Dokter Pol

by Jan Pol, David Fisher

De wereldberoemde dierenarts Jan Pol runt samen met zijn vrouw Diane en zoon Charles een bloeiende praktijk op het platteland van Michigan. In de tv-serie The Incredible Dr. Polvan National Geographic, en nu in dit boek, deelt Jan Pol de beestachtige belevenissen uit zijn carrière. Hij heeft naamgemaakt als een realistische en eerlijke dierenarts die altijd streeft naar het beste resultaat voor zijn patiënten; of dat nu een brutale cavia is of een paard van duizend kilo.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, Audiobook, Humor

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2014

Reviews

[Jason Koivu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ain't no All Creatures Great and Small, but it ain't bad neither!

Jan Pol is a veterinarian practicing in Michigan and the star of a reality show on Nat Geo Wild. In fact, it's the channel's most popular show.

Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow is Pol's cash-in-on-popularity book. I don't blame him! I don't think he even wanted to write it, but when the people want it, you do what you got to do.

It's apparent that writing isn't Pol's number one strength. He's an immigrant from the Netherlands, so English isn't his first language. Plus, he's a doctor, damn it, not an author! There are occasional awkward phrasings and a few repetitions. However, all in all, it's a good effort.

Any time a vet writes a book about his/her adventures in large animal practice, it's going to be compared with James Herriot's beloved work. It just is. Pol is no Herriot. He isn't trying to be. Herriot was a grand storyteller, who added fictional flourishes to his factual narrative. With this book, Pol just dishes out case after case without embellishment or much flair. Certainly he is a character to rival those found in the Herriot books, but he is a 100% real person and that comes through in his writing.

Pol has come under scrutiny since his show began airing. Seems some viewers don't like the way he's handled some of his cases. That gets addressed in the book and it's nice to hear his side of the story.

Warts and all, this is an enjoyable story that I recommend to anyone with an interest in animals.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to be honest, this isn't a book I would have normally picked up on my own and having never watched the main character's show before, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I picked this up.

I can say this turned out to be a delightful and even fun and sometimes funny and informative read all about the life of Dr. Jan Pol.

I feel like after reading this not only do I understand a bit more about the life of a vet, but I feel like I actually know Dr. Pol as well.

This really was quite the read and even though it wasn't something I normally read, I'm glad that I picked it up and gave it a go.

*A Copy of this was provided by the Publishers in exchange for an honest review.*

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never watched the television show “The Incredible Dr. Pol” on the National Geographic Channel. Until I read this book, I had never heard of Dr. Pol. Jan Pol was born and educated in the Netherlands. He has been a veterinarian in Michigan since the 1970s.
The book is well written and tells the story of his life as a large animal vet. Pol does a good job describing what the life of a vet is like and how it has changed since the 1970s. He states there are less small farms now than in the 70s. Therefore, he does more small animal vs large animal veterinary work now.

I found the book an enjoyable read and learned what it was like being a large animal vet. He told some great stories about cows and horses. There is some repetition in the book that the editors should have removed. The quality of writing does not match that of James Herriot, but it is highly readable.

I read this an as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost nine hours. Tom Perkins does a great job narrating the book. Perkins is an award-winning audio-engineer for over forty years. Now also narrating audiobooks.

[Rianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wijze lessen van dokter Pol: "Doe altijd je best, wees eerlijk, vergeet niet om af en toe hard om jezelf te lachen, en behandel dieren met respect."

Dit boek is een leuke verzameling van anekdotes over zijn leven en over talloze dieren die hij heeft geholpen van groot tot klein.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family and I are huge fans of The Incredible Dr. Pol so when I realized he’d written a book, I was excited to read it. It’s a fun read. The entire book I could hear his voice telling the stories. Reading about how he and Diane met and fell in love, how the practice started, and how the show started was a lot of fun and learning more about the Pols just makes the show that much better! Very much enjoyed this book!

[Karis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a farm girl and one who has always grown up in a rural farming community, this book resonated very deeply with me. It’s rare that I read a book and think, wow, this is such an ME book, but with this engaging biography I did.

Dr. Pol’s been a well-known figure for years now with his popular TV show, and even this book’s been out for a few years, but somehow I had never heard of him until now, despite the fact that for years he practiced within thirty minutes from where I live! So, his book acted as such a special introduction for me and a dear treasure in and of itself.

Oh, so he’s just some guy on TV you might say, and I’d have to say, no, no, no! Dr. Pol isn’t some guy on television; he’s a gifted vet with a love and value-set that is SO real to the rural farm community heart. His writing style, (I don’t know how much aided by David Fisher), was excellent, the book reading very smoothly and making me feel as if I was listening in on farmers swapping stories, something I’m quite familiar with hearing. His very Dutch attitude of not letting any personal injuries stop him from finishing the job and doing it well made me smile because that’s so like my Dutch soccer coach. (It can be snowing, and yet he never cancels practice.)

I was worried reading a book like this that I would be disappointed and find that it didn’t accurately reflect the Michigan rural community that I know and am so familiar with. Or worried that the book would all be centered around Dr. Pol’s TV show. But neither of those fears were justified as Dr. Pol wrote simply and straightforwardly with his focus on the animals themselves and secondly his passion for working with them and the farmers and animal-owners.

I loved Dr. Pol’s sense of humor throughout. My older brother saw the book lying on the table and picked it up and started grinning and laughing as he read, convincing the rest of my family, including my parents to read it as soon as they have the chance. The values Dr. Pol holds and his views on treating animals as animals but still with respect and care were so refreshing to see held as normal in a Western culture that seems to hold animals almost equal with humans.

It could be argued that reading about a vet and the oftentimes disgusting jobs required in the profession couldn’t possibly be that exciting or appealing. But somehow this book was, and I found myself reading aloud parts to my family, interesting stories of out of the ordinary cases or details I never knew about anything from dog blood types to tools and medicines used.

Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow is a book I’d definitely recommend for serious farm animal lovers and aspiring vets who don’t mind reading the nitty-gritty details of the work

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most people, I first heard about Dr. Pol on his Nat Geo Wild show, and I loved it from the first viewing. So as soon as I saw he was releasing a book, I put it on request at the library. This book gives some more background on his life and why he became a vet. I listened to the audiobook and it was really well done.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming book about being a veterinarian. The stories are folksy and informative. I never knew that Great Danes make excellent and willing blood donors for dogs. I've never seen the Nat Geo Wild show about the author's practice, but plan to look it up on the Internet.

[Skylar Dowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three words. I. LOVE. IT. And I’m only 10. I watch his show EVERYDAY!! It is my favorite show and one of my favorite books. So to all you haters out there, three more words. SHAME. ON. YOU.

[Ericka Clou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically a bunch of random stories about being a farm veterinarian with unclear chapter themes. However, it's ridiculously entertaining, like the Doctor House of cows. Also, well worth the time for an understanding of cow abortions (which explain human stillborn/late-term abortions in a way that no author would dare attempt).

[Lizzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Anyone familiar with veterinary medicine know that there's some controversy regarding Dr. Pol's reality show (see here: http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/...). I've yet to watch it, but apparently he practices veterinary medicine in a more traditional manner, which some critics argue is substandard care. I can sort of understand where he's coming from, as this book does shed light into his reasons for his sort of medicine and his background does make his approach seem more valid.

However, I do have a problem with some of the things he says in this book. There's a part where he criticizes small animal vets saying there are a "few" who "shame people into spending money for tests and treatments they don't want or can't afford - sometimes it's a sad outcome." Again, one of the criticisms of Dr. Pol is by his willingness to provide lower quality medical care, he cheapens everyone else who provides higher level care. People watch his show will want the cheap, quick and easy way, which doesn't mean better results. At the practices I've worked for, I've never met a vet who asked for tests and treatments that weren't purposeful - they were to diagnose an issue in order to treat it properly. His statement will undoubtedly only further the idea so many pet owners have that veterinarians are out there to scam naive clients out of their money for bogus tests and treatments, when in reality, veterinary medicine is advancing and thus getting more complicated. And, duh, there will be sad outcomes! A human goes to a doctor and finds out he has cancer. He gets treatment to increase his lifespan slightly, but ultimately dies. The other problem is that the owners "don't want or can't afford" these things. If one really wants to help animals, as Dr. Pol claims to want to do, one must be willing to provide them with medical treatments. Not wanting to is a ridiculous excuse. Not being able to afford the treatment can be excused, particularly for huge, unexpected medical problems, but pet owners should know what they're getting into, and recognize if they have enough money to properly address their pet's veterinary needs.


Additionally, the book is described as "reminiscent of the classic books of James Herriot," as every general audience life-of-a-vet book is marketed as. This book does NOT remind me of James Herriot. The writing is sloppy and sounds more like a transcript of his tv show then a well-written book. Full of "oh my goshes" and sentences beginning with "buts" and ands," it would work a lot better in that format. There are way too many of these guys ";," and while I understand he's not a native speaker, some serious editing would've helped. It's way too informal, with none of the magic or charm of James Herriot or other veterinary authors.


To be fair, there are some interesting insights into his life and what it was like becoming a veterinarian in Europe
Some of the faults of the book can be excused by the fact he is an older gentleman, and does see a lot of food animal cases in a seemingly more rural setting. He does seem like a really nice guy, and the book is definitely entertaining, with plenty of funny or interesting stories. He obviously cares a lot about animals.



Another link, about his controversial actions, including specific offenses on his show and some information about his negligence (as found by the Michigan veterinary board): http://www.petsadviser.com/vet/dr-pol...

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pol is not the sort of vet you took your puppy to as a kid. He's a farm vet, focused not only on bigger animals but also on the farmer's bottom line. He clearly loves and respects animals, and loves that he gets to work with them day in and day out, but he's also a realist. Will saving -- or trying to save -- this cow's life be beneficial to the success of the farm, or would it be better to send her to slaughter? But he's also clear about his focus on quality of life; saving a horse from slaughter doesn't necessarily do the horse any favours if, say, it's severely arthritic.

This is story after interesting story -- not a lot of through narrative, and not a lot of time to catch your breath, but tales galore. Honestly, if I ever needed a reminder that I'm happy I'm not a vet -- which, really, I didn't -- this would be it, but that doesn't keep me from reading about veterinary work. I passed my copy on to my s.o., who (currently about halfway through it) had a similar reaction to mine -- yikes, to some of the stories, and wow, he has a lot of stories to tell. They're good stories, and I bet he's charismatic as hell on television, but more structure here would have been nice.

Anyway, I haven't watched Pol's television show -- and given that I don't own a television, I'm not likely to -- but he comes across here as relaxed, down-to-earth, always practical. I would have loved some facts and figures (though I'm not entirely sure where they would have fit in) -- he talks a fair amount about birthing dead cows; how frequent is that, relative to birthing live cows? How many calls does he go on in an average week? Proportionally, how much of his business is small animals? So -- interesting read; stuff duly learned; plenty of questions.

I received a free copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a livestock owner I could relate to so many of the things Jan Pol wrote about. It made me regret having no television to see his program.
The book has an easy pace. It is not for the faint of heart as it deals with livestock realities, good and bad. I've had to pull a calf. Luckily it was easy, no adjustments needed and the cow was a pet. I've pulled several goat kids, some easy and some hard. He is so right that it is special every time to hold that newborn still wet and shaky as it finds itself in a new world.
At times Pol seems close to adolescence. Sticking a hand up inside an animal is often necessary. But sometimes he seemed to be egging on a ninth grade class about it.
Saying good bye to an animal I've had for years is not easy. His section on euthanasia was realistic.
I did not always agree with his opinions. At times he seemed almost naive about people. But these times only made me look more closely at my own opinions and attitudes.
The book did make me admire even more those dedicated knowledgeable veterinarians I've known and the work they do every day. It's definitely not the career for me.
That said, the book was interesting and well worth the time for me to listen to it.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was bittersweet for me. My dad got me hooked on the tv show, and he never got to read this book. I saw it in the bookstore last year and it brought tears to my eyes because I would have bought it for him. My mom said she would read it so I bought it for her birthday. You don't have to have seen or watch his tv show to read this book, but every account in his book you can picture perfectly if you watch it. In the book he said he had never treated a skunk, but the night before on the new episode he did treat someone's pet skunk. I like how he treats any animal. He's from a different country, different generation and a different part of the world. Low population, small county, poorer people, so his ways aren't always something we see or agree with, but it gets the job done for the animal and the owner. You would think reading and watching him stick his arm up cow butts would get old, but for me, I am always fascinated by every encounter. He talks more in the book about the many times he has testified against an animal owner, he truly loves animals. It's quite amazing that mid 70's and he's still risking bodily injury and rolling around trying to pull a calf while covered in manure, it's quite a life.

[Linda Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a life story! How blessed each of us would be if we went to work each day doing that which we most wanted to do in all the world!! Dr. Pol has that opportunity, and his enjoyment of his chosen profession is SO obvious in this book. Not only does he enjoy it, but it is his passion. I enjoyed the stories, the experiences, and animals, and the people. The book is written not particularly as an autobiography, although that's what it is, but more as a very enjoyable run-on of many of his memorable life-experiences. He calls a spade a spade, and I'm sure that's tough for many people to take, but he knows his profession, and ALWAYS has the best interest of his patients in the forefront. This guy cares! A great story, a nicely-written book, and a fascinating subject - I would easily recommend it, and I thought it was well-worth the five stars I gave to it.

[Lisa Martindale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dr Pol and thoroughly enjoyed his book!! It brought together my two passions -- reading and animals! Dr Pol provided many interesting true stories of the animals he has cared for, and his life as a rural veterinarian. Having been a fan of his show, it was easy to imagine Dr Pol retelling all these stories, not just of the animals but of his childhood, and his years up till now as a vet.. I'm hoping there will be another book in the works! I'm sure he has many more animal stories to tell!!

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spring is here- meaning I am enjoying time outside with nature. This includes animals, so naturally I wanted to read a fun account of life with animals.

The book reads like a long-thought or a monologue. Dr. Pol's stories sound like he is sitting on the other side of a dinner table or a bonfire, telling you various snippets of his life in Michigan.

Worth the read if you love reading about vets, animals, and rural life. Thankfully, I love all of the above, so it was worth my time!

[Tim Hodges · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Dr. Pol -- more so now that I've read this book. Being a vet -- especially a large animal vet -- is not an easy job. This book is kind of him rambling through 40 years of stories, but each one illustrates his care and compassion for his patients and their humans.

[Karen Davis schwarz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adore Dr. Pol. I've watched every single episode of his show. This book doesnt disappoint. I loved getting to know a little more about the incredible Dr. Pol.

[Gloria Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Jan Pol is a country vet who grew up on a farm in the Netherlands and moved to Michigan to practice for about 40 years. His son got him into TV, where experts expected that a reality show featuring a veterinarian would not make it. Incredibly it rose to be a hit series.

Dr. Pol tells how he began his career, based on his childhood dream to work with animals. It's a sloppy 24/7 business, but he has no regrets.

The book is amusing and a quick read. If you've ever lived on a farm, it stirs your nostalgia. When he mentions the characteristics of a cow, I'm transformed to when I grew up on a dairy. Of course pet owners can also experience a connection with his work on dogs, cats, and even iguanas. I like what he tells us about the various animals, what they are like. I don't like how in his early training years those concerned would laugh at an animal's condition. After that he emphasizes the importance of treating an animal with compassion and dignity, even when it can get dangerous or messy. He has a tendency to repeat himself, but not in a blatant way. Rather, his conversational style reminds me of how you teach a fascinating subject.

Anyone who likes animals should relish this book.

[Priscilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als je de serie kent klinkt het boek dubbel... maar het was leuk om voor een keertje te lezen als hier je interesse ligt...
(Mijn interesse ligt alleen wat meer naar huisdieren in plaats van boerderij dieren)

[Jakob Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Student Name: Jakob Mills Date Submitted: 4-30
Book Title: Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow Lexile: N/A

Personal Response: I enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the author did a very good job keeping the audience entertained throughout this book. The author made it feel as though you were standing next to him and had all of the same experiences that he did. The reader also got the sense that the author was very passionate about his work and was also very knowledgeable. It was overall a very interesting and captivating book to read.

Summary: Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow begins when the author is a young boy in the Netherlands. It tells the story of how he came to be a veterinarian in the United States, from first meeting his wife as a foreign exchange student, to going back to the Netherlands to go to veterinary school. After he completes his schooling, he realizes that there is no room in his home country for more people of his profession. He then moves back to Michigan in the United States to get a job as a veterinarian. This starts with a job as the third or fourth in the office, until after 10 years or so he is able to open up his own practice in his garage. He slowly gets more and more clients and becomes one of the largest veterinary clinics in the area. He then talks about some of his more memorable cases and his favorite parts of the practice. Throughout the book, the author and his patients share a mutual respect of each other.

Characterization: In the entire book, the author develops more and more respect for animals and their abilities. He talks about as a child that he did not know or understand about the effects humans and animals have on each other. As he grows older these become more reassured in these feelings. The author also describes how he and his son’s relationship grew as the pair aged. Initially, they had trouble communicating and seeing eye to eye, but as they worked together both finally understood how alike they are.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who loves animals. It is a very good book and would be good for readers of all ages. There is no difficult material for younger kids to read and it is not boring for older ones. I think that this would be an enjoyable book to read for people of all ages, especially those who enjoy living outside of the city with animals.

[Pamela Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at the recommendation of a student, and I am glad I did. This is an engaging and informative narrative of what it is like to be a large animal vet in a rural farming community. It is also a lovely story of what it means to be an immigrant and to find your purpose in life even when you have to learn another language and move to a different country. Dr.Pol is direct and is good at making complex veterinary terms and procedures easy to understand. His love for all animals including human ones is evident on every page. Dr. Pol is also funny. He tells his story with affection and humor for the often unusual situations he finds himself in during the exercise of his practice. I have an added appreciation for this book because I live a couple of hours from where Dr. Pol has his practice, my family farm is with in an hour, and it is near the town of Mt. Pleasant where I spent six years going to college for undergraduate and graduate school. If you like stories about animals and the care of them you will enjoy this book. It also provides useful tips on the procedure for putting your arm inside a cow, or a pig, or a horse...in the event you find yourself in need of the information.

[theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

having worked for a veterinarian (small animal)and having a huge love of animals I thought i'd enjoy this and I did, very much! dr. pol is, as stated in the title a "country vet" meaning that his practice covers mainly farm animals so the book recounted many tales (tails?) of dr. pol's treatments of cows, horses & pigs! there were many stories of births, some with better result than others, there were things that made me laugh and others that had me in tears (the story of the family dog, maeson, in particular.) if you are at all squeamish be forewarned there are times when this book gets bloody and there are animals that don't make it, I was horrifying my husband with the death toll by page at one point..."dead calf, another dead calf, dead horse, dead cow..." i'm not saying that dr. pol did anything wrong, it's just that nature isn't always sunshine & rainbows and james herriot happiness. oftentimes for the farmer it's a business decision since these animals aren't pets but money on the hoof. overall it was an interesting, enlightening look at what it's like to be a country vet.

[Jeannie Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book five stars simply due to the enjoyment that it gave me. We have always had animals in our lives, included two beloved horses who lived to be very old. We raised cattle for a number of years. We had pigs in the early years of our marriage. We have had a few goats, one of which our daughter brought into the house and onto the bed. We brought baby ducks back to life after she (not knowing any better) washed them with soap. We then brought them to our home in the city and let them grow up here. We had a goose at our ranch who hung out by the chrome car bumper. He saw his reflection and thought he was with a friend. I remember the cow pulling episodes, the chicken coops, the injuries the horses sustained by marauding dogs. We solved that problem by bringing donkeys into our horse pasture. A disclaimer for all of my friends who are excellent writers (David Lemons, etc.)...this is not a well-organized paragraph, just some sentimental thoughts as they pop into my mind. If you love animals, read this book.

[Jaguar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow" by Jan Pol is a very cool book about a country vet who lives in Michigan. Jan Pol does big and small animals. He works with dogs, cats, reptiles, cows, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, and then list goes on. He does pregnancy checks, regular check ups, and many other things. In his book he shares his journey to becoming a vet, and he shares some memorable animal stories he has experienced along the way. I love his show "The Incredible Dr. Pol" and would recommend anyone to watch it. Jan Pol is 71 (as of 2015) and he still does his job as a vet. He just won't sit still. His 6th season of his show is coming out on DVD, April 15th, 2015.
I highly recommend this book. I hope to add this book to my personal collection soon.

Rating: 5 stars because I loved this book and it was a very enjoyable read.
Errors: I don't recall any.

Spring-Reading-Challenge-2015

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit I never miss the show and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There was more of Doc. Pol's background, why he became a vet, education, love of animals, more stories than could ever fit in the show, and his love of family (he explains the best part of the show is the time he gets to spend with Charles). This book is not for the squeamish though. Some of the stories are about trying to save a cow after a death of the calf and the lengths he has to go to and the smell. Parts of this book made me realize I'm thankful that the book wasn't scratch and sniff. Fun book that had Doc Pol's voice running through my brain every time I opened it.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovered Dr. Jan Pol's TV show earlier this year and have enjoyed watching it ever since. Got the book to learn more about the Pol family. This book was very good, humorous, and interesting. First half of the book tells the story of Dr. Pol, how he and Diane met and married; his family, and the beginning of his practice as a veterinarian. The last half is of things experienced in the practice and most can be seen on the television show - but still interesting.

If you like the James Harriot books you will enjoy this one. Dr. Pol is not as humorous but there are sections that made me laugh out loud.

[Christy Wv Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the tv show The Incredible Dr.Pol. Naturally I wanted to read the book.

The book starts out with his youth growing up in the Netherlands, going to vet school, meeting Diane his wife, moving to the United States, his first job, starting his practice, the start of the nat geo wild tv show.

Dr.Pol truly came from humble beginnings and in my opinion this has also kept him so grounded. He grew up in the time of Hitler and war.

You truly see throughout his book his love and caring for animals as well as his family.

His stories are very endearing and honest.

Recommend this book to those who love animals, love down to earth grounded stories.

[Ninbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched his TV series alot so why not also read his book. I love this so much and it was really fun to read. Since I'm a animal management student I know alot about animals but I can still learn alot more and in this book I sure did. Some parts I already knew cause from the TV series but it was still fun to read his story's. This book talks alot about Dr. Pol adventures as being a country vet and how it all started. His opinion about topics are also in this book. I would highly recommend this book to people who love the show or for people who want to work with animals such as myself.