Dr. Natterson-Horowitz is a specialist of specialists. She treats and studies the microvasculature of the heart. But "In the spring of 2005, cardiologist Barbara Natterson-Horowitz was called to consult on an unusual patient: an Emperor tamarin at the Los Angeles Zoo. While examining the tiny monkey’s sick heart, she learned that wild animals can die of a form of cardiac arrest brought on by extreme emotional stress. It was a syndrome identical to a human condition but one that veterinarians called by a different name—and treated in innovative ways."

Veterinarians know this as capture myopathy. We know when you net a flock of birds, some will die just because of the stress of being captured. Dr. Natterson-Horowitz noticed that this was similar to when humans get an extreme scare or stress. However, the way we treat capture myopathy is entirely different than humans that get news of the death of a close loved one or other stress.

"This remarkable medical parallel launched Natterson-Horowitz on a journey of discovery that reshaped her entire approach to medicine. She began to search for other connections between the human and animal worlds: Do animals get breast cancer, anxiety-induced fainting spells, sexually transmitted diseases? Do they suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia, addiction?"

It is normal for veterinarians to look for to human medicine for answers. After all, human medicine has a lot more funding for research than we do. They also can design and market useful things like stints, anti-clot catheters and IV pumps that make their way into everyday veterinary medicine.

But often M.D.’s look down on veterinarians (even though it is harder to get into veterinary school than medical school). And to some extent that is understandable, MD’s make orders of magnitude more money than veterinarians. Vets often have to do their own practice management and even restraint of their own patients. But, yes, we deal with breast cancer. Gerbils faint or seizure when stressed. Sexually transmitted disease is common in cats and is killing Tasmanian devils.

Dr Natterson-Horowitz thought "The answers were astonishing. Dinosaurs suffered from brain cancer. Koalas catch chlamydia. Reindeer seek narcotic escape in hallucinogenic mushrooms. Stallions self-mutilate. Gorillas experience clinical depression."

"Joining forces with science journalist Kathryn Bowers, Natterson-Horowitz employs fascinating case studies and meticulous scholarship to present a revelatory understanding of what animals can teach us about the human body and mind. "Zoobiquity" is the term the authors have coined to refer to a new, species-spanning approach to health. Delving into evolution, anthropology, sociology, biology, veterinary science, and zoology, they break down the walls between disciplines, redefining the boundaries of medicine."

Dr, Natterson-Horowitz said that she often gave her presentation to rooms of MD’s who were amazed at what veterinary medicine had in common with human medicine. Of course, the room full of veterinarians last Sunday were only surprised that their human medicine counterparts had no idea of the commonality. I do have some MD friends and some have used some of my veterinary treatment protocols for the benefit of their patients.

But while I am always happy to discuss patients and treatments, I am happy to be a veterinarian. I play a big part in the happiness of families. I get to teach health care; deliver bad news; and sometimes I get to be the hero, but I am always aware of how important my work is to the family

Quotes are from the book description on Amazon.com.