Donnelly is a laboratory animal veterinarian and Founding Member of the Kenneth S. Warren Institute, Ossining, NY. He was until recently a consulting clinician to the Avian & Exotic Pet Services at the Animal Medical Center, New York, NY.
Since John Harkness and Joseph Wagner, two laboratory animal veterinarians, published the first book on exotic pet medicine in 1977 (ref. 1), there has been an exponential increase in the number of books on this subject. Books about exotic pets can be useful in a research setting, because not only do they describe unusual clinical diseases but they also provide treatment options. Despite the large number of books about exotic pets now available, only a small number are useful to the laboratory animal veterinarian or practicing clinician. Too many laboratory animal veterinarians or pathologists who write chapters in new books about medicine of exotic pets are not knowledgeable about common problems seen in clinical situations or the latest treatments. Therefore, it is a pleasure to report that nearly all the authors included in the 4th edition of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Manual of Exotic Pets are highly regarded, practicing clinicians.
The BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets (4th edn.)
Edited by Anna Meredith and Sharon Redrobe Iowa State University Press, 2002 Price: $100.00
Softcover , 312 pages
ISBN: 0905214471
Like all BSAVA manuals, the Manual of Exotic Pets is printed on letter (A4)-size pages, allowing for easy photocopying. The Manual of Exotic Pets contains more than 200 quality color images. Most of the 24 chapters have comprehensive tables of common clinical signs, differential diagnoses, laboratory values, and treatments. References are current and include recommendations for additional reading. Changes since the 3rd edition include new chapters on avian clinical anatomy and diagnostic imaging, as well as a 12-page detailed cross-referenced index. As well-respected clinicians and teachers in the United Kingdom, the editors, Sharon Redrobe and Anna Meredith, demonstrate their strong clinical foundation in the choice of authors and revisions.
Three chapters cover diagnostic imaging of mammals, birds, and herps, which are often excluded from standard radiology and ultrasonography texts. The chapter on mammalian imaging focuses on radio-graphic skills such as positioning, equipment, and contrast techniques, especially for diagnosing common problems with rabbits and rodents. For example, the authors describe nasolacrimal duct contrast in rabbits, an easy and useful technique for dental problems and oculonasal discharges. Included are 27 detailed anatomical and diagnostic radiographs that illustrate common presenting signs and symptoms such as dental disease and abdominal 'problems'. The chapter on avian diagnostic imaging, which is organized by anatomical systems and abnormal appearances, is of a similar high quality, including 13 radiographic images and two pages on computed axial tomography (CAT) scans. The section on avian ultrasonography is extensive and encompasses clinical findings on major organ systems. The chapter on diagnostic imaging and anatomy of reptiles and amphibians, written by Roger Wilkinson and Sharon Redrobe, is the most succinct, practical discussion I have read to date on this subject.
The chapters on small mammals represent nearly half the content of the book. Included are rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, chipmunks, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, sugar gliders, prairie dogs, pygmy hedgehogs, South American short-tailed opossums, degus, duprasis, miniature pigs, and nonhuman primates. All of these chapters contain valuable information, but they vary in focus according to the writer's background. For example, the chapter on rabbits, written by practicing clinicians David Crossley and Anna Meredith, reflects a problem-oriented approach to rabbit diseases based on the authors' personal experience.
In a chapter on ferrets, Nico Schoemaker contrasts ferret diseases and treatment approaches in the United States with those in Europe. He includes a description of neutering and anal gland removal, which US textbooks almost never describe because ferrets sold in the United States are neutered and de-scented. Cathy Johnson-Delaney's chapter covering "[o]ther small mammals" includes sugar gliders, pygmy hedgehogs, prairie dogs, short-tailed opossums, degus, and duprasis. Of these species, four (prairie dogs, short-tail opossums, degus, and dupraisis) are sometimes used in research, but very little information about their diseases and treatment is available. Johnson-Delaney's chapter also includes citations from meetings about exotic pets that most databases do not list. In a chapter on nonhuman primates, Susan Thornton focuses on small South American monkeys, describing their husbandry, restraint methods, and common conditions.
Four chapters, or about one-quarter of the book, are devoted to birds. Nigel Harcourt-Brown reviews avian anatomy and physiology with superb line drawings, diagrams, and detailed photographs. Michael Stanford's chapter about aviary birds is a good overview of contemporary avian medicine; he focuses on psittacines, canaries, and finches, which are all commonly used as animal models for behavioral, neuroanatomical, and neurological development studies. Sharon Redrobe's chapter on racing pigeons is a much-needed addition to the general body of avian literature, because very little information is available about the diseases and treatments of these birds.
The final section of the book concerns reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. In an extremely useful chapter on tortoises and turtles, Stuart McArthur, Roger Wilkinson, and Michelle Barrows provide concise information on husbandry, great photographs on handling and venipuncture, and useful tables for history taking, examination, and significance of changes in hematology and biochemistry. David Williams' review of amphibians includes common research amphibians such as African clawed toads, frogs of the genus Rana, axolotls, and salamanders. The descriptions of husbandry, diagnostic approaches, and common conditions are general enough to be useful, especially in view of the absence of books on amphibian medicine, with the exception of the recent book by Wright and Whitaker2. Unlike most books about exotic pets, the BSAVA manual includes chapters on ornamental fish and invertebrates. The diagrams and photographs illustrate koi and goldfish.
As books on exotic pet medicine become more popular, veterinarians must become increasingly discerning in their selection of information about these pets. The BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets has many attributes that make it attractive for purchase in that it covers many species, the authors are enthusiastic and competent clinicians who summarize the information in easily accessible tables, and there are numerous high-quality color photographs and diagrams that complement the up-to-date text. The Manual of Exotic Pets is an excellent introduction to and comprehensive resource on exotic pet medicine.
