Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life

Editorial Reviews
Review

"An engaging, compelling, and truly indispensable book . . . the perfect guide that will make a tremendous difference for dogs and for the people who love them." —THE BARK magazine


"At last! An accurate, thorough health book." —The Whole Dog Journal


"We finally have a book that makes sense of it all! With experience, warmth, wit, and candor, Dr. Nancy Kay provides an authentic, user-friendly guide for making all types of health care choices for your dog." —Marty Becker, DVM, resident veterinarian on Good Morning America, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, and cofounder of petconnection.com


"In previewing Speaking for Spot I found myself wishing that Dr. Kay’s book had been available when I was in practice, and read by the clients who chose me to be their pet’s veterinarian." —John W. Albers, DVM, executive director, American Animal Hospital Association


"Dr. Nancy Kay offers guides to selecting the right veterinarian, when to ask for a second opinion and tips on choosing the right treatment option. Much of the information can pertain to cats, too." —New York Daily News


"Tremendous practical value to dog lovers and should be mandatory reading for veterinarians." — Kevin T. Fitzgerald, PhD, DVM, DABVP, Animal Planet’s Emergency Vets and E.R. Vets: The Interns


"A guide for pet owners struggling to understand the world of veterinary care." —Dog Fancy


Featured on National Public Radio's highly acclaimed show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross. —www.freshair.npr.org

Product Description

Dr. Nancy Kay has one wish for today’s tail-wagging population—that attached by a leash to every dog is a motivated and effective human advocate.

She admits motivation is the easy part, as most people really want to provide their dogs with the best health care. But making good medical decisions for your dog can be difficult and challenging.

As a dog lover you are confronted with health-care decision-making on many levels: Which veterinarian is the right one for me and my dog? Which vaccinations does my dog need? Is it time to get a second opinion? Where do I get one? How much is this going to cost? Is there a more economical option? Is this medication necessary? Is my dog ready to say goodbye? Am I ready to let him go?

And then there are the myriad symptoms your pup might experience— the lumps and limps and sneezes and appetite changes that make you wonder:

Is that normal? Should I take my dog to the vet immediately? Should I wait and see if he’s better tomorrow?

When dealing with these questions, you may feel alone and ill-prepared, desperate for a knowledgeable source to gently explain what your options really are, and how to determine which best serves the needs of your canine and human families. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place!

In Speaking for Spot, Dr. Kay provides an insider’s guide to navigating the overwhelming, confusing, and expensive world of veterinary medicine with a warmth, candor, and humor cultivated over 20-plus years of working with canine patients and their human companions. She explains the vet’s point of view, and how to initiate and nurture a healthy relationship with a vet and her staff. She leads a guided tour through a modern veterinary land comprised of high-tech scanning devices, advanced surgery, physical rehabilitation, and more—the kinds of amazing medical procedures you expect to find in a human hospital, but may not have known were available for your four-legged friends.

Dr. Kay helps you come to grips with a cancer diagnosis, and explains the tough choices that are bound to follow. Plus, you’ll find an alphabetical listing of the most common symptoms experienced by dogs and the questions your vet is sure to ask when you report them—not to mention hundreds of prevalent diseases and related points you should be certain to clarify before leaving your vet’s office with a treatment plan in hand.

The result is everything you need to know in one fabulous, fully illustrated book. You will not find a more thorough, in-depth guide to ensuring high-quality treatment for your dog.


About the Author

DR. NANCY KAY received her degree from Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, and she completed her residency training in small animal internal medicine at the University of California, Davis, Veterinary School. She is a board certified specialist in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and an owner and staff internist at the Animal Care Center, a 24-hour emergency/specialty care center in Rohnert Park, California. As a way of providing emotional support for people with sick four-legged family members, Dr. Kay founded and helps facilitate the Animal Care Center Pet Support Group. Dr. Kay and her family—including a menagerie of dogs, cats, birds, horses, and goats—reside in Sebastopol, California.