Paws for reflection

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/08/2025 (345 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At what point in human existence did we turn our attention to relieving animals’ illnesses and suffering? In Heal the Beasts, veterinarian Dr. Philipp Schott examines the history of veterinary science and highlights those who made strides in the field.

Schott, who recently wrapped up his practice in Winnipeg, has written three short non-fiction collections filled with anecdotes about the weird and wonderful animals he’s treated. The first of the books, 2019’s The Accidental Veterinarian, was a bestseller and was translated into five languages. He’s also the author of three mysteries featuring fictional vet and amateur detective Dr. Bannerman, as well as a novel about a German boy in the Second World War.

Schott opens Heal the Beasts by stating that he’s not a professional historian, but has a passion for history, veterinary medicine and storytelling. He draws on his ability in the latter to create vignettes based on the lives and experiences of people — both real and fictional — who helped establish the care and treatment of animals as a legitimate medical practice. These stories that open the chapters are an entertaining addition to the historical information provided chronologically.

Animal healing traditions can be traced back to 2100 BCE in Mesopotamia, India, Egypt and China. In a Chinese legend, a horse doctor successfully cured an ailing dragon using an herbal remedy. Many early healing methods used on animals were quite bizarre, such as strapping a cat under a difficult horse and having a priest read psalms to a flock of sick sheep.

Schott tells of Prince Rupert’s poodle Boye, who supposedly had supernatural powers he used to protect his master during the English Civil War in the 1640s. Boye was rumoured to be Satan in disguise, and was shot and killed by a member of the opposing army.

The value of horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs prompted owners to keep seeking effective cures for common illnesses. If local cattle herds were decimated by a plague called rinderpest, human starvation could occur. Dr. Giovanni Maria Lancisi, a personal physician to popes in the early 18th century, advised that sick animals be separated from healthy ones, their barns and stalls be cleaned and dead cattle be buried as deeply as possible. His recommendations proved wise.

Schott says the focus of animal healers gradually shifted away from horses and livestock to dogs and cats throughout the 19th century as household pets became more common. This period was also when private veterinary schools opened in many countries. Upper Canada Veterinary School was established in 1862 in Toronto. It became the Ontario Veterinary College and moved to Guelph in 1922, where it remains today, graduating 120 Doctors of Veterinary Medicine annually.

The life of a rural vet in England was depicted in James Herriot’s books, the pen name of real-life vet Alf Wright. His books were turned into the popular TV series All Creatures Great and Small, and show the introduction of antibiotic use for animals. Unlike the cheerful vets in his books, Schott says Wright suffered from depression, a mental health condition that continues to be common among veterinarians.

Schott includes information on the first women who entered the veterinary profession. Today about 80 per cent of veterinary students are women — a much higher percentage than in law, dentistry and medicine. He attributes this in part to women’s higher academic achievement allowing them to be accepted at veterinary colleges, the lower pay and prestige compared to other medical professions and the need for empathy.

Heal the Beasts lacks the broad appeal of Schott’s Accidental Veterinarian series, but provides interesting insight into how veterinary medicine and practice developed to support the animals we love and those that feed us.

Andrea Geary is a freelance writer in Selkirk.

Philipp Schott will launch Heal the Beasts on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson Booksellers’ Grant Park location.