Review by Kathy Lyon (Click on stars for an explanation)

You may purchase this book on Amazon.com.

This is an excellent book. It takes you through the examples and diagnosis of abuse, neglect, or non-accidental injury. The chapter on fundamentals of animal abuse include physical, sexual, emotional abuse as well as neglect. The book is directed toward preparing the veterinarian for diagnoses and testimony regarding abuse cases. Several issues are covered, including the link between animal and human abuse.

The chapter on non-accidental injury discusses how the veterinarian can diagnose intentional injury as opposed to true accidents. A checklist of sorts will help the clinician to evaluate animals suspected of being abused.

Following that, a chapter on writing reports will assist the clinician in preparing for a court/criminal case testimony.

The following chapter reveals how to apply diagnostic skills to neglect cases.

The book has color photos of a wide variety of injuries to animals and the signs that revealed them to be abuse. There are paragraphs on each type of injury and how it was diagnosed.

This is not a big book, but it is filled with information and should be on your reference shelf. Information is provided on how to identify beatings, electrocution, choking/smothering, crush asphyxia, drowning, poisonous gas, bullet wounds, microwave burns, scalds, burns, knife wounds, bruising, fractures, and more.

Saunders Publishing (2008).

Hard cover, 106 pages, fully indexed, color photos.

 ISBN: 9780702028786.