Veterinary Surgeon, John Sauvage shares his fascinating life story which sees him take an inspirational journey from the suburbs of south London to rural Kent, via Africa.
Opening with his awarded Membership of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, author John Sauvage’s life story as a practicing Vet celebrates a rich and hearted account of his family history, including the roles played by his English and Belgian parents and grandparents in two World Wars.
His Belgian grandparents were evacuated to England during the first World War, his Father shot by the Germans during the liberation of Antwerp and his Mother withstood a bombing in a south London pub during the Second World War while serving with the London Auxiliary Ambulance Service.
From the humble origins of schooling at a large London Comprehensive John manages to secure a place at a Veterinary College, going on to recount tales of various major debates which have occurred during his career, including the anti-vaccine lobby, the role of badgers and even TB all coming under the spotlight. His tale of meeting children with the drug-induced injury of thalidomide is both heartbreaking and life-affirming.
Under the oppressive backdrop of Idi Amin’s dictatorship in Uganda, John’s description of his time in East Africa is at times chilling, but also funny and uplifting. Memorable tales of farm, horse, dog and cat cases are both enlightening and educational, sometimes sad, but very often hilarious. By contrast, the horrific experience of dealing with foot-and-mouth disease will get any animal-lover in tears, with questions arising of what really happened and importantly, why?
The adage about his, Doctors’ and Vets’ handwriting being always illegible, is well told, with John recalling a hospital visit to see his Father and upon leaving him a handwritten message on his bedside table suggests it was best left to a Nurse to decipher it or to pass to the pharmacist and see what was prescribed!
Running full-circle with the happy events of welcoming his own children and grandchild, John suddenly finds himself cast in a central role when his daughter has to be delivered by caesarean with the Midwife saying that she had ‘called for a Pediatrician’ to help and when one doesn’t arrive, she announces that she will get a Vet instead!
Self-effacing, amusing and informative, all of the big questions are addressed by John, inevitably including those surrounding our abiding relationship with animals, which he openly discusses. A must-read not only for animal-lovers everywhere but for anyone considering embarking upon a career as a Veterinarian.
Autobiology of a Vet publication date is November 2021, priced at £15.99 for hardback, £8.99 paperback and £6.99 ebook.
You can pre-order now and receive a 20% discount at www.gbpublishing.co.uk/autobiology-of-a-vet
