The Cases We Carry

“I suspect every vet has their own pet cemetery, this imagined place, held closely in their hearts, where their saddest, their most searing, most torturous cases lie buried. I imagine that this is also a place from which these cases can suddenly spring alive, ready to remind, to re-traumatise. But also to possibly offer a whisper from the past, to nudge, coach, guide assessments and actions toward a better outcome this time.

As Luiz Santos has authentically documented and sensitively written, The Cases We Carry shows just how sharp the shadows thrown by one’s pet cemetery can be. The book takes the lessons that we have such difficulty learning even in human medicine—of error as a consequence and not a cause; of accountability as forward-looking and not backward-looking; of compassion and forgiveness, including very much compassion for and forgiveness of the self—and threads them richly through the often vexing, sometimes marginal, yet always ultimately meaningful praxis of veterinary medicine.

A necessary read. This should be taught in first-year vet school, all over the world.”

Professor Sidney Dekker, School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
Griffith University, Australia

“This book will not simply change how veterinary professionals think about safety and error. It will change how they think about each other. That is a remarkable contribution to the profession.”

Dr Suzette Woodward, patient safety advisor, lecturer and author, UK

"A much-needed book that captures a truth many of us know well: error hurts. While grounded in evidence, it is Luiz’s own reflections and powerful storytelling that bring the hope, compassion and humanity to this conversation, creating space for restoration, learning and the permission to choose integrity over perfection."

Becky Jones, Clinical Governance Manager, Langford Vets

"There is a real and timely need for this book, and the rationale in the proposal is not only sound but unusually well judged. What makes it stand out is that it identifies a gap that is widely felt in practice but rarely addressed directly: not how to avoid error, but how to live with it, speak about it, and recover from it as a profession."

Stacey Cox, Head Veterinary Nurse, Client Liaison, Wards Manager and Technician Supervisor at Manchester Veterinary Specialist.

"The conversational, story-based way material is presented makes this book highly engaging and memorable. Terms are explained using non-technical jargon and without over-reliance on introducing too much new vocabulary. The personal voice I find an engaging way to present the material, and makes the author and content relatable."

Erik Hofmeister, DVM DACVAA DECVAA MA MS, Professor of Anaesthesiology, Massey University, NZ