Guest Review by Ned Gentz, MS, DVM, DACZM (Zoo, Wildlife) 
(Click on stars for an explanation) |
This book is Out of Print. |
A textbook of this type has been, in my humble opinion, long overdue. Similar formularies do exist, the best most likely being the Handbook of Wildlife Chemical Immobilization by Kreeger, et al., but it is just that, merely a handbook. Similarly, Dr Fowler’s Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine books address some of these same topics, but in nowhere near the depth and breadth of this volume. The second editor listed above, Dr. Darryl Heard, is a VIN consultant who often comments on the boards on anesthetic matters.
This multi-author volume contains 60 chapters divided into six sections. Section I covers pharmacology and drug delivery. The opening pharmacology chapter is an excellent review and introduction to the rest of the text. Section II covers supportive care, monitoring, and complications such as stress, hyperthermia, and capture myopathy. Section III covers physical restraint and is just a tad redundant, as most of the subsequent species-based chapters also cover this topic. Section IV covers invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Section V covers birds, differentiating between cage birds, waterfowl, and ratites. Section VI is the largest section, with 35 chapters devoted to various mammalian groups.
While not every chapter touches each of these topics, subjects commonly discussed in most of the chapters include relevant clinical anatomy and physiology, physical restraint, blood collection, venous access, pre-anesthetic considerations, oral/parenteral/inhalant drug choices, anesthetic induction/maintenance, intubation techniques, monitoring, supportive care, and recovery. The illustrations, although not overly abundant, are very useful, and informative tables abound. One topic mentioned in passing, that I would have liked to have seen addressed in greater depth, is the training of animal species in order to obviate the need for anesthesia for routine medical procedures.
Quibbling aside, this text is an outstanding work and the result of a great effort by a large number of very qualified chapter authors. It is full of useful tidbits. Although I have had the pleasure of working with many of the species covered in this text, I am not experienced with tenrecs, aardvarks, or walruses. This book will certainly assist me with such species in the future, if the need arises. This book is recommended for zoo/wildlife veterinarians, wildlife biologists, wildlife rehabilitators, and veterinarians or veterinary student with an interest in such species and techniques. It belongs in every zoo and veterinary school library and it should be considered essential for ACZM board examination preparation.
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing (2007).
Hard cover, 718 pages.
ISBN 978-0-8138-2566-3.