Review by Kathy Lyon 
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You may purchase this book on Amazon.com. |
The book jumps right in with fecal examination, collection, storage, flotation, slides, centrifugal procedure, Direct and stained smears, and sedimentation.
Calibrating the microscope is explained, and there are measurements for comparison. Following this are numerous color photographs of slides and how to adjust the focus and calibrate the view. Included are hints on separating an actual parasite from a pseudoparasite.
Next is a description of parasites in grazing animals (ruminant and camelid). Again, many photos of the stages of these parasites are included. Drawings are included showing the various helminth ova and protozoan cysts of dogs, wolves, coyotes, and foxes. The same organisms are illustrated from cats. These drawings are followed up with photos for comparison.
The book is extremely useful for the well-rounded practice that sees a variety of farm animals as well as cats and dogs. The photos illustrate the organisms in ova, larvae, and adult form, as well as in damaged or hard-to-identify stages.
Next is a chapter on parasites affecting the urinary, reproductive, integumentary systems and the eye. Again, photos illustrate the salient points.
Next are blood parasites, including setting a slide and staining. Included in this section are blood parasites that infect African warthogs and other less common species confined to specific geographical locations. Included is a short section on birds.
The next section illustrates the many larger mites that infest animals, ranging from common ear mites to sarcoptic mange in an alpaca and including (but not limited to) mites found on Guinea pigs, mice, goats, and chickens. Numerous color photos will help to identify a large variety of mites in various stages, along with the resultant signs of infestation on the actual animals.
The section on ticks contains numerous photos of a large variety of ticks, lice, and assorted parasites infesting our livestock and humans. This section includes, just to name a few, slender pigeon lice and cuterebra, equine stomach bot, hypoderma grub, warble bot, ovine nasal bot, hippoboscid fly, illustration of fly blow, screwworm, black fly, and bedbug.
Parasites of fish completes this book. There are more in-depth books on fish, but this will give you the basics, including instructions on handling fish, collecting samples, and treatments.
This is a great book to have in the clinic library. Few books on parasites contain as many varieties of parasites and photos of their stages.
Wiley Blackwell, 2012
ISBN 978-0-8138-2052-8