The Bottom Line
Pros
- Detailed, helpful illustrations
- Color-coded sheets and "Emergency!" notebook at start of most chapters
- Good range of questions and answers for each topic
- Nice coverage of several pet insurance plans
- Helpful cross-referencing and index
Cons
- (minor) Orgnanized by body system and common names, must use index to find disease names
- Helpful web sites section limited in scope
Description
- The book is organized and laid out well - easy to find information and tips
- Topics "flow" nicely from one question to the next.
- The blue pullout quotes offered helpful info on everything from how to treat cancer, dealing with phobias and cleaning ears.
- There are no photos in the book, but the illustrations are well done and informative.
Guide Review - The Complete Healthy Dog Book by Betsy Brevitz DVM
The author of this book, Betsy Brevitz DVM, mentions in the introduction that she wanted a "crib sheet" to refer to in the exam room or when words failed her describing a complex disease or emergency situation. That is an apt description of this book, as it is a very complete quick reference guide both for veterinarians and dog lovers.
In this book, she discusses common (and some not-so-common) situations involving life with dogs and guides the reader to recognize if it is an emergency or "can wait until normal business hours" situation. There, are of course, recommendations throughout the book advising people that it is never "wrong" to call your vet, and you should, anytime you have a question about your pet's health.
The topic titles and reader questions are well-written and kept me turning pages throughout the book. This is essential in my opinion. Why? Because while this is a great reference book to turn to with a specific question, it is also valuable to hold the reader's interest even on topics they aren't specifically interested in; you never know when the information will come in handy. Awareness of diseases and "what can go wrong" (i.e. when a dog eats a sock) make people better pet advocates and observers.
I found the page references in the main body of text as well as the index in the back of the book very helpful. There is a lot of information packed in these pages, and it would be easy to feel lost, but these references helped keep the information readily accessible.
