The Incredible Dr. Pol

Dateline: 4 February 2015

Why is this cow on its back? Well, it's probably because it has a twisted stomach. If so, Dr. Pol (right) has gotten the stomach back in place and is putting in a few stitches to hold it there. You will be familiar with this procedure after watching The Incredible Dr. Pol.

Since I don’t have cable service or watch any television (and haven’t for years) I tend to be one of the last to find out about any particularly good programs that are worth watching. Such is the case with The Incredible Dr. Pol. The show first aired in 2011 and I just “discovered” it last week. 

I found it as I was browsing through Netflix, looking for something that was positive or educational to watch on a cold winter night. I’m not into watching comedy, crime, horror, sports, westerns, romance, or war movies. Some historical and biographical documentaries interest me. A wholesome family-focused movie (usually of older vintage) will get my attention too. I would guess that 99% of the titles offered on Netflix are unappealing to me—many are downright offensive. 

So when my browsing mouse landed on The Incredible Dr. Pol, a “reality” show about a veterinarian in Michigan, and I saw it was rated five stars, I decided to give it a try. It was a pleasant discovery. Marlene and I have now watched most of the first two seasons (all that are available on Netflix), and we have become great fans of the incredible doctor. There are so many good aspects to this fascinating, family-friendly program. 

Dr. Pol amazes me because he is still going strong at 70+ years of age. The man is not only a dedicated master at his craft but a very hard worker. As a large animal vet he goes out to farms and is often up to his armpits in the rectums of cows and horses. Delivering problem calves can be particularly brutal. The Dr. typically strips to the waist for such deliveries and may struggle for over an hour with bare hands and arms deep in the uterus. It’s a messy life and death struggle and sometimes the calf doesn’t come out alive. If it does, it always gets a cold bucket of water splashed onto its head. The water shocks the calf and it “gasps” into breathing

After watching some episodes of the show you will learn a lot about dealing with animals and treating them. For example, I dare say I could reinstall a prolapsed bovine uterus, if I had to, but I sure wouldn’t want to.

Aside from the diversity of animal problems and solutions, and the amazing vitality of Dr. Pol, the show focuses on Dr. Pol’s family (his son and wife help with the business), his clinic employees, and so many long-time community relationships. It is powerfully endearing to my agrarian mindset.

Like any reality show for television, there are some contrived aspects, but they don’t detract from the genuineness of what Dr.Pol and his veterinary team do. 

I suspect most people reading this already know about Dr. Pol. If, however, you have not yet watched The Incredible Dr. Pol, I heartily recommend that you check out some show clips and episodes on YouTube or Netflix.

Dr. Pols' wife, Diane, is an integral part of the family business.
She takes the calls and "tells him where to go."