Review by Kathy Lyon 
(Click on stars for an explanation) |
This book is Out of Print. |
Dean Percy is the former chair of the Pathology Department, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Ontario. Stephen Barthold is director of the University of California Center for Comparative Medicine, Davis, California.
This is a completely updated, concisely organized reference for today's common diseases in laboratory animals. Mouse pathology has experienced the greatest change, so it is emphasized in this edition. The book is designed to serve as a general reference text for veterinary pathologists, laboratory animal veterinarians, students, and others who may require information on the key diagnostic features, differential diagnoses, and significance of diseases that affect commonly used laboratory animals. Infectious diseases are emphasized because of their importance and because there are few other texts that provide an overview of infectious diseases from a diagnostic perspective. The book features all new material on transgenic animals, and suggestions for further reading at the end of every section, listed by specific disease.
Over 300 illustrations complement this instructional text. I did spot one photo that I believe was printed upside down, but all of the photos are clear and well-described.
Each chapter contains a section of various disease processes: bacterial, viral, mycotic, and parasitic. There are sections on behavior-related disease, aging and degenerative disorders, and neoplasms, but not every topic in covered within every species chapter. For example, in the section on gerbils, it is stated that there are no reported viral infections in gerbils. (The author intimates that this is a lack of research rather than a lack of viral infections.) The section on hamsters contains a chapter on bedding-associated dermatitis. The section on rabbits also includes barbering and trichobezoars - common problems of house rabbits. Malocclusion is discussed for several of the species, as many laboratory animals are subject to this problem. The book is organized in a style that allows easy access to information, but the authors admit to the imperfection of this scheme, as nature does not always lend itself to orderly presentation of subject material.
Blackwell Publishing (2001).
ISBN: 9780813825519.
Reviewed 1/10/2001.