Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment (2nd edition)
Reviewed by Alvin C. Camus, DVM, PhD
The second edition of Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment is a welcome update of the 1996 original. Enlarged to include 130 pages of new information and generously illustrated with color photographs and black-and-white diagrams, this text should serve as a resource for practitioners who occasionally treat pet fish as well as for dedicated fish disease diagnosticians. Expanded coverage is evident throughout, with particular attention given to principles of biosecurity and disease prevention, clinical evaluations, and pharmacopoeia, in addition to newly recognized disease entities, particularly viral agents. Similar to the original textbook, this edition remains organized under 3 main subject headings focusing on disease diagnosis, a broad problem list, and disease treatment. Topic areas in the diagnostic section include major cultured fish species and husbandry systems, clinical evaluations, water-quality analysis, postmortem techniques, interpretation of findings, and principles of health management. The 103-item problem list follows a logical stepwise diagnostic protocol outlined under the clinical evaluation section. Coverage of specific problems includes information on prevalence within groups of fish, useful diagnostic methods, typical historical information and physical examination findings, treatment options, and, when applicable, concise comments on agent life cycles, epidemiology, and disease pathogenesis. The final subject area begins with general concepts of treatment and concludes with an extensive pharmacopoeia, which is made all the more useful by providing dosing information on the basis of both metric and English units that greatly simplify treatment calculations. Reasonably priced, this comprehensive text is a useful addition to the library of any veterinarian engaged in fish medicine and diagnostics.—By Edward J. Noga. 519 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-0697-6. 2010. Price $124.99.
Pathogenesis of Bacterial Infections in Animals (4th edition)
Reviewed by Ronald D. Welsh, DVM, MS, DACVM, DACVPM
Veterinary medical education has led the medical professions in the intricate teaching of microbial pathogenesis of infectious diseases. The fourth edition of Pathogenesis of Bacterial Infections in Animals continues this legacy with introductory chapters regarding themes in bacterial pathogenic mechanisms, subversion of the immune response by bacterial pathogens, and the evolution of bacterial virulence. The updated text of the fourth edition will help readers better understand new technical terms, such as Toll-like receptors, type III secretion systems, lipooligosac-charides, and many other immunologic mechanisms. The book offers a comprehensive dialogue on bacterial virulence factors, such as adhesion, cell entry, host cell receptors, various toxins, plasmid influences, siderophores, cytolysins, and phospholipases. The remaining 28 chapters of this book are devoted to specific bacterial pathogens, including anaerobes, Leptospira spp, mycoplasmas, Chlamydia spp, and rickettsiales.
The authors of each chapter provide excellent descriptions of virulence factors, immunity, pathogenesis, disease control, vaccines, and the opportunity for future developments of each bacterial pathogen. For readers who desire to have up-to-date information on recent developments in molecular biology, the chapter on salmonellae offers a wonderful discourse of infectious disease, ranging from colonization, invasion, and pathogenesis to the development of immunity. This chapter is especially useful for a better understanding of the influence of bacterial genome structure on virulence by use of microarray assays to quantify genome variation. The chapter on Pseudomonas spp provides recent research findings regarding many up-to-date pathogenicity mechanisms and antimicrobial resistance factors. In addition, the chapter on Campylobacter spp and Helicobacter spp lists numerous new gastric and enterohepatic Helicobacter spp.
This book is an excellent text for graduate students in veterinary microbiology, pathology, pathobiology, and preventive medicine and veterinarians studying for related AVMA-recognized board certifications. The comprehensive and extremely current references with each chapter will be useful to those investigating the pathology and infectious diseases of animals. The book may be too advanced for a veterinary medical curriculum, and the price may be cost-prohibitive for a supplemental textbook.—By Carlton L. Gyles, John F. Prescott, J. Glenn Songer, & Charles O. Thoen. 643 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-1237-3. 2010. Price $199.99.
Schalm's Veterinary Hematology (6th edition)
Reviewed by Marlyn Whitney, DVM, PhD, DACVP
In the sixth edition of the classic Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, the editors have achieved their stated goal of making the extensive amount of information that is provided accessible, cohesive, and readable. Numerous contributing authors have lent their expertise to provide excellent in-depth coverage of topics. Outlines at the beginning of each chapter and cross-references among chapters are extremely useful to readers. New sections on Hematotoxicity and Quality Control and Laboratory Techniques are welcome additions. Sections on Laboratory Animal Hematology and Hematologic Neoplasia have been expanded and updated. Hematologic findings for > 30 species are included. The text includes > 500 images, which likely accounts for the relatively high price of the book. Almost all images and other illustrations are in color and are of very good to excellent quality. The information provided may be too extensive for the needs of most veterinarians in clinical practice, but the text should find a welcome home in the libraries of all clinical pathologists, other specialists with an interest in hematology, and anyone involved in hematologic research. It is essential reading for clinical pathology trainees. Some sections will also be useful to technologists who perform veterinary hematologic testing. Although the paper quality appears to be good and the paper has a finish that is easy on the eyes, durability of the binding may be an issue. The large size of the book makes it somewhat unwieldy and may contribute to stress on its spine and resultant cracking. Despite this flaw, I highly recommend this book to its intended audiences.—By Douglas J. Weiss & K. Jane Wardrop. 1,206 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-1798-9. 2010. Price $269.99.
Clinical Pathology for the Veterinary Team
Reviewed by Lois Roth-Johnson, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Clinical Pathology for the Veterinary Team will help experienced veterinary technicians set up various clinical laboratory diagnostic tests. It provides a good explanation of basic laboratory practices, the underlying concepts of many laboratory tests, and the physiology of common disease conditions. With the help of a laboratory instrument company and a veterinarian, veterinary technicians should be able to provide useful results for each of the tests included in the text.
The first chapter provides an overview of setting up an in-practice laboratory, creating standard operating procedures, maintaining proper quality-control methods, and determining reference intervals. The remaining 10 chapters are devoted to discussing laboratory testing and the physiology associated with the disease conditions. How-to details are provided for hematologic testing and urinalysis. The text is clearly written and, without going into great depth, provides an adequate explanation of physiology and common disease entities.
The appendix includes a summary of reference intervals, algorithms for testing, algorithms for patient assessment, and tables for interpreting clinical data. There is also a lengthy glossary of terms. An included CD-ROM provides cases that allow readers to practice assessing patient status, preparing problem lists, evaluating blood films (nice computer animation), and selecting and interpreting laboratory tests. Each case is adequately summarized.
A few typographical errors and mislabeled tables are easily detected and can be mentally corrected by readers. These minor flaws do not detract from the text's usefulness as a reference for an in-practice laboratory. This book is well worth the price.—Andrew J. Rosenfeld & Sharon M. Dial. 284 pages with CD-ROM; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-1008-9. 2010. Price $59.99.
BSAVA Guide to Procedures in Small Animal Practice
Reviewed by Heidi Norden Burnett, DVM, DABVP
Organized as a handy 1-stop cookbook, BSAVA Guide to Procedures in Small Animal Practice provides detail on 75 techniques performed on canine and feline patients during routine or urgent diagnostic testing and care. Its intended readership includes veterinary technicians, veterinary students, and practitioners who appreciate a quick review of more advanced procedures that they may perform infrequently The softcover spiral-bound format allows the guide to lay flat for ready reference, and the thumbable side-of-the-page alphabetic tab organization speeds up the process of looking up procedures.
A supplies list that accompanies each procedure allows efficient assembly of needed items. Detailed step-by-step instructions provide guidance sufficient to allow a relatively inexperienced or first-time user to complete the task with greater confidence. There are also useful photographs and line drawings that illustrate key points and provide tips to facilitate performance of the many described procedures.
Difficulty of the techniques varies widely, from basic venous blood sample collection to pericardiocentesis. Radiographic contrast techniques and minor surgical procedures, such as marrow aspiration and gastrostomy tube placement, are also included. It is a helpful guide, complete but not exhaustive, that provides a list of contraindications to streamline candidate selection and potential complications to facilitate obtaining informed consent from clients.
The cost is a bit high for a softcover format that will likely be subjected to rough handling in urgent care and hectic practice settings. However, the overall convenience of having indications and contraindications, clear visual illustrations, supplies lists, tips, and reference values available in such a handy guide should result in this book being used by many busy companion pet practices.—By Nick Bexfield & Karla Lee. 238 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-1-905319-17-6. 2010. Price $100.00.
Clinical Endocrinology of Dogs and Cats: An Illustrated Text (2nd edition)
Reviewed by David S. Bruyette, DVM, DACVIM
The first edition of Clinical Endocrinology of Dogs and Cats: An Illustrated Text in veterinary endocrinology appeared in 1994. In the intervening 16 years, a great deal of information has become available and the second edition of Clinical Endocrinology of Dogs and Cats: An Illustrated Text reflects these advances. From the molecular to the clinical, each chapter has been revised and new chapters have been added in an attempt to provide veterinary students, interns-residents, and clinicians with a complete textbook covering the field of small animal endocrinology and reproduction.
The book begins with introductory chapters on hormone action and the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The book is organized by organ systems. Each chapter reviews endocrine physiology and then covers diseases associated with hormone excess or deficiency. The writing is consistent from chapter to chapter, and a concerted effort has been made to minimize duplication from one section to the next.
The authors and their colleagues at Utrecht University have long been considered leaders in the field of veterinary endocrinology, especially with respect to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and hyperadreno-corticism. Some readers not familiar with information published outside the United States may be surprised by the differences in emphasis and approach to the diagnosis and treatment of many of the common endocrine disorders seen in clinical practice. For example, the diagnostic approach for patients with suspected hyper-adrenocorticism that emphasizes basal and provocative urinary cortisol testing and the use of transsphenoidal hypophysectomy as the treatment of choice for pituitary-dependent disease differs from the recommendations typically found in the United States. This should not be viewed as a negative because clinicians should be exposed to a wide variety of views and be willing to combine their clinical judgment and experience with the published data to reach their own conclusions.
The chapters on reproductive physiology and diseases are well written and comprehensive. This is also true for the chapters on protocols for testing of pituitary gland function, treatment protocols for pituitary gland and pancreatic disorders, and algorithms for polyuriapolydipsia, endocrine alopecia, and weight loss and breeding management of bitches.
This book is an excellent resource for all veterinary students and clinicians interested in endocrine physiology and diseases. It nicely compliments existing endocrinology textbooks.—By Ad Rijnberk & Hans S. Kooistra. 338 pages; illustrated. Thieme Publishing, 333 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10001. ISBN 978-3-89993-058-0. 2010. Price $180.00.
Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets (2nd edition)
Reviewed by Lisa P. Weeth, DVM, DACVN
The author has updated and expanded the original book to include more current research on the role of nutrition in health and disease in the second edition of Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets. This edition includes expanded chapters on feeding healthy dogs and cats for various life stages (gestation and lactation, growth, and geriatrics) as well as a new chapter on nutritional modifications for animals with cancer.
Although marketed as a guide to preparing diets at home for dogs and cats, a number of recipe errors make this book ill-suited for that purpose. The 2 errors causing the most concern are the recommendation for the use of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as the calcium source in many recipes and the recommendation for use of childrens' multivitamins-multiminerals (which often contain xylitol) in every recipe.
The second edition provides a more clinical approach to feeding dogs and cats than does the original textbook and could serve as a starting reference for nutritional management of disease. However, I would caution against the use of the recipes included for dogs or cats and instead would have veterinarians and pet owners refer to the partial list of nutrition services that is provided in the first chapter to obtain complete and balanced home-prepared recipes.— By Patricia Schenck. 546 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-0119-3. 2010. Price $49.99.
Clinical Canine and Feline Respiratory Medicine
Reviewed by Rhonda L. Schulman, DVM, DACVIM
Clinical Canine and Feline Respiratory Medicine is concisely written, easy to read, and up-to-date. There are many excellent photographs illustrating technical procedures and diagnostic findings. Techniques such as transtracheal wash and chest-tube placement are described in sufficient detail to enable practitioners to perform these techniques. The first few chapters address useful clinical tools, such as disease localization, respiratory diagnostic testing, and respiratory therapeutics. Disease localization is both crucial and challenging when dealing with respiratory disorders; physical examination findings are emphasized, which makes this chapter extremely practical in nearly all clinical settings. The chapter on diagnostic testing focuses on procedures such as pulse oximetry and imaging modalities that are widely available, and it also includes discussion of more advanced diagnostic techniques such as bronchoscopy. An overview of therapeutics is provided that details the pros and cons of various agents and delivery techniques. Later chapters are arranged anatomically and then subdivided on the basis of etiology. For each condition, there is a brief discussion of pathophysiology, history and signalment, physical examination findings, diagnostic tests, and treatment.
This textbook takes a sensible and functional approach to respiratory medicine and clarifies a subject matter many find confusing. This text is highly recommended for any small animal practitioner.—By Lynelle R. Johnson. 202 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-1671-5. 2010. Price $89.99.
Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care
Reviewed by Kate Hopper, BVSc, PhD, DACVECC
Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care is a new handbook-style textbook that is designed to be a quick reference for emergency room clinicians and practitioners dealing with medical emergencies. The book has an attractive layout that is easy to read and allows rapid access of the necessary information. The chapters are in alphabetic order, and the contents are conveniently both listed in alphabetic order and grouped by organ systems. For a compact, handbook-style textbook, the 114 chapters provide a comprehensive review of most of the common disease processes, injuries, toxicoses, and systemic abnormalities seen in emergency room patients and critically ill hospitalized small animals.
As with other Five-Minute Veterinary Consult texts, each chapter is divided into basic categories, such as Definition, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Therapeutics. The information under each category is largely provided in a bullet-point format, with numerous color photographs, useful tables, and black-and-white images. The editor and authors have done an excellent job of compiling up-to-date and relevant information and have provided all of the key details a clinician would need to reach an appropriate diagnosis and treat a patient. In addition, a suggested reading list is provided at the end of each chapter for readers who are looking for more information.
This textbook is an excellent addition to the existing resources available to small animal veterinarians. It is appropriately priced, and I expect it will become an essential resource for experienced emergency room veterinarians, new graduates, and practitioners who occasionally see animals with medical emergencies.— By Elisa M. Mazzaferro. 871 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-2043-9. 2010. Price $99.99.
Atlas of Small Animal Wound Management & Reconstructive Surgery (3rd edition)
Reviewed by Sean W. Aiken, DVM, MS, DACVS
The third edition of Small Animal Wound Management and Reconstructive Surgery is a well-organized text that outlines the process of wound care from basic initial management to complicated reconstructive techniques. The addition of color pictures to the treatment of specific wound types is a welcome addition to previous editions of the text. The book is well written, and the color figures compliment the text well. Throughout the text, the author includes information boxes to emphasize important points and to add personal observations based on his experience. These information boxes add a personal feel and welcome procedural tips to the text that will help novice surgeons.
The book is divided into 23 chapters; the first 5 chapters outline normal skin, basic wound healing, and wound management as well as materials used for wound care. Chapter 6 deals with wound complications, and chapter 7 is an excellent reference on treating specific types of injuries, ranging from projectile injuries to spider bites. Chapter 8 addresses regional considerations in which the author attempts to simplify choosing a closure technique on the basis of different regional anatomy with a techniques menu. Although I applaud the authors attempt to simplify the decision-making process, this section can be confusing. Chapters 9 through 11 address local skin closure techniques, whereas chapters 12, 13, and 16 address distant, axial pattern, myocutaneous, and muscle flaps. Several additional axial pattern skin flaps have been added since the second edition. Chapter 14 addresses skin grafts. Chapters 15 and 17 through 20 address facial, eyelid, nasal, and footpad reconstruction. Chapters 21 through 23 address cosmetic techniques as well as specific regional reconstructive and plastic procedures.
Overall, the third edition of this book is a valuable addition as a reference for experienced surgeons as well as a guide for surgical residents and general practitioners interested in wound management and skin reconstruction.—By Michael M. Pavletic. 680 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-1124-6. 2010. Price $159.99.
Multimodal Management of Canine Osteoarthritis
Reviewed by Robert McCarthy, DVM, MS, DACVS
Multimodal Management of Canine Osteoarthritis consists of 96 pages divided into 4 chapters. One hundred three figures and 24 tables are used effectively to augment the written text. The stated target audience is veterinary health-care professionals who seek to better understand the issues related to pain management associated with osteoarthritis in dogs.
The first chapter, Pain and Lameness, provides an excellent summary of current methods for diagnosing osteoarthritis, whereas the pathophysiologic processes and prevalence of osteoarthritis are reviewed in the second chapter. The title for chapter 3, Multimodal Management for Canine Osteoarthritis, is somewhat confusing because this is also the title of the book. It would have been more logical to divide the remainder of the text into chapters on the basis of the major components of multimodal treatments, such as medicinal, diet, weight control, and physical therapy. Chapter 3 includes discussions on drugs, neutraceuticals, diet, and acupuncture. The NSAIDs are reviewed extensively, but there is only a cursory mention of other drugs (such as tramadol, amantadine, and gabapentin) that have gained common clinical use in veterinary practice. Intra-articular treatment is not discussed. Chapter 4 is a good clinical summary of frequently used physical rehabilitation techniques.
Overall, this book is a useful addition to the library of any veterinary health-care professional. The subject is extremely timely and rarely discussed as a specific topic in other texts. This is not a reference that a practitioner could easily use to look up a specific suggested treatment for a condition they are managing (eg, arthritis of the elbow joint); rather, it is a text that would be read from beginning to end as a summary and update on recent methods for managing osteoarthritis in dogs.—By Steven M. Fox & Darryl Millis. 96 pages; illustrated. Thieme Publishing, 333 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10001. ISBN 978-1-84076-129-0. 2010. Price $69.95.
Chronic Pain in Small Animal Medicine
Reviewed by Alicia Karas, DVM, MS, DACVA
To the best of my knowledge, Chronic Pain in Small Animal Medicine is the first textbook solely devoted to chronic pain in animals. The author intended this book to go beyond current textbook chapters or reviews by creating a framework of mechanism, pharmacology, and pathology to enable readers to understand chronic pain states. Therefore, this is not a pocket guide to treating chronic pain; instead, the book contains an encyclopedic amount of information on basic, applied, and clinical research and concepts on chronic pain in humans and other animals. It provides a cross-species approach to construct evidence-based and best-practice methods of pain treatment, drawing on human data when needed. Readers should be forewarned that the physiology and treatment of pain is extremely complex, so readers should expect that they may have to work to assimilate the information. Each chapter is lavishly supplemented with diagrams and tables, which are particularly useful for visual thinkers and that will be bookmarked for rapid reference in the future. The chapters cover topics such as physiology, pathology, treatment of cancer and osteoarthritis pain, pain-relieving drugs, nonpharmacologic methods, and more. For such a unique book, it is priced modestly.
One of the problems inherent in writing a book on this subject is that the field changes so rapidly that it is impossible to keep any review unerringly current. Readers may find that they do not have enough familiarity with some terms, concepts, and experimental findings introduced in the book to permit adequate understanding without referring to the reference source, but a comprehensive glossary at the back of the book is a great help. Readers with an introductory background who seek a short course in veterinary pain will find this book extremely useful.—By Steven M. Fox. 256 pages; illustrated. Thieme Publishing, 333 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10001. ISBN 978-1-84076-124-5. 2010. Price $84.99.
Veterinary Anaesthesia: Principles to Practice
Reviewed by Lydia L. Donaldson, VMD, PhD, DACVA
For the most part, Veterinary Anesthesia: Principles to Practice is what the author intended it to be: a study aid for veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinarians working toward a certificate in veterinary anesthesia from the Royal Veterinary College of Surgeons. It covers the essential topics from the basics to the practice of veterinary anesthesia. The learning objectives at the beginning and questions and further reading at the end of each chapter provide focus. Interspersed with chapters on more traditional subjects are informational chapters that cover some practical aspects of clinical anesthesia, such as guidelines for analgesic infusions, recognition and management of perianesthetic problems, and the cardiovascular medications small animal patients may be receiving when admitted for anesthesia.
Several comprehensive chapters reach beyond basic student-level information but clearly reflect the author's enthusiasm for specific topics. The sections on pain, small animal sedation, neuroaxial anesthesia, fluid therapy, shock, and respiratory emergencies are exceptionally thoughtful. Other sections are merely bulleted lists or tables of facts. A disconcerting feature of this book is the lack of references. Although much of the information provided is general knowledge, in several instances new or controversial ideas are put forth without acknowledgment. The chapters on anesthesia of large animals and rabbits are standard fare, which suggests that the author has less firsthand information to share.
Clearly, a great deal of thought and hard work went into this very readable text. Despite some inconsistencies, it should be a valuable tool for veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and practitioners preparing for board-certification examinations in anesthesia.—By Alex Dugdale. 392 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-4051-9247-7. 2010. Price $64.99.
Service and Therapy Dogs in American Society: Science, Law and the Evolution of Canine Caregivers
Reviewed by Toni Eames, MS
In Service and Therapy Dogs in American Society: Science, Law and the Evolution of Canine Care-givers, the author (an attorney and therapy dog handler) has thoroughly researched state and federal laws pertaining to guide, hearing, and service dogs. The book is a handy guide to every legal document pertaining to service animals. Topics covered include canine caregiving and social recognition, serving individuals with physical and mental disabilities, therapy dogs and the therapy movement, living and traveling with service animals, antidiscrimination legislation and regulatory implementation, housing, taking service animals into schools, medical facilities, and the access rights of trainers. The social benefits of training, handling, and working with canine caregivers are thoroughly explored. The book benefits from appendices listing training programs by state, legal sources, and references and also includes a detailed bibliography. As good as this book is in describing the uses of assistance dogs, its primary function is as a legal-ready reference. Veterinarians interested in the law with regard to service animals will want to add this book to their personal library.
Recognition of the role animals play in the human-animal bond has created a shift in society's tolerance, acceptance, and acknowledgment of the capacity of dogs to contribute in meaningful ways to the lives of sick and institutionalized people. In fact, the outstanding forward of this book advocates expanding the use of therapy dogs in facilities and institutions.
Although the author discusses the difference between therapy dogs and service animals, readers are still left with some confusion. Under the Americans With Disabilities Act, a service animal is trained to perform a task related to the disabled partner's disability. For example, I am blind and my guide dog ensures that I can safely navigate my environment. Because I can hear, it is not necessary for my dog to alert me to the doorbell, a task that would be performed by a hearing dog for a hard-of-hearing partner. Well-trained therapy dogs most often work with nondisabled handlers and are not task trained to mitigate a disability, and they do not have public access rights. I also object to the author's use of the archaic term “master” rather than the preferred term “partner.”—By John J. Ensminger. 325 pages; illustrated. Charles C Thomas Publishers Ltd, 2600 S First St, Springfield, IL 62704. ISBN 978-0-398-07931-4. 2010. Price $47.95.
Xie's Chinese Veterinary Herbology
Reviewed by Rebecca L. G. Verna, MS, DVM
Xie's Chinese Veterinary Herbology provides a succinct and appropriate resource for veterinarians in small animal or equine practice who have an interest in expanding the services they offer to clients. The author's extensive background in teaching students at all levels allows him to guide readers and provide a rapid understanding of the process of diagnosis and a comfortable level for prescription of Chinese veterinary herbal formulas. This book will become an invaluable addition to the library of every growing veterinary practice in the United States.
I recommend that readers proceed by first studying the Introduction in Part One, then skipping ahead to Part Three and reading this short section straight through to obtain a basic understanding of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) in clinical practice. Once this educational portion of the text is absorbed, then the remainder of the book can be used as a wonderful in-depth reference that describes the use of each herb and herbal formula. The descriptions include excellent detailed drawings of many of the herbs and an easy-to-understand explanation of the TCVM properties and uses of every product as well as any cautions or possible interactions and adverse effects. Those with a more advanced background in the study of TCVM will find this extensive reference helpful as a review for building a solid foundation for TCVM diagnosis and for providing an in-depth understanding of the herbs and formulas to use. I know for certain that my volume will be used often and bookmarked for easy, daily use in my practice.
I encourage even beginning-level students of TCVM to seriously contemplate investing in this reasonably priced and expansive text, which I predict will quickly become the modern Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook of TCVM herbs in the veterinary world.—By Huisheng Xie & Vanessa Preast; illustrated by Barbara Jean Beckford. 612 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-0369-2. 2010. Price $129.99.
Principles of Equine Dentistry
Reviewed by Karen Gellman, DVM, PhD
The authors have collaborated on Principles of Equine Dentistry to provide a new basic equine dentistry textbook that is well illustrated and attractively priced. It covers both theoretical (evolution of equine dentition, embryology, and mastication biomechanics) and practical (radiology, regional and local anesthesia, periodontics, endodontics, and extraction techniques) topics in a straightforward manner. Although the language is more technical than a general practitioner would typically use, the terms and abbreviations are defined in the text. The information is accurate with a clear presentation, with many clinical tips interspersed among conceptual material. The table of contents and index are imminently usable.
An ample number of chapters is devoted to dental pathological conditions; however, I would have liked to see more emphasis placed on normal dental maintenance (ie, occlusal equilibration), which can prevent many of the more complex dental pathological conditions. In this 240-page book, only 10 pages are devoted to occlusal equilibration, which should be the most common dental procedure in most horses. Unless more equine veterinarians learn to provide accurate and skillful occlusal equilibration for every horse in their practices, nonveterinarians will step in to fill this need.
This book is a good starting point for any practitioner who would like to become more proficient in basic equine dental procedures. It does not provide the amount of detail found in the classic textbook of the field, which was written by Baker and Easley, but it is user-friendly, lightweight, and clearly organized and provides enough background information to help practitioners identify and ameliorate the most common dental pathological conditions.—By David O. Klugh. 240 pages; illustrated. Thieme Publishing, 333 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10001. ISBN 978-1-84076-114-6. 2010. Price $109.99.
Medicine and Surgery of Camelids (3rd edition)
Reviewed by David E. Anderson, DVM, MS, DACVS
The third edition of Medicine and Surgery of Camelids offers an updated version of the previous landmark texts with citation of important new literature. This version has been renamed from its previous title, Medicine and Surgery of South American Camelids, to reflect the inclusion of a large amount of information about camels. The text is of high quality; is well written, thorough but topically concise, and well referenced; and offers readers a multitude of tables, graphs, and color images to supplement the material. The target audience for the text is practicing veterinarians at all levels of experience with the species, but the breadth of information makes this a valuable reference for academicians, animal scientists, and researchers as well. General audiences will appreciate the detailed information regarding biology, evolution, and husbandry. Practicing veterinarians will find the sections on anesthesia and surgery readily applicable to field situations. Medical disorders are provided in traditional body systems format. This makes it easy to find information on specific disease entities and narrowly focused clinical signs (eg, diarrhea), however, it is more difficult to appreciate more complicated syndromes (eg, lethargy or weight loss) with this approach. The book was written by the author, except for the sections on reproduction and neo-natology, which were written by Dr. Walter Bravo, a widely known and respected expert on camelids. The chapters are extremely well referenced, and the material is authoritative. This textbook offers a definitive resource for veterinary care of camelids. It is obvious that the text has been expanded to include more information about camels and updated to include current literature, color images, and new treatments. The price is appropriate, and the book is well worth the price for the amount of information provided and the overall quality of the text.—By Murray E. Fowler. 630 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-0-8138-0616-7. 2010. Price $149.99.
Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach
Reviewed by Susan L. Ewart, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, and Madonna E. Benjamin, DVM, MS
Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach is aimed at individuals who will be putting livestock and food animal welfare programs into practice; thus, it will be of interest to livestock producers, farm managers, animal scientists, food systems veterinarians, and those interested in sharing information on livestock production with a public audience.
The book has contributions from 16 authors and takes a global approach to livestock welfare in both developed and developing countries. It contains 15 chapters that are followed by several pages of useful websites, which provide a valuable source of contact information for animal welfare-related agencies, societies, and organizations. The book is comprehensive for food animal species, with an emphasis on cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and poultry, and it uniquely includes information on the welfare of farmed fish. One chapter is devoted to working equids. The book has straightforward figures, tables, and photographs that illustrate welfare concerns and their solutions.
Stressed throughout the book is the importance of measures to improve animal welfare. The details of common farm practices, such as handling, procedures, transport, euthanasia, and slaughter, are discussed in terms of their implementation and the potential impacts on animal welfare. The author suggests opportunities to improve welfare in all aspects of the life cycle of production animals. Considerations for production in developing countries are highlighted, and simple solutions are provided. The close relationship between animal welfare and productivity is frequently underscored, thus appealing to practical and economic motivations for improving animal welfare. Overall, this book meets its goal of offering practical approaches to improving the welfare for livestock and food systems animals.—By Temple Grandin. 328 pages; illustrated. CABI, 875 Massachusetts Ave, 7th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139. ISBN 978-1-84593-541-2. 2010. Price $79.95.
