Abstract
This book is a combination and update of two previously published texts by the same author. For the most part this reference meets the goals stated in the forewords and preface. As promised, the text focuses on domestic animals with a weight towards dogs and cats. There is a small amount of material on non-mammalian species, but it is not laid out as a specific chapter on avian or reptilian hematology. The atlas component focuses on the abnormal more than providing and reviewing the variations of normal, which I personally look for in an atlas.
Overall, the text is a well organized and has easy-to-read pathophysiology discussions with corresponding images/illustrations. It progresses in a logical manner and subjects are easy to find. Appropriate for the goal of the book, therapeutic options are not offered.
It is a good entry level hematology text for general practitioners, veterinary students and residents primarily because it is a nice sized text, the price point is excellent, and it contains valuable information for veterinarians and technicians. Clinical pathologists and residents will likely appreciate the bone marrow examination and bone marrow disorder chapters, as they provide additional information and images complementing other reference material. The majority of images are of good quality.
The images in the leukocyte and the bone marrow chapters are superior to some of the erythrocyte images. There are extensive images of abnormal leukocytes. Electron microscopy images are extremely interesting and help relate the two-dimensional image of erythrocyte morphology seen under the microscope to the actual three-dimensional reality. In some respects I believe extra images could have been considered in addition, or perhaps in lieu, of the electron microscopy images to make the atlas component more complete while still keeping the text concise.
Many of the images are close up and very detailed. Lacking is a page dedicated to normal images at a standard 100× objective which would be desirable in an atlas. There is no image of normal cat blood at a normal 100× objective. Furthermore, the vast majority of the pictures fail to note the size or objective at which the image was created.
As an atlas geared also towards students/technicians reviewing blood smears it would have been helpful to have the toxicity grading table (originally provided in the blood film review chapter) again noted in the chapter entitled ‘Evaluation of leukocyte disorders’ alongside corresponding images of toxic leukocytes.
There are some images/case examples of less common clinical cases that are useful for those in the specialty or advanced training, but may be rather obscure for the general practitioner or technician. In contrast, there is a large amount of concise and very practical information on common bench-top hematology testing. Many comments regarding how artifacts or sampling can affect the results are included.
The bibliography is extensive and has references from within the last year. The algorithms in the appendix are a handy ‘go to’ tool for working through differentials. There are expanded tables of reference intervals for young dogs and foals in the first year of life. There are case studies which are interesting; it would have been nice to have the diagnosis listed on separate page for self-review challenge.
Overall, I believe this text would be a valuable addition for those looking to expand their hematology reference library.