If you're an animal lover like us, you've probably binged all the vet docuseries out there. We don’t know about you, but we’re always left with a hundred questions about what goes on behind the scenes – from whether they’re scripted to the most interesting cases. There’s so much we want to find out!
If anyone has the answers, it’s Kevin Fitzgerald – a vet-turned-TV-personality who starred in Animal Planet’s Emergency Vets and E-Vet Interns. He’s been a vet for more than 40 years, treating animals across the globe and advocating for wildlife conservation.
Below, we ask him your burning questions about the shows, including the three wildest cases he’s ever treated and the one piece of advice he has for pet parents in emergency situations. You’ll want to stick around for his answers!
What are the most unforgettable cases you've worked on?
With more than four decades of experience as a vet, Dr. Fitzgerald has treated countless pets, but these three have stuck with him the most:
1. Hannibal
"A beautiful chocolate Labrador who was maliciously burned with hydrochloric acid. We stabilized him and then did several successful skin graft surgeries including amputating his tail and using that tail skin for grafts. He did great."
2. Paddy
"A three-year-old Airedale who was hit by a porcupine. We sedated him and successfully removed over 150 painful quills! Guess what? He did it again a month later! We fixed him again."
3. Francis
"An eight-year-old West Highlander White Terrier who killed a rattlesnake about to attack his human companion. He was horribly bitten by the snake, but after two vials of anti-venom and support, he went home safe and sound."
Were there any cases that were too intense to film?
If you've ever watched a reality vet show, you know how intense some cases can get – but were there any too extreme to be filmed?
Dr. Fitzgerald says: "Our shows on Animal Planet [Emergency Vets and E-Vets Interns] were never staged or scripted. They were filmed as the animals came in. We were never told what to show or film.
"They were filmed in real time, never reshot, and no cases were too intense. Owners had the option of not having their animals filmed. We never filmed anyone without permission."
What’s one emergency you wish more pet owners were prepared for?
The last thing we want is for our furry friends to be in pain or face an emergency, but sometimes these situations happen without warning. We asked Dr. Fitzgerald how to be prepared.
"One point I would like to make is that your vet is as far away as the telephone. If you think it is an emergency, it probably is. Be proactive – know where your vet’s phone number is, and have a home first aid emergency kit for your dog.
"Bandage material, gauze sponges, eye lube, triple antibiotic ointment, a flash light, forceps, scissors, tape, a blanket, a nail trimmer, and a muzzle. The most important piece of emergency equipment is your cell phone."
Want more advice from Dr. Fitzgerald? Read the most common mistakes that pet parents make.
Edited by Georgia Guerin and Alexis De Leaver.
