With years of experience as a Registered Veterinary Technician, Frannie O'Callaghan offers an unapologetic window into the daily encounters of the humans who take care of pets. This whip-smart but darkly humorous confessional spans from the Patients who bite, claw, urinate, or defecate in scrub pockets. Are the few and farther in-between moments of wagging tails and slobbering tongues worth it?
Then come the outlandish Clients, including the heinous antics of a local man of the cloth, or the conspiracy theorists convinced of veterinary schemes to "grab 'em and stab 'em." All the way to Coworkers along for the bloody, vomit-filled daily grind. For a job that demands a high skill level and stress-tolerance for relatively little monetary compensation, Vet Techs need a reason to stay. Moments of levity, healing patients, colleagues helping to push through this absurd profession, or cuddling beloved animal companions-somewhere amid the chaos is beauty that brings them to work every day.
Between heavy doses of swearing, snark, licking wounds, and an occasional jab at the heartstrings, SOAP Notes: Irreverent Confessions of a Veterinary Technician dishes up the roaring, goring, and never boring chronicles of veterinary life.
"Frannie O'Callaghan is like your older sister's super-cool best friend, dishing the dirt on what it's really like to work in a vet clinic. There's a growing body of 'vet lit', but this is the first book I'm aware of from the vet tech's perspective, and O'Callaghan nails it. From the gross to the beautiful, from the ordinary to the extraordinary, and from the tragic to the hilarious, she covers it all with style and verve. I would consider it a must read for anyone interested in working in a veterinary clinic, or even just anyone interested in the workings of a veterinary clinic."
- Dr. Philipp Schott, DVM, author of The Accidental Veterinarian and Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery series
"O'Callaghan's conversational style vignettes are raw and honest. She takes us to the back room of the vet clinic to give us an inside look at the important work Veterinary Technicians do, and reminds us that it's not all petting puppies and kittens. A must-read for animal lovers!"
- Dr. Melinda G. McCall, DVM, author of Driving Home Naked and other misadventures of a country veterinarian
“SOAP Notes is a tenacious narrative full of humor, wisdom, and compassion. Always wanted an honest, inside glimpse into the world of vet med? Here’s your chance!”
- Joan Gorman, RVT, MWVT Program Coordinator, American Hero VT Finalist (American Humane Society 2016), and aforementioned Elder in the Profession
"A must read for anyone wishing to pursue the career path of credentialed veterinary technician. It provides a glimpse of the real day to day challenges and the dark humor we acquire from facing them. The harsh reality is we all end up a varying degree of dead inside. If you don't, you're lucky."
- Kendra Dostaler, RVT, VTS (EVN) Kendra the Vet Tech Podcast
“Insightful, amusing, perfect for pet owners and anybody thinking of working in a vet clinic. Highly recommended!”
- The Wishing Shelf
