What weighs eight pounds and has 1388 pages? The answer: the fourteenth edition of Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy; and what a treat. First to get the specifications out of the way, it must be acknowledged that the two editors in charge of this project have done a magnificent job of spearheading this project with DC Twedt being welcomed as the newcomer to this edition. There are over 300 contributing authors who have created 286 chapters which are further subdivided into thirteen sections; each section having a consulting editor who is recognized as a noted expert in the field covered by that particular section. The thirteen sections are as follows: Critical Care, Toxicologic Diseases, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Oncology and Hematology, Dermatologic Diseases, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Respiratory Diseases, Cardiovascular Diseases, Urinary Diseases, Reproductive Diseases, Neurological and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Ophthalmic Diseases, Infectious Diseases to be followed by forty Appendices (subdivided into three sets).
In addition to the magnificent content of this book, one cannot forget the attached electronic content. Each section is presented through EVOLVE with abbreviated content included. The same is true of the Appendices; however the content here is not abbreviated and holds a wealth of information for veterinarians and veterinary technicians alike. As with many Saunders-Elsevier textbooks, the owner of this book has password protected access to the EVOLVE free online resources (included within the purchase price).
The text of this book is supplemented with line drawings, EKG tracings, photographs, ultrasonographic and fluoroscopic images as well as MRI images. All of these illustrations and pictures are beautifully and professionally done with superb labeling. As mentioned earlier, there are 286 chapters; each is referenced as well as supplying the reader with a list of suggested readings for those who are interested in further study on the subject within the chapter of interest. In some chapters (though not all of them) there are also listings of web resources that may be of interest to the scholar and researcher. For those who may need a refresher on drug calculations there are worksheet pages for computations of calculations. One of the reviewer’s favorites is found in Chapter Three which deals with Nutrition in Critical Care; here the reader finds a worksheet for calculating total parental nutrition, something that can be mind-boggling, especially during a critical care situation. This worksheet and others should be reviewed by anyone preparing to take the VTNE, NAVLE, or State Board exams as well as the measurement conversion page at the end of the book. As a matter of fact, this entire book is loaded with great information that can be used to study for exams.
There are some changes that have come about with the 14th Edition. The editors have developed a vision to showcase and concentrate on the current veterinary therapy of canine and feline patients. For this reason, the section on Diseases of Birds and Exotic Pets has been abolished and the section addressing Special Therapies has been split up to reflect the therapies that are pertinent to various anatomical areas (i.e. cardiology, respiratory, musculoskeletal, etc.). Despite the fact that this book is dedicated to the veterinary care of canines and felines only, it is still a comprehensive one-stop text for those studying or researching specific topics of canine and feline medicine.
The reviewer feels this book deserves a 5 star rating, even though it may be a bit of overkill for veterinary technician students. Nonetheless, it is an extensive reference which veterinary technicians, veterinary students, and veterinarians alike will reach for again and again. On a personal note, the study of veterinary medicine has lost a luminary figure on January 19th of this year when Dr. Robert Kirk, the namesake for Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy passed away at the age of 88. Dr. Kirk himself edited the first ten editions of CVT as well as being the co-author of the most recognized text to deal with veterinary dermatology through six editions – Mullers & Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology. Clearly a man with a vision and a passion for all things pertaining to small animal medicine (and particularly dermatology) this reviewer would like to dedicate this review to the memory of Dr. Robert W. Kirk – a pioneer.
Publisher: Saunders-Elsevier (2009)
1388 pages, hard-cover
ISBN 13: 9780721694979