A Jaunt Through the Curious History of the Veterinary Arts
by Philipp Schott DVM
Heal the Beasts chronicles the history of veterinary medicine with an abundance of bizarre, funny, surprising, and heartwarming anecdotes.
Sharing the stories of 22 different animal healers and veterinarians from across eras and continents, Dr. Schott examines the always fascinating, often unexpected, and sometimes hilarious veterinary methods employed to treat all manner of creatures. From healing dogs and horses to gorillas and even dragons, at the heart lies the evolution of the human-animal bond, which has been more cyclical than linear.
James Herriot will be familiar to many people, but most of the other featured vets will be new. They range from Palakapya, who treated fighting elephants in India almost 3,000 years ago, to Dr. Louis Camuti, who had the first feline house call practice anywhere, tending to the cats of celebrities in mid-twentieth century Manhattan. Whether you have a passion for animals, the history of the medical sciences, or just quirky history, this light-hearted exploration of the empathetic relationship between man and beast will entertain and delight.
"Schott's animated account moves at a fast clip, is full of colorful anecdotes, and will delight animal lovers of all stripes." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Would you believe Canada's answer to James Herriot? Honestly, when was the last time you encountered an expert in treating sick or injured animals who could make words sing and dance? Winnipeg-based Philipp Schott is the real thing: a professional veterinarian who knows how to tell a story — how to meld anecdote, history, and personal voice into prancing entertainment. Heal the Beasts is a winner!" —Ken McGoogan, author of Searching for Franklin and Shadows of Tyranny
This information about Heal the Beasts was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Philipp Schott lives in Winnipeg, where he practices veterinary medicine, writes, and shares a creaky old house on the river with his wife, two kids, and one nutty cat. His first book, The Accidental Veterinarian, was a bestseller and was translated into five languages. Six other books have followed.

If you liked Heal the Beasts, try these:
by Lucy Cooke
Published 2023
A fierce, funny, and revolutionary look at the queens of the animal kingdom.
by Esther Woolfson
Published 2022
A landmark examination of the fraught relationship between humans and animals, taking the reader from Genesis to climate change.
by Sigrid Nunez
Published 2019
A moving story of love, friendship, grief, healing, and the magical bond between a woman and her dog.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.