Abstract
This is a useful book based on a variety of clinical situations in small animal internal medicine. An impressive list of authors from veterinary schools, referral practices and diagnostic laboratories have produced the case material, and though some situations are duplicated, in general the spread of cases is very good. The cases are stand-alone and are not arranged in any particular order. As most readers will not be seeking specific information on a specific disease from a book such as this, that is not a problem. However, the editor has provided an index of specific organs or systems which is helpful in locating individual cases. There is also an index of laboratory normals as used throughout the text. The book itself comprises 196 cases, most of which are presented on half a page.
Each case is introduced with a brief history and appropriate illustration(s) of the animal and/or diagnostic images, results of laboratory testing, cytological preparations etc. Specific questions are then asked to direct the reader's thought processes through differential diagnosis, further investigation, therapeutic options or other management possibilities for each scenario. The answers are concise and relevant, helpfully supplied on the next page, which allows easy consultation without losing the reader's train of thought.
Most of the cases are pitched at a level suitable for veterinary surgeons in general practice, making this book an excellent refresher for the management of more challenging cases and a useful adjunct for study for those intending to sit the RCVS small animal medicine certificate. The relatively high cover price is presumably a reflection of the extensive use of colour, as is required for many of the illustrations. It is a pity therefore, that some of the illustrations, especially the cytology/haematology figures suffer from being very small.
However, despite this shortcoming, this book would make a useful addition to the practice bookshelf, being useful for both individual learning and perhaps for practice discussion around the individual cases.