No Dogs in Heaven? Scenes from the Life of a Country Veterinarian

by Robert T. Sharp

For the millions of animal enthusiasts in America, here's a heartwarming collection of tales by veterinarian Robert Sharp that relate the joys and misadventures of being an animal doctor in small-town U.S.A. With humor and compassion, No Dogs in Heaven? portrays the great and not-so-great characteristics of human and animal nature, all infused by a lovable veterinarian's belief that indeed, there are dogs in heaven. Included is the telling of Sharp's first day as a rookie veterinarian nervously preparing to inject a needle into a one-ton Holstein bull; finding a rash on a cute puppy whose lovely young owner bared her breasts to ask his opinion of a similar skin ailment; treating a vicious dog whose violent owner had stabbed it with a knife, only to treat the same dog two years later -- now a sweet and gentle pet of an adoptive family; and caring for a kitten struck by a car who survived amputations of both right legs, somehow learned to walk, earned the name "Lefty," and was taken in by a family who loved him. In the vein of James Herriot's compelling stories, this charming, eccentric, and comic book is sure to strike a chord with readers everywhere.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Dogs, Biography, Memoir

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

A lifelong Ohio resident, Rob Sharp received his A.B. in Zoology and M.A. in Aquatic Ecology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He served in the U.S. Air Force for the next five years as a KC-135 instructor/evaluator navigator with the 17th Bomb Wing of Strategic Air Command, and is a Vietnam veteran. He left the Air Force to attend The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, received his D.V.M. degree in 1979, and has practiced in southern Ohio since graduation.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars ⭐️

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"you think those dogs will not be in heaven! i tell you they will be there long before any of us." robert louis stevenson
i've been reading books that focus on animal stories this summer, and the reasoning is simple. i like animals more than i like people. it's not that i hate human characters, i'm just bored of them. though there are plenty of humans in dr.sharp's book, they are more thoroughly characterized by their attitude about their animal(s).
a veterinarian takes over a practice in southern ohio, and wrote a book about some of his more interesting patients. good pace, but the scene changes can be sloppy, prompting a "wait what?" from the reader and flipping back a few pages.

[Emi えみ Takami 鷹見 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Sharp's collection of stories are definitely something that animal lovers should read. It was difficult to read the sad stories without crying.
Since Dr. Sharp's practice is in my hometown, I know him fairly well and was able to inject his personality into the book. It made the book even more enjoyable.

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a reread for me, but I still enjoy the quirky tales of a country vet

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at a small town veternarian. The stories are sometimes quite graphic so not for the squeamish.

[Hajeong Yoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's incredibly toughing for someone who loves animals.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Dr. Sharp writes about his passions in vet medicine, which include several entertaining stories. Defintely would read again. Also, bonus points from being a vet from Hillsboro, Ohio.

[Jaycie Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how the stories were about helping animals and there humans

[Minna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly this book continues on the well-paved road laid down by James Herriot, but it is no less touching for all that.
Overall the Herriot classics are a little more formally written, with more of a connecting theme between the stories/episodes, Sharp's stories offer a peek into rural America that is increasingly difficult for many Americans today to find.
Very enjoyable (mostly; the story about the elderly lady running a de-facto humane society on her property, and its conclusion, was incredibly sad).

[Sarah Ewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, easy and enjoyable read by an Ohio veterinarian who writes much in the same vein as James Herriot and his books. Being a country vet is not easy, as you never know what you may encounter and what obstacles you may face. Loved this book, and yeah, there were some stories that made me reach for a tissue.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after meeting the author who came to speak at my Rotary club meeting. I learned a lot about animals and the funny situations that this vet has found himself in. It’s a very unique picture of rural life and the people and pets in our communities. This is a pretty quick read. The writing style is simple and succinct. Very engaging and often funny..

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the reviews say, here we have a few scenes in the life of a country veterinarian. Sometimes the people were the stars of the scene; other times the animals. Occasionally the vet himself pulled a tricky one and I found myself grinning sneakily . Sorry I have no direct quotes--I took it back to the library too quickly.

Short and sweet and happily forgettable. Sometimes books like this hit you in the gut and leave you hating the human race and wanting to go adopt all the poor, unloved animals in the world. Not this one--and that's just what I was looking for at the moment. If it were a mystery it's be in the 'cozies'.

[David Szatkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, lighthearted read about being a vet in the country and the role of animals in our lives.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book for animal lovers. Well written and entertainment.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

SKS - heartwarming short chapters- some a bit too graphic- humorous & enlightening glimpse into the life of a country vetinarian on Ohio

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this collection of stories about animals, veterinary care, life experiences, the bonds between animals and people, and the bonds between people.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories about animal's ailments and their people. Similar to James Herriot.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun read! The author writes well and the stories are amusing, poignant, and descriptive! The book tugged at my heart strings.

[Brianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me, this book was a trip down memory lane. Even though the stories in the book took place in the 70s and 80s, it imitates a lot of the memories I have working for a rural vet in Missouri.

I have definitely done the rounding up a dozen plus cats in a client's home, trying to catch them all and making sure you didn't get the same one twice.

I understood essentially all of the terms he used, and was interested to see him explain away some of them (scours) and not others (feeder pigs).

I feel like this would work better as a weekly newspaper column (and maybe it was?). Some interesting tidbits but nothing to really tie the book together.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on vacation a few years ago and thought that I never finished it. So I read it at the end of last week, and it turns out I did get through to the end once before. However, it is a quick read, full of anecdotes from Sharp's career after taking over for the primary vet in a rural area.
Like many books like this, the worst part is the brevity. The book is fairly thin, and I was enjoying his writing so much, that I was sad to reach the end. Could have been 2 or even 3x as long and it would be perfect. The stories made me sometimes laugh, sometimes cry, and I enjoyed every one of them, even the ones with the sad endings, as sad endings are often a part of the circle of life.

[Cat Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Anyone who has a pet of ANY sort will howl and chuckle reading this book. It is quick read as it is a collection of short stories compiled into a charming country tale. The author is someone I could relate to (a former navigator with SAC for the US Air Force) and I thoroughly loved his writing style. This book landed in my hands by an accidental walk through the animal section at my local library.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun read. For some reason I don't read alot of books that make me laugh so it was nice to read this one.One reason I enjoyed it is I live about twenty minutes from most of the locations in the book, so I could relate tp and understand the places and people. (More than most books)
It reminded me alot of James Herriot's stories. Maybe all country vets have similar experiences?
If so it must be one of the most entertaining lines of work. :)

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the stories in this book, but I love animals, so why wouldn't I? It was hard to read the tales with a sad ending, but I did non-the-less!

It is obvious that the writer was not really a writer, as the tales were not filled with verse and beautiful language. They were told in a very succinct way, much as you would imagine a doctor would write.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Training the Rookie, Both Ends of the Lead, Once in a Lifetime, Continuing Education, and Table End are the chapter title in this quaint collection of animal and veterinarian escapades in Hillsboro, Ohio. The stories display the humor found in the situations and the attitude of the owners while treating animals that cannot speak for themselves.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright animal lovers, you need to read this book. I love to read books by veterinarians, especially if they are well written. An added plus is this guy is from Ohio!

I had to get this from the Columbus library. But it may also be available on Search Ohio.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories from a veterinarian who, a year after graduating, buys a country vet hospital - yet his emphasis in school was small animal medicine, and has to learn everything firsthand about dealing with livestock . . . and country-folk. My favorite story is of the two legged cat!

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute, sweet, true story of a Vet in a small town - even if you don't love animals, you will really like this book - easy read.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book if you like animal stories

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are an animal lover, this book is wonderful. I highly recommend it.

[Amalthea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty and touching the stories compiled in this book show that animals have emotions and personalities and that if anyone deserves to go to heaven it is certainly animals.