Page 57 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2022
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CLASSNOTES
‘Autobiology of a Vet’ by John Sauvage
During his time and TB is also discussed. The tale of
as a partner, John his experience of meeting children with
became involved in the drug-induced injury of thalidomide is
the business aspects both life-affirming and tear-jerking.
of the practice but His time in East Africa, including his
at the same time experiences in Uganda under Idi Amin’s
taught local farmers dictatorship, is chilling but still funny and
and gained higher uplifting. The tales of his experiences in
qualifications with general and specialist veterinary practice,
the Open University with memorable farm, horse, dog and cat
and then in veterinary cases, are enlightening, educational and
cardiology, as well sometimes sad but also often hilarious.
as seeing clients and The horrific experiences with foot-and-
cases full-time.
mouth disease will get any animal lover in
After this, he began tears and questioning what happened and
lecturing to other why? But the option of a ‘vegan utopia’ in
vets on various a world without farm animals is dismissed
topics, such as as a sad alternative, as demonstrated
dentistry, practice when large swathes of the UK were left
management and, of without stock after the outbreak.
course, cardiology. The adage about his and other doctors’
These lectures took and vets’ handwriting being illegible
place as far afield as is well told when visiting his father in
Australia, Portugal, hospital and leaving him a message on
the Republic of his bedside that he should either get
Ireland and Norway, the nurse to read the note or take it to
as well as all around the pharmacy and see what they gave
the UK. John him is discussed.
volunteered and was
highly active during John’s personal life gets off to a bad start
the foot-and-mouth
ABOUT JOHN outbreak in the spring of 2001. but has a happy ending. The birth of
his children and grandchild highlighted
After finishing school, John He had several short spells teaching part- when the midwife said, “I called for
went straight on to the RVC time for veterinary drug companies, again a paediatrician,” but when one didn’t
arrive, she announced to the surgical
and qualified as a veterinary while still in practice. He became sole and anaesthetic team, “I will get a vet
surgeon in 1973. During his owner of the Cranbrook practice in 2011 instead.” And so John played a key role
and soon reclaimed its hospital status,
time there, he went to East which was lost since just before he joined. in the birth of his daughter by caesarean.
Africa with a research team Finally selling the practice in 2018, John The background theme to the whole
and was the primary author continues to see cardiac cases and carry book is the leaps forward taken by
out breed heart certification.
both veterinary and human medicine
of one of the resulting in the last 70 years, especially in
research papers. JOHN’S BOOK disease prevention by vaccination. The
Opening with his award of Membership story is brought up to date with the
His first veterinary post was as an of the RCVS, the book relates John’s coronavirus pandemic and its vaccination
assistant in a mixed, mainly cattle, practice personal and family history from his programme. The stories are always self-
in Gloucestershire, before moving on English and Belgian parents and effacing and amusing where possible,
within the year to a mixed high-standard grandparents and their roles in two world but the big questions in our relationships
dog and equine practice in Maidstone. In wars. with animals are openly discussed.
1975 he was a locum and in 1976 joined John recounts tales from his RVC studies
the Cranbrook practice in Kent, becoming and goes on to discuss various major Read more and purchase the book here:
a partner in 1980. www.johnsauvageautobiology.com/
debates which occurred during his the-book
career, including vaccinations and the
anti-vaccine lobby. The role of badgers
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