Reviewers Biography: This spiral bound, soft-cover book is part of the ever-growing Laboratory Animal Pocket Reference Series; a series which continues to revolutionize care, treatment, and handling of laboratory animal species (currently the Series boosts 13 titles). Although not small enough to qualify as a “pocket sized” reference, it will find a permanent place on the lab bench as the “go-to” text for lab personnel.
The book is presented in five comprehensive, well-organized sections of information:
· General Approaches to Critical Care
· Critical Care Management for Laboratory Mice
· Critical Care Management for Laboratory Rats
· Special Considerations for Critical Care Management of Laboratory Rodents
· Resources and Additional Information
Although each section has an average of ten sub-sections, the information is presented in a no-nonsense, concise manner with no room for “fluff” (no pun intended).
While the reviewer would never endorse plagiarism of information, the number of tables and charts relating to a variety of assessments provide wonderful resources for the creative technician interested in making reference posters to use within his/her facility. Other drawings and pictures make this a fun and engaging book to use in the workplace and are aptly credited as originally coming from many outstanding, recognized experts such as a hand drawn schematic for assessment of mouse body conditioning score. The photographs within this book are limited for the most part to techniques and procedures as well as symptomatic documentation and are quite helpful in support of comparisons, written instructions, or descriptions.
In addition to being the aforementioned “go-to’ book for practicing veterinary technicians engaged in laboratory medicine, the presentation of reference material makes it a terrific resource for veterinary technician students, writers and educators. Each chapter is heavily referenced providing anyone who is trying to locate references on a specific lab animal topic with a gold mine of material at his/her fingertips. Additionally, the fifth section is all about resources and useful information on the field of laboratory medicine including groups, memberships and other continually evolving resources to be tapped. As someone who loves to exercise the pen and keyboard, this reviewer found the book to be a cornucopia of material that is up-to-date and pertinent to any article, lab exercise or other writing project to be undertaken on the subject of lab animal medicine. For this reason, the book is of use to anyone engaged in any facet of veterinary technology or laboratory animal medicine as an educator, veterinary technician, veterinarian, or support person, and is a solid 5 out of 5 star rating.
Publisher: CRC Press, 2014
ISBN13: 978-0-8493-8499-4
VIN Bookstore: Currently unavailable