I am a holistic veterinarian who also writes about pet loss, grief, the human-animal bond, holistic veterinary medicine, and narrative medicine. In the picture above, I have just inserted acupuncture needles into a dog during a home visit. Although I no longer do house calls, you can find me at Central Animal Hospital in Leominster, Mass, walking my dogs, eating chocolate and/or writing.
My veterinary textbook, Narrative Medicine in Veterinary Practice, was published in October 2021 through CRC Press. Narrative Medicine is a growing field in human medicine that can help veterinarians improve care by viewing our patients and clients in the context of their larger story. I taught veterinary students about Narrative Medicine in 2020 and 2021 at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts.
I am also working on a memoir about my experiences both as a pet owner and as a veterinarian. That book will be called The Other Family Doctor and was purchased by Anchor Books, a division of Penguin Random House. For that book, I am represented by literary agent Jennifer Herrera at the David Black Agency in New York. Here is the announcement from Publishers Weekly:
photo credit: Wotatwa Weinberg-O’Brien
The Vet Is in at Anchor
Anna Kaufman at Anchor preempted world rights to The Other Family Doctor by Karen Fine, a memoir about her experiences as a veterinarian. It’s the first nonfiction title on Anchor’s hardcover list, which is launching next year. The publisher said the book, subtitled A Veterinarian’s View of Love, Loss, Mortality, and Mindfulness, was pitched as “All Creatures Great and Small meets Being Mortal.” It explores how the author, through her work with her patients and their owners, “comes to better understand humanity, mortality, and the unique role animals play in our lives.” Fine was represented by Jennifer Herrera at the David Black Agency.
Karen Fine, D.V.M. 