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The first edition of this text was published over ten years ago. There have been many advances in cardiorespiratory since then and this text has been updated to reflect those advances. This second edition covers all aspects of cardiorespiratory medicine and is divided into five parts. The first section of the book covers clinical problems with discussions on respiratory distress, coughing, syncope, and cardiac murmurs. Included (as seen through-out the text) are easy to follow lists and flow charts to assist with the diagnosis of the cause of these clinical signs. While veterinary technicians of course do not diagnose, these tools will help in their understanding of the care that their patients may require. The chapter on cardiac murmurs includes several figures of the heart that illustrate the cause, making it easier to understand the pathophysiology of a specific murmur.
The second section covers diagnostic techniques and includes a wide range of subject matter. From the more basic topics of physical exam, electrocardiography, radiology, and blood pressure measurement to the more complex echocardiography, CT, and MRI, everything is covered most succinctly. The remaining sections are dedicated to cardiorespiratory diseases and therapy with the first two chapters discussing respiratory pathophysiology and heart failure in a broader sense. There is also an in-depth chapter that covers cardiac arrhythmias with ECG examples and a discussion that includes causes, ECG characteristics, and clinical features. The medical management of these diseases is covered in the following four chapters. The remaining chapters are dedicated to specific diseases such as: infective endocarditis, tracheobronchial disease, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, and cardiomyopathies. Unlike the previous topics, therapy is included within the same chapter.
This text covers a wide range of topics and would be valuable to veterinarians and veterinary technicians working in any practice that sees canine and feline patients. Besides the obvious usefulness in the clinical setting, this text would equally useful to the teaching community. The chapters covering clinical problems and diagnostic techniques all begin with a discussion of basic principles, covering topics such as breathing patterns, mucous membrane color, types of stethoscopes, and restraint and positioning for radiographs. This aspect of the text makes it a good resource for veterinary technician educators.
Wiley and Sons (2010)
316 pages, soft cover
ISBN-10: 9781905319121
ISBN-13: 978-1905319121