dog doctor

plural dog doctors · alternative dog-doctor · alternative dogdoctor

1. archaichistoricalA veterinarian who specialises in dogs.First known use 18th c.

   A famous dog-doctor was ſent for, and undertook to cure the patient, provided he might carry him home to his own houſe; […]

   1771, [Tobias Smollett], “To Miss Lætitia Willis, at Gloucester”, in The Expedition of Humphry Clinker […], volume I, London: […] W. Johnston, […]; and B. Collins, […], →OCLC, page 119

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   I shall now give a dialogue which was held, as nearly as I can recollect, between Mrs. Nollekens and Mrs. Norman, the wife of a celebrated Dog-doctor, who, at the time I was with Sherwin, lived in Fox-court, St. James's-street […].

   1828, JT Smith, Nollekens and His Times, Century Hutchinson, published 1986, page 106

   “My dad’s a dog doctor.” “Not just dogs,” the girl corrected. “He’s also a cat doctor. And sometimes even horses and cows.”

   2012, RaeAnne Thayne, A Cold Creek Noel, Harlequin, →ISBN

   “[…]They think it’s so cool that Auntie Janey’s a horse doctor.” Janey laughed. “A horse doctor, a cow doctor, a cat and dog doctor.[…]”

   2022, SJ McCoy, The Cowgirl’s Unmistakable Love, Xenion, Inc., →ISBN

   Synonyms: dogtor

2. humorousA dog who is also a doctor.

   Dr. Perry would be the best dog doctor in the whole universe! [images of a dog in a white coat with a camel and a seal]

   2016, Natalie Shaw, Olivia: I Can Do Anything!, Simon Spotlight, page 9

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   As I saw my glorious, patient dog, my faithful companion in many a long, lone journey, my deliverer, humanly speaking, from many a dangerous blizzard storm, thus dying slowly before me, I did long for wise old Rover, the famous dog doctor of my wounded dogs in other days.

   1902, Egerton R[yerson] Young, My Dogs in the Northland, 5th edition, New York, N.Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Toronto, Ont.: Fleming H. Revell Company, pages 123–124

   Paws for your Prescription! From the office of Nurse Kitty Wiskas and Dr. Harry Friend[…]Well then, a morning ritual may just be what your dog doctor or cat nurse has in store for you![…]In elderly living facilities, having a dog doctor or cat nurse making the rounds makes the residents happier and creates better interactions between them.

   2017, Carlyn Montes De Oca, Dog as My Doctor, Cat as My Nurse: An Animal Lover’s Guide to a Healthy, Happy, and Extraordinary Life, She Writes Press, →ISBN