Charles Pol Reveals Why ‘The Incredible Dr. Pol’s X-Ray Machines Are in the Basement of His Practice
If you’re a fan of Nat Geo Wild’s The Incredible Dr. Pol, you may have noticed that the veterinarian has to go down to the basement of his clinic every time he needs to perform X-rays on the various animals brought in. Whether the creatures are on the larger side or much smaller, they need to be carried downstairs to the basement.
Dr. Pol’s son Charles, who is also one of the reality show’s executive producers, explained why.
Dr. Pol guesses he’s seen over half a million patients during his career
In his memoir Never Turn Your Back on an Angus Cow: My Life as a Country Vet, Dr. Pol figured that he’s seen quite a few thousand animals in his 50 years as a practicing veterinarian.
“I have spent my whole life being with animals, as a vet and as an owner,” he wrote. “Until they start inventing new animals, I think I can say there isn’t a type of animal I haven’t looked in the eyes and wondered how it was feeling. My wife, Diane, and I once estimated that I’ve handled more than a half-million patients, without one of them ever complaining about me!”
The Dutch-American calls himself a “hands-on veterinarian, an old-style vet.” Which is what his fans love about him: “I look at the animal; I put my hands on the animal and I listen to what the animal is telling me. I’ve treated just about every type of creature you can imagine, from a white mouse to a 2600-pound horse, and I’ve discovered that the longer I have been in practice, the smarter the animals have gotten!”
Why that X-ray machine is in the basement
During a recent Facebook Live event in which he answered The Incredible Dr. Pol‘s fans’ questions about his dad and the show, Charles was asked about the clinic’s X-ray machine. Namely, as to why it was located in the basement. When Dr. Pol or one of his staff veterinarians need diagnostics done on a patient, they have to carry the animal down to the basement and at times, it seems just out of the way, especially if the patient is nervous or especially large.
“Somebody asked why the X-ray’s in the basement, that’s a great question,” Charles said while answering fans’ texted questions. “The cinder blocks, the nature of the basement, the way the basement is constructed, is really good about blocking those X-rays, or the gamma radiation that comes off of it.
“We just found naturally that the construction of the basement was about the best way to absorb, between the concrete blocks and different things around it. None of that radiation gets out of that room and that’s something that was really important to my dad.”
Charles’ other big announcement
The vet’s PR man is Charles and during his social media video, the second-in-command took the time to announce what fans have been waiting to know: whether Dr. Pol will be back for a new season.
The answer is yes, the popular reality show will be back for its 19th season and Charles made sure to answer another question while he was at it: “Dr. Brenda is not leaving the show. The new season of The Incredible Dr. Pol premieres July 10th at 9:00PM on Nat Geo Wild. We really appreciate it, and again, Dr. Brenda’s not leaving. Dr. Brenda’s not leaving, N-O-T, take it to the bank.”
The new season of ‘The Incredible Dr. Pol’ premieres July 10th at 9:00PM EST on Nat Geo Wild
