In Speaking for Spot Dr. Nancy Kay taught us why we need to be medical advocates for our pets and how to fulfill this important role. In Your Dog's Best Health she takes us to the next level by spelling out what is reasonable to expect from your vet. The book's clear, humor-laden content focuses on "relationship centered care," a style of communication that facilitates collaborative discussion with your vet about your dog's diet, vaccinations, second opinions, referral for specialized care, your Internet research, and medical and financial options. Additionally, Dr. Kay teaches you to expect round-the-clock care, email communication with your vet, and the opportunity to be with your beloved pet when he or she passes away. The last chapter of Your Dog's Best Health is reserved for clarifying what your veterinarian reasonably expects from you! What you learn will result in a win-win-win situation for you, your dog, and your veterinarian. Visits to the vet will never be the same! This book is filled to the brim with new and wonderfully practical information and advice. In her usual direct and humorous style, Dr. Kay has once again established herself to be a stellar advocate for successful communication between pet owners and their vets.
--Dr. Marty Becker, Featured Columnist Vetstreet.com and Veterinary Contributor for Good Morning America and the Dr. Oz Show Brilliant! Everyone who has a dog should have a copy of this concise and useful book. Dogs (and vets) everywhere will thank Dr. Nancy for writing it.
--Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB, Author, The Other End of the Leash and For the Love of a Dog So many of the complaints I hear from family members and friends about their veterinarians could be prevented if only these dog-loving consumers read I. Put into practice, Dr. Kay's sensible and informed advice about achieving a dozen reasonable things to expect from your vet can help any guardian get the most value for their veterinary health care dollar. Importantly, Dr. Kay's advice will also protect and preserve the lines of communication and trust between the veterinarian and his client, thus maximizing the benefits to the all-important patient.
--Nancy Kerns, Editor, The Whole Dog Journal The author of I has done it again! Dr. Nancy Kay pulls no punches as she educates us about what we are entitled to as consumers of veterinary medicine. This book belongs on the shelves of dog lovers everywhere. Dr. Kay continues to be our best friend when it comes to advocating for our dogs' health. We have a lot to thank her for!
--Claudia Kawczynska, Editor, The BARK Magazine There is no one in the veterinary world today advocating more powerfully for clear communication between pet owner and veterinarian than Dr. Nancy Kay. In I she cuts through misconceptions and false assumptions to lay out a simple blueprint to guide vet and owner to an effective working relationship and the best possible outcome for every dog.
--Christie Keith,"Your Whole Pet" Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com Few veterinarians have the credentials, skill and knowledge of Dr. Nancy Kay, and fewer still have the gift for sharing what they know to help pet lovers get the best care for their animals. A paragraph by Dr. Kay is worth a celebration. Another book? A bargain at any price, full of passion, compassion and easy-to-understand knowledge you can use to work with your own veterinarian.
-Gina Spadafori, Syndicated Pet-Care Columnist and Author, Dogs For Dummies
About the Author: DR. NANCY KAY wanted to become a veterinarian for just about as long as she can remember. Her veterinary degree is from Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, and she completed her residency training in small animal internal medicine at the University of California-Davis Veterinary School. Dr. Kay is a board certified specialist in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and published in several professional journals and textbooks. She lectures professionally to regional and national audiences, and one of her favorite lecture topics is communication between veterinarians and their clients. Since the release of her book, Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life, Dr. Kay has lectured extensively and written numerous magazine articles on the topic of medical advocacy. She was a featured guest on the popular National Public Radio show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Dr. Kay's newest book is called, Your Dog's Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet. Her award winning blog, "Spot Speaks" is posted weekly (www.speakingforspot.com/blog). Dr. Kay is a staff internist at Upstate Veterinary Specialists, with locations in Greenville, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina. Dr. Kay was selected by the American Animal Hospital Association to receive the 2009 Hill's Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award. This award is given annually to a veterinarian or nonveterinarian who has advanced animal welfare through extraordinary service or by furthering humane principles, education, and understanding. Dr. Kay was selected as the 2011 Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year, an award presented every year by the American Veterinary Medical Association to a veterinarian whose work exemplifies and promotes the human animal bond. Dr. Kay has received several awards from the Dog Writer's Association of America. Dr. Kay's personal life revolves around her husband (also a veterinarian), her three children (none of whom aspire to be veterinarians) and their menagerie of four-legged family members. When she's not working or writing, she spends her spare moments in the garden or riding atop her favorite horse. Dr. Kay and her husband reside in Hendersonville, North Carolina.