he points out, it's not quantifiably defined so who knows).

The book also gives an insight into the pressure the vets are under to make the right decision and find the right treatment for their patients over and over every day and the toll it takes on them. This is a lively book with moments of joy as an animal recovers or a new technique is a success but also of sorrow when a pet cannot be saved or succumbs to old age.This book was so interesting and at times a little sad, but for many animals that come to Noel they are given a second chance because they had been deemed beyond help by others. If you love animals, this book is definitely for you – filled to the brim with sadness, happiness as well as some laugh out loud moments, you will surely enjoy but more importantly this book is filled with a lot of love, righteousness and what is best for our furry pals. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. As much as I like Noel and the amazing work he does and all that he stands for, I liked and loathed this book in equal measure. Perfect for all fans of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and Together, the uplifting story of Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick's heartwarming relationship with his dog Keira also boasts beautiful illustrations by Laura McKendry.