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

You may purchase this book on Amazon.com.

This is a very thorough text on anatomy, common diseases and customary treatments. Technician duties are nicely covered and explained, including biopsy techniques, fluid collection, and skin and hair analysis.

The book opens with a ready-reference of medical acronyms and abbreviations followed by general horse management. This section includes essential topics such as restraint, tattoos and microchips, and transportation.  Nutrition is also discussed; although such care would normally be the responsibility of the owner or practice manager, the technician will be well enough informed so as to be able to monitor feeding.

The section on equine reproduction is very thorough. The trained technician will be able to assist in most aspects of breeding, both natural and artificial.

The section on anatomy is excellent and covers each system, including related problems. Following that, a section on wellness and prevention discusses immunizations, parasites, dentistry, and health care for neonates. This leads the reader into the following section on foal care.

The section on pharmacology covers drugs, dosages, administration, and use. The chart on commonly used antibiotics is a useful reference.

Perhaps most useful to the technician is the section on laboratory testing. Good sample collection is essential to good diagnoses. Some color photos of slides are shown in the center section containing the color photos.

Equine anesthesia is also discussed. It often takes several people to induce a horse, and the technician should be informed as to speed of reaction and the steps to prepare a horse for surgery or treatment. This section explains the various types of anesthesia, from partial (local) to full anesthesia, how they work and what to expect during and following the procedure (recovery).

The section on surgical assistance will be of great interest to technicians, as this may be a large part of their experience. Common instruments are illustrated and their use is explained.

The chapter on nursing care will be essential for the resident technician. Blood collection, fluid administration, oral medication, fluid administration, and monitoring the critical patient are all discussed.

This should be a must-have for the technician wishing to work in an equine hospital. Likewise, it will be useful for technicians already so employed.

Wiley-Blackwell (2009).

Soft cover, 402 pages.

ISBN: 978-0-8138-2971-5.