Review by Kathy Lyon (Click on stars for an explanation)

You may purchase this book on Amazon.com.

With 35 contributors, this book is more than just a nurse's (technician's) manual. Support staff must keep up with the veterinary profession, and the advances in equine medicine necessitated this update about the style and quality of support care. The book is written for the British market, so some extrapolation will be necessary to get past dosages, names of medications, and terminology. The book covers the syllabus for the new Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons equine veterinary nursing certificate.

The author states that the basics of equine care, bandaging, etc., are not included in the book, but instead, focuses on the art and science of the care of a sick horse or pony. I found this to be almost true throughout. It does go beyond the basics, and the information is presented in a logical and concise manner. The book is directed toward the technician or nurse, so is not as in-depth as a veterinary text. Each topic is greatly condensed, but still provides enough to enable the technician to become familiar with the subject. It does, the author's early statement notwithstanding, cover bandaging in the section on basic first aid.

The book begins with a chapter on Basic Management, followed by Anatomy and Physiology, Reproduction, Nutrition, Basic First Aid, General Nursing, Safety Management in the Practice, Basic Hospital Practice, Medicines and Their Management, Laboratory Diagnosis, Fluid Therapy, Medical Nursing, Foal Nursing, Lameness and Orthopedics, Diagnostic Imaging, General Surgical Nursing, and Anesthesia.

The book contains many tables to guide the reader, and highlighted text boxes bring attention to conditions, warnings signs, complications, and points of general importance. There are many photos and drawings that illustrate various conditions and procedures. Each chapter refers the reader to further reading material. Many techniques are illustrated, from washing an endoscope to splinting a leg. Even discussions with the client are covered under Basic Hospital Practice. Overall, I found it to be an interesting and informative book.

Published by Blackwell Science and distributed by Blackwell Publishing (2001).

464 pages, soft cover, black-and-white illustrations.

ISBN: 9780632057276.