Most of My Patients Are Animals by Robert M. Miller

by Robert M. Miller

Excellent Book

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Robert M. Miller was an American equine behaviorist and veterinarian, best recognized for his system of training newborn foals known as imprint training. Miller is also one of the early adopters and promoters of relationship-based horsemanship. His work is often referred to by equine clinicians. He has served as a judge in the annual Road to the Horse competition, and also was a co-founder of the "Light Hands Horsemanship" concept and annual clinic.

Reviews

[Paula Newbanks]

So so so funny in parts, so many true and wonderful stories... if you like James Herriot you will love this book!!

[Cammie Jordan]

This is an old book full of stories that Dr. Miller experienced throughout his carrier as a vet. Some are super funny - a few are sad.

It really shows the difference between doctoring animals in the 1950's & 60's & now.

It was a good read & I can't wait to give it to my own vet to read (if he could ever find the time)!

[Ann]

Easy to read, informative, and often very funny.

[Literate Duck]

interesting stories. only a couple made you shead tears.

[Jean]

It is good that veterinarians’ wives love animals. … But sometimes this love of animals can be carried too far. Debby, for example, has a special affinity for injured animals lying along the highway.

Shortly after we were married, she gasped as we were driving one day and said, “Did you see that?”

“What?”

“That black dog lying by the shoulder. It was run over!”

“Was it alive?”

“I don’t know. I think so. It looked like it was breathing. Let’s go back.”

I turned the car around.

“It looked like a Labrador retriever.”

We drove back only to find a discarded black inner tube.

“I don’t think I can save it,” I said.

Over the years, I have turned back to aid a score or more inner tubes. Most were damaged beyond help.
Wild animals hit by automobiles are also the object of Debby’s compassion. A typical scene goes like this:

“Oh, no!” Debby exclaims.

“What did you see?” I ask.

“A coyote, poor thing, hit on the highway!”

“Yes, I saw it.”

“Do you think it was still alive?”

“No, it was dead.”

“How can you be sure?”

“It was flat and red.”

“But how do you know it was dead?”

“If it were alive it would have snapped at the buzzards. Didn’t you see six or seven buzzards all around the top of the coyote?”

“Yes!” Then, after a long pause, “I think one of the buzzards had a broken wing.”

[Shelly Kotalik]

I read this after reading the James Herriot books. It was really good as well. Don't remember too much about it except he worked on more exotic animals, and that a chimp can pull your arm right off through a cage. Plus, chimps are mean. I honestly haven't cared for chimps since I read this book. So that's something that I have taken with me. Fifteen years later, I thank the author for the heads-up on mean chimps! I'll keep my distance.

[Dor]

Really interesting reading about an American version of James Herriot.

[Larry Schwartz]

My family's cats were patients of Dr. Miller's (and his clinic) for years.

[Sarah Palmer]

I liked the quirky stories.