The Hippo with Toothache: Heart-warming stories of zoo and wild animals and the vets who care for them by Lucy H Spelman

by Lucy H. Spelman

Meet Mohan, a rhino with painfully sore feet.And Patch, a falcon with a broken wishbone.And Kachina, a bear cub with brittle bones.Not to mention Alfredito, a hippo suffering from a sever bout of toothache.All these animals owe their lives to the dedicated zoo and wild animal vets who employ boundless ingenuity and expertise to care for them and who, in this beguiling book, tell the stories of their most memorable cases. They describe not only the meticulous detective work that goes into making a diagnosis but also the pioneering techniques they have developed. And they talk freely and movingly about the bonds they form with their exotic patients..Whether it's one doctor's determined effort to save a critically ill lemur, the neurosurgeon who was persuaded to operate on a paralysed kangaroo, or the vet who refused to give up on an orphaned baby beluga whale, these are acts of rescue, kindness and co-operation that will warm every animal lover's heart.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published September 3, 2009

About the author

Dr. Lucy Spelman is a zoo and wildlife veterinarian and author. Her work experience includes nearly ten years with the Smithsonian's National Zoo, half as staff veterinarian, and half as its director. She joined the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project in October 2006 as its Africa-based regional manager. Dr. Lucy enjoys sharing her work with others through all forms of media. She and Dr. Ted Mashima are the co-editors of "The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes", and she contributed the story that gives the book its title. For Lucy's full bio and more about the book, go to:
www.drlucyspelman.com"

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Animal stories are always interesting and when you get a novel full of true tales its not only engaging but something that's guaranteed to keep the reader glued. Full of short poignant tales of how differing vets have gone to make a wild animals life better its not only heartwarming but the simplicity on how each interaction with the creature changed the humans relationship with them really is something to enjoy.

Add to this that each chapter is a few pages long and its bite sized chunks that leave a warm glow for the reader upon completion, ideal for travel journeys or even short hops its definitely something that will cheer the reader over the holiday period. A great offering and one that will endear itself to many.

[E A M Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a number of anecdotes told by zoo and wildlife vets, mostly American. The memoirs are grouped in subjects, each one introduced with a short chapter by the editors. The stories are 'in their own words' tales and as one might guess they vary considerably in style and quality of writing – the contributors are working vets not writers. All of them are more detailed than they would be if written by a journalist or other non-vet, and it is in the detail that a lot of the interest lies; in the best ones give the feeling of peering over the vet's shoulder while the patient's ills are diagnosed and treated; even the ones that read like a report rather than a story have the frisson of authenticity.
My knowledge of the veterinary world has been greatly expanded: I didn't know that moray eels could mope, or that surgery on a goldfish is possible, or that a rhino could suffer sore feet. Whether tracking a herd of elephants in order to treat an injured one, caring for a stranded dolphin, or treating an orphaned fawn, these people go to extraordinary lengths to help their fellow creatures.

[Charlotte Cowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

The Hippo With Toothache 🦛

This is a non fiction book written by vets, telling the tale of various sick and injured animals that they have treated, ranging from fish to giraffes, bugs to elephants and is completely wholesome and a great read!

[Laura Dymock · Rating 3 out of 5]

One story per chapter makes this a really easy book to put down and pick up again when you can. It can be a little clinical at times, given all the short stories are written by the vets themselves. But it’s still an enjoyable read.