Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

I have 4 rescued border collies of various ages and backgrounds, who like many of you, couldn't imagine life without them. They are all on a health plan with a local vet, and receive the best of care and nutrition.I am here to share a recent experience with you to illustrate how crucial this book is for any dog owner!!One of my dogs, a 5 year old, was gaining weight, changing in his demeanor and becoming lazy and passive. Just not himself for the last 6-9 months or so. He had his yearly exam and blood work done in Dec. Nothing remarkable, Vet noted his weight gain.A few months back I noticed also that his tail fur appeared to be thinning. Nothing obvious like patches, etc, I chalked it up to his weight gain and thought to myself it just looks smaller due to his weight gain.Over the past few weeks I had noted even further thinning of the tail fur and was now convinced that he was losing tail fur. So, I did a Google search on thinning tail fur, and through some forum threads and blogs, had narrowed it down to Cushings Syndrome or hypothyroidism.I then pulled this book from the book shelf to learn about both. First checked Cushings...seemed far fetched, not real applicable.Turned back one page and there was Hypothyroidism. It clearly and concisely gave me exactly what the symptoms are, what the vet would do to check it, and treatment.Just what you would expect from a book of this sort...BUT...HERE is where the REAL story begins, read on dear reader. :)So, reading the book, I was convinced my dog should be tested for hypothyroidism.In the book, one of the possible precursors to HT (hypothyroidism) is a high cholesterol reading.Also in the book, it says the test for HT is the Total T4. If this comes back low, the results must be narrowed with an FT4, or there are other blood tests which can also more accurately detect the thyroid condition. The book details these.My wife usually deals with the vet, so I asked my wife to call the vet and ask what the cholesterol reading was from his Dec blood work. Vet said it was normal, and asked why. Wife said "K is concerned about Fido, and wanted to know if it was high as a possible indicator of HT, concerned about his weight gain, his tail fur loss, etc"Vet says "cholesterol has nothing to do with HT, don't know what book HE'S reading..."Wife says "Well, he wants you to run a Total T4 immediately, when can we bring him in?"We bring him in, blood is drawnI receive voicemail from Vet 3 days later: "Hello, this is Dr Anonymous calling back about your dog Fido. Yes...and to let you know, uh...er that yes, we...the test is true...Fido does have hypothyroidism...this explains a lot about his weight gain an lethargy. I'm going to prescribe a treatment...he should lose that weight soon, his fur will come back full, and he will regain his energy, etc"Umm...yeah.....that BOOK you asked about earlier...DOC...?? THIS is THAT book.So, I know, long story...but I thought the irony of a Dr snarkily asking my wife what book *I* was reading from...and the days later fumbling over his words to leave the message that, basically...I was right, and he would begin treatment.That feels great, but it's NOT about this guy's abilities as a vet, or me being right.What it IS about is pointing out that, even with a health plan, and everything you all do for your dogs, at the end of the day, it is really up to YOU, their guardian, bestest friend, and the head of their forever family, to make sure they get the care they deserve.I don't know why the vet missed it, or didn't diagnose it himself in Dec. I'm not casting judgment on him. I can only say that because.of the information in this amazing book, I was able to proceed with an appropriate course of action, in conjunction with my vet, to get my dog fixed.Fido, in one month of treatment, has lost much of the weight he put on, his tail is filling back out, his eyes sparkle with youth again, and he is like a whole new dog again!I use this book for all sorts of things big and small. The information is laid out perfectly, as you'd expect with a reference book of this nature. It is both very technical and easy to read. It is very well presented, and the indexes are very thorough and complete.If you are hesitating on this book, don't! Your 4 legged buddies really depend on you, and this book really delivers both peace of mind for you, as we l as knowing when, and how, to act when needed. You can speak knowledgeably to your Vet on any issue with this book in your library.Thanks for reading, I hope it was beneficial, particularly for those on the fence about buying this brilliant book.

This book is amazing, highly informative with a super quick reference in the front so you can find anything you need. and once you do find it, it has at home remedies and tells you when to take to the vet and if your dog is sick enough to go to the vet, this book explains what you need to know so you can be informed.this book will keep you informed on various items including:-various internal parasites and there public health hazards-various external parasites (including fleas) and their public health hazards-emergency care in case your dog is bitten, crushed, burned, and so much more!this is an unbiased opinion, just a regular customer looking to take better care of dogs.

An earlier edition of this book (2nd) was my very first book, along with one on the Siberian Husky, of course (when I adopted my first sibe). The "Dog Owner's Home Veterninary Handbook 4th Ed" is an outstanding reference for all dog parents; whether you are using the holistic or traditional approach with their general care. The 2nd Edition (1992) I loved, and it got used and abused, since I refered to it many times. This 4th Edition (2007) has all the great useful resources as the 2nd, but with more up to date information.This is a very comprehensive and informative "nose to tail guide" for your dog & covers just about everything you can think of; including: emergencies, parasites, infectious diseases, the skin & coat, the eyes, the ears, the mouth & throat, digestive system, respiratory system, ciculatory system, nervous system, musculoskeletal system, urinary system, sex & reproduction, pregnancy & whelping, pediatrics, tumors & cancers, geriatrics and medications along with other useful information & resources.Nothing replaces having a good family veterinarian for your dog, but this book is a great guide to help you communicate better with your vet. Whatever concerns you may have with your dog, you will most likely be able to find a good baseline in this book. It's a great tool for helping figure out what might be the issue, give an idea of what type of treatments your dog may need & even give some helpful information on what you may be able to do prior to seeing the vet (or while waiting to get seen; if, of course, it's not a concern for an emergency visit).Overall, the more informed you can be about your pet's health, the better off your dog is. When we are able to do a little researching ourselves (and this handbook is very convenient as a research tool), recognise what is and isn't healthy and discuss these with our pet's vet, this also helps the vet with our dog's care and well being...in many cases, it can also help reach a diagnosis faster...this in turn, means your dog receives the appropriate care much sooner than later.Each chapter is rather informative, and goes into detail that the layman (non profesional) understands. I wouldn't recommend this book for any in depth nutritional information, but the brief information provided is fair for general basic knowledge (and shouldn't offend even the holistic). This handbook should be looked at as a guide and resource. It's not an only book you'll ever need, but it is a very good one to have in any dog parent's collection.