Your Dog's Best Health
A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect from Your Vet

About The Book

With Speaking for Spot my goal was to teach you why we need to be medical advocates for our pets and how to fulfill this important role. With Your Dog's Best Health my goal is to take you to the next level by spelling out what is reasonable to expect from your vet. Included are some expectations that may just surprise you. For example, did you know that it's reasonable to expect email communication with your veterinarian, discussion about your Internet research, and explanations of all options for your pet, regardless of cost? In the spirit of saving the best for last, I reserved the final chapter of Your Dog's Best Health for clarifying what is reasonable for your veterinarian to expect from you! Needless to say, visits to the vet will never be the same!

Dr. Nancy Kay

The Cover Dog

The dog gracing the cover of Your Dog’s Best Health is Quinn, one of my very own dogs. He was rescued at three months of age from an overcrowded shelter in Bakersfield, California just as he was slated to be euthanized. He has been a true source of joy in our lives and the photo on the cover of this book truly depicts Quinn’s personality. I’m often asked what breed of dog he is. I truly don’t know, but based on the way he acts, I suspect he is part Whippet or Italian Greyhound. In all honesty, he looks more like a red fox than anything else!

Praise for Your Dog's Best Health

“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 Your Dog’s Best Health. 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 Speaking for Spot 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 Your Dog's Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet, 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

“Today, regardless of whether you have a family pet, performance athlete, or show dog, obtaining individualized, quality veterinary care for your dog requires a new kind of interactive working partnership with your veterinarian. In clear, concise, and award-winning style, Your Dog’s Best Health clarifies both what you should expect from your veterinarian and what she should expect from you as together you manage your dog’s care at the various stages of his life. This is essential reading for anyone who loves a dog.”

-Nancy P. Melone, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief,The Alpenhorn

“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

“Dr. Kay’s abiding love of people and pets as well as her vibrant enthusiasm for her profession come shining through in this wonderful new book. Encouraging open communication and highlighting reasonable expectations on both sides of the exam table, Dr. Kay plots a takeoff-to-landing course for today’s empowered and informed pet-loving public.”

-Dr. Tony Johnson, Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Specialist

“As a dog trainer, I am constantly coaching my clients on how to communicate with their veterinarians and become more involved in their pet’s medical care. Dr. Kay has made my life so much easier- now all I have to do is tell them to get a copy of Your Dog’s Best Health. What a help this book will be for dog owners everywhere.”

-Turid Rugaas, Professional Dog Trainer and Author, On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals

“In Speaking for Spot, and now in Your Dog's Best Health Dr. Nancy Kay shares expert tips on how pet caregivers can optimize communication with their veterinarian. What better advice than from one who knows – her suggestions are easy to understand and practical. Dr. Kay empowers you to advocate for your pet's health as well as your own peace of mind.”

-Jane R. Shaw, DVM, PhD, Director of the Argus Institute, Colorado State University

“Dr. Kay is the ultimate pet advocate. This book is a must-read for any dog lover interested in excellent pet care. Her nuggets of wisdom will empower you every time you visit a veterinary clinic so you can take a more active role in your dog’s care.”

-Dr. Phil Zeltzman, Veterinary Surgeon and Author, Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound

“We hear a lot about 'the human animal bond' and certainly Nancy Kay is a champion of that relationship - but where her special skills shine is in her books, which speak to the "guardian-vet bond." She has blazed a trail to enhance communication between people and their pets' veterinarians. Dr. Kay's contribution is enormous and her new book is a must-have on the shelf of every vet and the people whose pets are served by them.”

-Tracie Hotchner, Author, The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible and Host of Radio Shows "DOG TALK®" and "CAT CHAT®"

“I wish this book was out when I was dealing with the different health issues that my two 4-legged “sons” have been through. This is a must have for everyone who values their dog as a family member. ”

-Tamar Geller, Author, The Loved Dog and 30 Days To A Well-Mannered Dog

“It is so important for pet parents to know that they can be with their beloved animal companions at the very end of their pet’s life. Death is the ultimate scary experience - the great unknown. It is so important for Dr. Kay to empower pet owners with information so that they may face the end of their pets’ life from a fact-based, versus a fear-based perspective. Thank you, Dr. Kay!”

-Dr. Robin Downing, Veterinary Pain Management and Rehabilitation Specialist

“I’ve been blessed to work with animals my entire life and I will not gamble when it comes to their health and happiness. I want to know rather than guess at what is best for them and Your Dog’s Best Health has already become our go-to source for everything related to the health and happiness of our five dogs. Like Speaking for Spot, this is a must-must-must-read for every dog owner. If you love a dog, you’ll love this book.”

-Joe Camp, Creator of Canine Superstar Benji; Writer, Producer, and Director, Benji Movies, Author, Soul of a Horse