Gina Bellisario - Lets Meet a Veterinarian

cl verleaf books TM

Community Helpers

L ets M eet a

V eterinarian

Gina Bellisario Illustrated by Cale Atkinson

For Sofia and Milla G. B.
For my lovely lady, Jessika,
and my fish, Sashimi C. A.

Text and illustrations copyright 2013 by Lerner Publishing
Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part
of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the
prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except
for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.
Millbrook Press
A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
241 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.
Website address: www.lernerbooks.com
Main body text set in Slappy Inline 18/28.
Typeface provided by T26.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bellisario, Gina.
Lets meet a veterinarian / by Gina Bellisario ; illustrated by
Cale Atkinson.
pages cm. (Cloverleaf books. Community helpers)
Includes index.
ISBN 9780761390305 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)
1. Veterinary medicineJuvenile literature.
2. VeterinariansJuvenile literature. I. Atkinson, Cale,
illustrator. II. Title.
SF756.B45 2013
636.089dc23 2012022482
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 BP 12/31/12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Even Tigers Say Ahhh!

Today our class is having a visitor. We want
to know what a veterinarian does.

Veterinarians are people in the
community. A community is a
group of people who live in the
same city, town, or neighborhood.

We invited Dr. Kate, the veterinarian. She
helps us take care of Henry. Henry is our class
guinea pig. He is also Dr. Kates patient.

I help keep animals healthy, says Dr. Kate. Dr.
Kate gives Henry a checkup. She checks his eyes and
ears. They look great!

Can I be next? asks Ethan.
Dr. Kate says veterinarians dont see human patients.

Veterinarians, also called vets, are
doctors for animals. But their work
can help people stay healthy too. Some
animal illnesses can make people sick.
Vets find cures for those illnesses. Then
they share the cures with people doctors.

Dr. Kate is a small animal vet. She
treats pets such as dogs and rabbits.

Small animal vets work in an
office. Their patients visit them
there. But vets for farm or zoo
animals go to their patients. An
elephant cant fit in a waiting
room, after all!

There are also vets for large animals
and wild animals. They help out at
farms and zoos.

Even tigers say ahhh!

Vets go to a special school. They study how to
care for animals. They learn about protecting
them in zoos, on farms, and in your home.

Then they can help other animal helpers, like
wildlife rescuers and pet owners.

Before people become veterinarians,
they make a promise . They say the
Veterinarians Oath. Part of the
oath is promising theyll be kind to
animals. A kind doctor can be the
best medicine!

Chapter Two

Hairy Henry

Yikes! What happened to Henrys fur?

He looks like Joys fuzzy pencil.

Dr. Kate has just the thing
for messy hair. A brush!
She says its one of the many
tools vets use.

Phew! All better.

Some pets love getting messy. But
knotty fur or muddy paws can
make them sick. So vets groom
their patients. Groom means
to clean. Vets trim beaks, wash
hooves, and even brush teeth. Pet
owners can learn how to groom
their pets by watching a vet.

Sometimes an animal has problems with its
fur, scales, or feathers.

A dog can get bugs that
make its body itchy.

A lizard can get a
broken nail.

A vets tools are made for
animals. So they look different
from the ones your doctor uses.
Your doctor has a scale thats
right for your size. But how does
a vet weigh a mouse? A vet has a
scale thats the perfect size!

Vets also use many of the same
tools that people doctors use.

They use a
stethoscope
for listening to
the heart.

They have an
X- ray machine
for seeing bones.

They also give shots
that stop nasty germs.

Liam sure doesnt like shots. He bets most
animals dont, either!

Chapter Three

Good Henry Helpers

No worries for Henry today. His checkup
was easy. Dr. Kate says hes healthy!