Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing, and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon

By Nick Trout

From the front lines of modern medicine, Tell Me Where It Hurts is a fascinating insider portrait of a veterinarian, his furry patients, and the blend of old-fashioned instincts and cutting-edge technology that defines pet care in the twenty-first century.

For anyone who’s ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at your veterinarian’s office, Tell Me Where It Hurts offers a vicarious journey through twenty-four intimate, eye-opening, heartrending hours at the premier Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. You’ll learn about the amazing progress of modern animal medicine, where organ transplants, joint replacements, and state-of-the-art cancer treatments have become more and more common. With these technological advances come controversies and complexities that Dr. Trout thoughtfully explores, such as how long (and at what cost) treatments should be given, how the Internet has changed pet care, and the rise in cosmetic surgery.

You’ll also be inspired by the heartwarming stories of struggle and survival filling these pages. With a wry and winning tone, Dr. Trout offers up hilarious and delightful anecdotes about cuddly (or not-so-cuddly) pets and their variously zany, desperate, and demanding owners. In total, Tell Me Where It Hurts offers a fascinating portrait of the comedy and drama, complexities and rewards involved with loving and healing animals.

Part ER, part Dog Whisperer, and part House, this heartfelt and candid book shows that while the technology has changed since James Herriot’s day, the humanity and compassion remains unchanged. If you’ve ever had a pet or special place in your heart for furry friends, Dr. Trout’s irresistible book is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 11, 2008
• ISBN: 9780767929233

Nick Trout

Dr. Nick Trout works full-time as a staff surgeon at the prestigious Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. He is the author of five previous books, including the New York Times bestseller Tell Me Where It Hurts, and his writing has been translated into sixteen different languages. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Kathy; their daughter, Emily; their adopted labradoodle, Thai; and Emily’s service dog, a black Labrador named Bella.

Reviews for Tell Me Where It Hurts

[lsmith862 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an enjoyable book, easy to read with compelling stories and good case files. The format of creating a day in the life was a creative way to approach the genre. A good book for animal lovers who are interested in the world of veterinary medicine.

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I find Trout's humor delightful. He explains a lot of the background of caring for animals---the love, the patience, the heartbreak and the challenges of working with owners who don't understand what their animals are trying to tell them but hope that the surgeon in front of them can solve all problems anyway.

[iambookish-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have to say it, I love this vet/author and I wish he could doctor my animals! If you've every had an animal you will love reading Dr. Trout's stories from the trenches. He is LOL funny. He even has a great fiction series I highly recommend.

[alynnk_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've long been a fan of animal tales: my mother started me on James Herriot's books at a young age, and I haven't looked back. I know that I'll end up working my way through a box of tissues with most of them, but that doesn't deter me in the least. So, naturally, I was terribly excited when Tell Me Where It Hurts was offered through the ER program -- and I wasn't disappointed in the least. Dr. Trout has a wonderful narrative voice, one that makes you care for his patents almost as much as he so obviously does, and his sense of humor had me laughing through much of the book. A pet owner myself, I appreciated the look into Dr. Trout's world, which has changed so drastically from the days of James Herriot. Technology has vastly improved and pet owners have become so much more involved in their pets lives, but as Dr. Trout tells us, this doesn't always make his job easier. Tell Me Where It Hurts is a terrific addition to the library of any pet owner or animal lover.

[kaylynvh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love listening to Nick Trout's books on CD. His dry humor is great,

[skinglist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good read, although I began to skim in parts when he got too bogged down in veterinary history that I wasn't as interested in. I grew attached to the pets and found myself wanting to know more-especially Sage. One confusing thing is that they're are many names: pets and human (families, doctors, techs) that it was sometimes hard to remember which was which.

[cabracrazy18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a pretty accurate depiction of what life as a veterinary professional has to do, and deal with, day to day. A great read for anyone considering a career in veterinary medicine.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Book on CD read by Simon Vance
2**

The subtitle really says it all: A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon.

Trout uses a “day-in-the-life” structure to relay various stories from his experience as a veterinary surgeon in Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston Massachusetts. He tells the reader in the introduction that the stories he relates are composites and examples of the cases he has dealt with.

I was expecting something in the way of James Herriott’s memoirs, but Trout isn’t anywhere near so good a writer. I will admit up front that I am not an animal lover. I like animals just fine, but I’m not sentimental about them (and, yes, I grew up with a succession of dogs as beloved family pets). So for me to be really involved in a book about pets and their owners, I need a writer who somehow makes the subject more universal. This book just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t find anything particularly humorous or entertaining. I was mostly bored.

Simon Vance narrated the audio version. I think he did a creditable job, but he really didn’t have great material to work with.

[jimmaclachlan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars, but I just can't give it 4 stars. It is an interesting look at a modern vet & his hospital where he specializes in surgery on dogs & cats. There are plenty of references to Herriot & I think he wanted to write in that vein, but the tone was too uneven & he is too callous to carry that off. He didn't get the people the way Herriot did, although he does describe them superficially quite well.

Marg tried reading this, but put it down about a quarter of the way through, about the worst part of the book. He cheerfully tells a resident that it was OK to run hundreds of dollars in unnecessary tests because the dog's owner will be so thrilled that it doesn't have cancer! IOW, his true character really shines through. That turned Marg off completely. I continued on & am glad I did. It never wowed me, but it was worth it.

From a factual standpoint, it was quite interesting, if a bit scattered. Normally, I'd say that would help make the facts easier to digest, but he'd go off on tangents for too long, especially if I could read for only a short time. Still, many interesting facts & opinions came through. While I didn't agree with many the latter he made some wonderful points to ponder.

He is one of the people who is helping Americans spend an unprecedented amount of money on pet health care. He routinely did $5000 operations on animals that didn't have a great chance of recovery nor long to live. He's OK with that & explains his reasons. I didn't find those reasons very compelling, but it is how he makes his living, so I suppose he had to rationalize it. Still, he's against ear & tail docking, his case against it was not only superficial, but wrong in some of the facts & was entirely at odds with his case for multiple surgeries on a dog with mere months to live. I found that rather chilling as his ego overrides his professed compassion.

Overall, I don't like the author nor his type of vet practice. IMO, he's rationalized his hunger for the dollar just as some other vets have. I know the type & will use them. We have one near us & technically, they don't come any better. For tricky surgeries on one of the dogs, we will use them occasionally, high priced as they are. I don't doubt their surgical skills, only their common sense & compassion. For day to day pet care, we will stick with our regular group, a bunch of young vets who really do think their patients come first.

[diovival · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Maybe I set my expectations too high. This is usually the kind of book I would enjoy reading. I love animals so I gravitated toward this book with the cover image of a seemingly sad-faced boston terrier. The chance to read about the modern pet healthcare system from an insider's perspective seemed too good to pass up. Boy was I disappointed by this book.
Dr. Trout's decision to take his years of experiences and mishmash them into ONE day at the Angell Animal Medical Center didn't work for me. I think it was a huge mistake to do this. The overall story lacked focus and heart. All his digressions and skips down memory lane ended up being distractions rather than adding richness to the main story. I also found his attempts at humor cringe worthy rather than funny.

This is a classic case of someone who should just stick to what they know. I'm sure Dr. Trout is a great animal surgeon. He seems to be passionate about his profession and has great respect for the bond between pet and owner. I only hope he never has the urge to write again. There are so many great animal books out there. You won't miss a thing skipping this one.

[satyridae · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

There were some interesting accounts of life-saving surgery here, but what I came away with, more than anything, was the feeling that Trout anthromorphized his patients in a way I wasn't comfortable with. Perhaps listening to this the week we had to euthanize our 15-year-old cat was not a good choice. Trout also refers to the pet owners as moms and dads, which I hate. I am not my dog's mom, though I may indeed be a bitch. I also found it interesting that Trout spent a lot of time describing how his female clients (erm, "moms") were attired, if they were skilfully made up, if they had any visible piercings and the like. In a creepy way.

Ultimately this was too touchy-feely & smarmy-sweet for the likes of me.

[authorjanebnight · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was amazing and I would read it again.What I loved- I am a huge James Herriot fan and this book was like a modern Herriot novel without the alcohol. The stories were touched me and made me cry. I listened to the audio book version of this at work and actually had to stop listening because I was crying so much I couldn’t see what I was doing. Many touching and wonderful stories about animals. I believe almost any animal lover will enjoy this book.What I didn’t like- The narrator tells several stories within stories. That is all fine and good if you can read the book in one sitting but I often got lost because I could only listen to about 30 minutes at a time. The narrator would take me so far into an offshoot story that I was surprised when brought back to the original. I would forget what dog he was seeing now and it was easy to confuse the current patient with the past patient’s story.

[bookwormteri · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting read. Not only a vet, he is a surgical vet that takes care of the worst problems you may see in your pet. I don't understand why he set up the chapters as hours in one day. It didn't really add anything to the stories, as it didn't seem linear anyway. He would start talking about a patient and then "reminisce" about something that had happened previously, or why this is done like this, etc. I really enjoyed the book, but the timetable of one day annoyed me a bit. If you have a pet, I guarantee a tear or two throughout the book. Our pets are part of our family. A look behind the curtain of those who care for them medically.

[grigoro_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dr. Nick Trout, a staff surgeon at a Boston vet clinic, condenses 25 years into a single busy "day", starting with a 2:47 emergency waku-up call. A 10 year old german shepard with gastric dilation vovulus (in which a dog's stomach sort of flips over) required life-saving emergency surgery. 303 pages later, the book ends late at night, at 10:02 with this same old dog. What a journey between.The majority of Dr. Trout's patients are dogs, but we also meet some amazing cats, a goose named Q, an overly amorous box turtle and a parakeet (3rd most popular pet in the US and a huge surgical challenge, with a heat rate between 600-700 beats per minute). In this memoir I learned that 69 million Americans own pets; that vets have a very high suicide rate, American pets mirror their owners obesity problems, cosmetic surgery (clipping ears and tails, for example) is illegal in the UK, and that the toughest decision a vet makes (not surprisingly) is whether to advocate putting a pet to sleep.Recommended for animal lovers and aspiring vets.

[nakedsushi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dr. Nick Trout is the animal surgeon turned author who wrote Tell Me Where It Hurts. I heard of him through NPR when he was promoting his book a few months ago.Tell Me Where It Hurts follows him through a hectic but not atypical day in his clinic.Trout is a talented storyteller who balances cold, hard facts like those found in a college biology textbook with rich, florid descriptions of patients and their parents. Sometimes this flows beautifully, but other times it can be quite jarring to just finish reading an anecdote and be thrown into the technical jargon of a complicated surgery.At the beginning of the book, I dreaded the thought of reading some sad tale of an animal that didn’t make it, but Trout manages not to go down that route — or at least spares us the dramatics. Most stories are not so much about the animals, but more about the owners/parents of the animals and how they see their pets.The book is also a well-crafted glance into the professional life someone in that field with a few tips of how to deal with difficult humans. I’d recommend it to anyone thinking of heading down the path to becoming a doctor of four-legged friends.

[hoot_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Who could walk past this book cover and not pick it up? "Tell Me Where It Hurts" is a memoir, a day in the life of a vet. You think you know, but you have no idea. (I couldn't resist)The book is laid out as if all the events occurred in one day. The chapters are marked with timestamps in addition to the topic being covered. Within each chapter is the story of an animal that has come to visit Dr. Nick Trout. He tells many other stories within each chapter, covering his entire life with animals, related to each particular visit. The layout is fluid and an absolute breeze to read, considering the amount of information.The stories are touching, he really manages to humanize the profession. He shows the ugly side people assume vets have, a money grubbing advancement stance to the profession. He also discredits that claim, stating his case and showing some excellent examples.Dr. Trout also shows the bond between a person and their pet. He understand that bond better than most people and his novel shows how he has worked his entire life to understand and honor that bond.He also shows the complexity of dealing with many species, from box turtles to persians. He jokes that at least human doctors only have to learn one species anatomy. He adds validity to the career of a Veterinarian by exposing the complexity of the profession.The stories are downright charming, at times tragic. Most of us have a pet and can identify with the relationships featured in this novel. A must for pet lovers and non-fiction lovers alike.

[csixty4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Read" the audiobook and loved it. Dr. Trout relates the ups & downs of life as a veterinarian through humor, drama, and many, many tangents. It's a little hard to follow all the tangents sometimes, but the book as a whole is a rewarding read.

[fieldsli · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A must read for anyone comtemplating a career in veterinarian medicine as well as all pet owners who enjoy a good animal story. Dr. Nick Trout takes us on a humorous and poignant 24 hour stint at the Angell Animal Medical Center .

[marisol_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a devoted fan of the James Herriot books, I had high hopes indeed for this vet's stories. I was only partially disappointed in the book, primarily regarding the author's penchant for lengthy prescriptive statements and occasional preachy tone. Nonetheless I found the stories compelling, and the author's voice by and large earnest, compassionate, often funny, and sometimes terribly sad. I'll pass this book on and enjoy having read it once.

[trojanpotato · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Sadly, this book was mediocre or worse. Dr. Trout is clearly a knowledgeable, caring, and engaged vet, but as a writer he is prone to verbosity and bad metaphors. I mostly blame his editors, who clearly weren't paying attention on a few levels, as there were typos in addition to the unchecked verbal stylings of the good doctor.As both an example and an excuse, I present this quote from the book in which he's talking about working with patients that can't ...tell you where it hurts, if you'll pardon me: "It is this dependence on a different kind of language, the quintessential allure of an absence of words, an absence that, as they say, makes the heart grow fonder."He's not just saying that; he really is inordinately fond of words and using them in often unnecessary profusion. If he writes more, I hope he finds a better editor because I'm sure he has good stories, they just need shaping.

[laurion_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As someone engaged to a Vet student, I was already pretty familiar with the world of Dr. Trout before turning page one. Even still, the author's clear style, sense of pacing, and ability to transport the reader made for a compelling book that I was eager to devour. Trout pulls back the curtain and invites the reader to see things through his eyes in the context of a fictitious days events, events based on his own actual experiences. While recounting the tale of this nonstop day, he manages to take compelling detours through his own recollections and memoirs, bringing in elements of learning, humanity, humor, and practicality. Best of all, at no point does he shy away from the realism. He talks about the actual science and medicine with actual industry terminology, but is able to casually explain everything to the reader without breaking the flow of the narrative.Anyone with a love of pets, or a desire to see inside the realm of Veterinary Medicine would be well served by this book.

[kingsportlibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful book by a veterinarian working in one of the largest and oldest hospitals in the world - Boston's Angell Hospital where they have equipment to do just about anything using the latest technology. He also points out that there are only 28 vet schools in the country and competition to become a vet is even tougher than medical doctor. His "typical day" is filled with many different cases & some are heartbreaking & some are very funny & all are informative & make us appreciate the decisions & compassion & intelligence that goes into the care of our pets. The bond between people & their pets is recognized & respected as part of the care. You will learn a lot from this book.

[infiniteletters · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nick Trout, a veterinary surgeon, tells stories about a series of pets and their "parents", rearranged over the course of a single day. Since Nick is a specialist, he tends to see patients for limited appointments rather than the full story of their regular vet, but he gets to see their highest points along with their lowest points. But Nick doesn't just tell stories about patients, he also provides an informative context: the cost of vet care vs human care (pet insurance), the low admissions rate and shifting gender balance in vet school, the advent of people (mis)diagnosing their pets based on internet research, etc.I read the excerpt on the publisher's website, but I still wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it was. Cliche, it know, but it made me laugh, made me cry... As long as he writes a 2nd book (or more), he's a worthy successor to James Herriot.

[unadillacats · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice easy read. Dr. Trout writes like most of us think. When a particular situation presents itself, most of us conjure up memories of similar circumstances, especially when a lesson was learned.Dr. Trout gives the reader a good amount of information without overwhelming him with medical terminology. There are heartwarming stories as well as humorous anecdotes.I hope there are more from this author. I can see his writing appealing to a wide audience.

[brewergirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a very engaging book about a composite "day in the life" of an animal surgeon at Boston's Angell Animal Medical Center. I enjoyed Dr. Trout's writing style and sense of humor. Although it is written as if it chronicles a single day, we get a glimpse of his own background, previous cases, and current issues in veterinary science. He also tried to show the deep connection between people and their animals. His descriptions of people's attitudes and reactions was pretty good and covered a wide spectrum. I think, though, that if you aren't already an "animal person" you would still not understand how much animals mean to some people. It is a hard thing to describe to someone who just doesn't get it ... like the daughter of the elderly man in the book, who kept referring to her father's beloved dog as "it." Overall it was a charming read that had me smiling at points and teary eyed at others.

[northernstar_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book, and found it hard to put down. It is one I will recommend to my animal-loving friends. Reminiscent of James Herriot in a modern setting; the author combines humour with snapshots of the successes and failures of a veterinary surgery. He portrays for us a mix of triumphs and tragedies, where you don’t always know at the time which you are dealing with. The relationships between animals and their owners and caregivers are well portrayed, and he reminds you that his job is as much about the owners as their pets. For the most part, the technique of switching back and forth between past and present works well, fitting the story into the space of a single day. Occasionally he lost me temporarily with the flashbacks between past and present, and I had to flip back a few pages to reorient myself. At times he reaches rather hard for the similes he uses; they sometimes feel a bit awkward. I felt these were minor complaints, and look forward to another book by this author.

[lefty33 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

At first I found the jump-around style of storytelling distracting. I kept wanting it to read like the James Herriot books -- a chapter for this case, a new chapter for that case. Once I understood that the whole book was going to be back and forth, I was good with it and enjoyed the reading immensely. Of course, the back and forth style fits this book since it is one day of following Trout in the hospital. There isn't a definitive chapter between all patients, especially in surgery, what with post-op check-ups and all. And so the narrative is juggled in the same manner that Trout juggles between multiple cases at once.This was a delightful read. I loved to learn some of the updated methods and options for treatments in the animal world. Medicine is worlds beyond what Herriot practiced in his day! Trout has wonderful insight into the ways of both animals and their humans. Anyone who understands the bond between a person and his pet will enjoy this book.

[drsyko_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dr. Trout is a good story teller, and his subject is one that most of us relate to: our pets. Dr. Trout details a sort of "day in the life of" a vet surgeon, and along the way adds some interesting information about pets and their owners. This book has the feel of someone sitting on the porch over a beer telling you about their very interesting day. The language is colloquial and the pace is snappy. If you love animals, you'll really enjoy this book, and might learn a few things along the way. For example, I have myasthenia gravis--who knew that dogs could get it too?? (Fortunately I don't have to be put to sleep!) Dr. Trout is obviously a man who cares about both animals and people, and he writes about them, even the difficult and stubborn among them (both animals and people), with wit and compassion and a wry sense of humor. Read this book, you'll enjoy it!

[tardis_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nick Trout gives readers an insight into the side of the animal health industry that pet owners (sorry, I refuse to call us pet "parents") don't often understand very well. He treats his patients and their owners with respect, the latest medical technology and good old-fashioned know-how and evokes tears and laughter in doing it. His writing is occasionally a bit stiff and he jumps around a bit - he'll start a story then jump back into the past to describe some earlier event that has bearing on the current one, then back to the current event - but this is still a very enjoyable book.

[innermurk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When beginning, one can't help but to compare any vet/animal stories to the omnipresent reputation of James Herriot's stories. He is the quintessential English vet and has set the tone and reputation. However I was determined to get through this narrative without comparing the two, if only because of the differences in time between the novels. I was both amused and surprised when the author himself decided to not avoid those comparisons himself, but embraced them, acknowledging the master, and unapologetically continuing with his own style.The narrative comprises exactly one day, which we are informed of in the prologue, at first I was skeptical, how could any one typical day be packed with enough variety and interest to write a novel about? Surely there wouldn't be the range needed to cover the entire story in any one day that would be believable! The author addresses this beautifully with flashbacks and comparisons. The cases are typical and believable, but are integrated with previous cases, animals and people almost seamlessly. There were only a few jumps between subjects that felt slightly schizophrenic, but they didn't last long enough to be bothersome.The stories here tend to be a little less pastoral and a little more technical. The author is not shy about sharing statistics and studies and quoting vocational journals. But, the jargon is kept to a bare minimum and is explained when present, so it becomes interesting instead of just confusing.The stories run from entertaining to poignant, to downright tearjerkers. Life and death, and birth and illness, and everything in-between is explored in a way to cause the reader to ponder. Never preachy or pushy, Nick Trout has taken his place among the timeless animal stories, and steps side-by-side with Mr. Herriot on my bookshelf.