dog doctor

English

Alternative forms

• dog-doctor, dogdoctor

Noun

dog doctor (plural dog doctors)

1. (chiefly historical, now rare) A veterinarian who specialises in dogs. [from 18th c.]
   • 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:

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

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

     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 […] .

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

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

   • 2022, SJ McCoy, The Cowgirl’s Unmistakable Love, Xenion, Inc., →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. […]”

2. (humorous) A dog who is also a doctor.
   • 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:

     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.

     Referring to a dog who acts as a doctor for other dogs, thus sense 1 also applies.

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

     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]

   • 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:

     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.

Synonyms

• (both senses): dogtor (informal, humorous)