The Veterinarians' Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms

by Michael S. Garvey, Anne E. Hohenhaus, John E. Pinckney

The experts reveal how to interpret and understand your dog's symptoms
and what steps to take to ensure its health.

This comprehensive and practical book is designed to assist dog owners in understanding their pets' bodies and health based on signs and symptoms of disease, and in determining the most common medical problems that might cause particular symptoms.
        Adopting the "decision chart" format from popular symptom guides for human ailments, such as the American Medical Association's Guide to Your Family's Symptoms and Take Care of Yourself, five leading veterinarians have designed a user-friendly chart system that will guide a pet owner from noting the symptom and observing the dog's behavior to understanding the associated signs of an illness, the possible conditions, and the best steps to take. Filled with more than two hundred charts in an easy-to-follow two-color format and medical drawings, The Veterinarians' Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms is the indispensable reference for dog owners. It not only considers the problems of sick and injured pets, but also addresses the needs of healthy animals. It has all the information a dog owner

¸  What a healthy dog should look like
¸  Flow charts to the 150 most common symptoms
¸  Training and behavior issues, such as housebreaking and aggression
¸  Emergency first aid, including how to apply bandages and create
        a makeshift muzzle
¸  A glossary of veterinary diagnostic tests and medical terms

        With this unique combination of medical information and advice, plus an innovative chart system, The Veterinarians' Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms will enable pet owners to help their dogs live long, healthy, and happy lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1999

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the 1999 paperback. I bought it about 2006 full price it at Border's (remember that?) It has paid for itself more than a hundred times over (no exaggeration). When I used to write dog heath care articles, this was one of my primary reference materials.

This is NOT a comprehensive look at canine health. The book looks at a dog's most common symptoms and normal behaviors, so you know when to call the vet. There are also some first aid tips, such as how to give your dog eye drops. There are some general dog care tips, such as the importance of keeping fresh water available. There are also some gorgeous black and white illustrations.

The book's strength is in its excellent organization, making it quick and easy to find a symptom, see if it's paired with other symptoms, to let you know to get the dog to the vet immediately, or if it can wait.

There's also a nice glossary of common terms used by veterinarians, so you know right away what he or she is talking about.

What I liked best about this book is that it lists health problems of North America's most common dog breeds -- or, most common dog breeds as of the late 1990s. That list paid me well for many years. It may not have your dog's breed in it. I lived with Hugo, my Chinese Crested, for 10 and a half years. His breed was not listed. He died of what was suspected to be a particularly aggressive form of cancer.

If you have a mongrel and know some or all of the breeds in your dog's mix, then you can look to see what to expect and what you can possibly prevent. Small dogs, for example, are all prone to bad teeth, so regular brushing is a must.

I hope this book is updated someday, although most of the information is evergreen.