Ultimate Dog Care: A Complete Veterinary Guide (For Dummies (Pets)) [Hardcover]

Sue Guthrie (Author), Dick Lane (Author), Geoffrey Sumner-Smith (Author)

Book Description

Series: For Dummies (Pets) | Publication Date: December 29, 2001

Expert guidance on training and caring for canine friends.

How can you get your dog to behaveoand give him the best quality healthcare available? This indispensable guide by three experts provides the answers. More than that, its visually appealing format makes it a reference guide and coffee table book all in one! It features:
* The latest information on health and nutrition
* Savvy strategies for grooming, exercise, and obedience
* Expert housetraining tips
* Hundreds of color photographs and detailed black-and-white illustrations

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Written by leading veterinary specialists in the UK and North America, Ultimate Dog Care is the most comprehensive and accessible book of its kind — a must-have for every caring dog owner. Starting with the dog's origins and evolution, The Wolf's Descent analyses the dog's physiological and psychological make-up, and shows how our dogs have carried some of their wolf ancestry with them to the present day. A chapter devoted to the Healthy Dog examines the signs of good health and ill health, and gives detailed information on preventative care and first-aid. The major systems are investigated, including the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, and the skin. This information is contributed by specialists who combine comprehensive coverage of injury and disease with practical advice on diagnosis, treatment, and everyday care. The dog's skeleton and musculature are described in Canine Structure, and associated diseases and disorders are tackled as well. The chapter also deals with the dog in motion and includes an analysis of different gaits. The canine senses, brain and nerve control, hormone control, plus learning and behavior, are examined in The Dog's World. The reader learns how each system functions, and expert advice is given on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of related disorders. The Next Generation looks at breeding and reproduction, followed by A Question of Inheritance, which examines genetics. Whether you want to find out more about limiting hereditary diseases in your breed, or would just like to know how two black dogs can produce yellow puppies, this chapter provides fascinating insight. For those who enjoy the challenge of working their dogs, the Canine Athlete examines training and fitness regimes for all types of dog — from the Agility hobbyist or ‘weekend gundog’ through to the top racing Greyhound or full-time scent hound. Finally, Alternative Approaches delves into the fascinating world of complementary treatments, ranging from acupuncture/acupressure, and herbal medicine, to Bach flower remedies, radionics, and canine physiotherapy. Practical Guides are featured throughout Ultimate Dog Care. These give hands-on advice to show readers how they can attend to various aspects of looking after their dogs. Whether it's working out the contents of a canine first-aid kit, planning worming programs, or how to bandage a wound, these guides provide hands-on advice that show readers how they can attend to various aspects of looking after their dogs. Illustrated with more than 300 colour photographs and detailed line drawings, Ultimate Dog Care is a must-have for every dog owner in the 21st century.

From the Back Cover

Ultimate Dog Care

• The definitive study of dog care in all its aspects, written by an international panel of specialists in canine medicine, psychology, physiology, performance and maintenance.
• More than 20 veterinary surgeons and other experts have contributed to Ultimate Dog Care, providing a unique pool of knowledge and experience.
• Ultimate Dog Care...says it all. If you only ever buy one book about dogs, this should be it.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House; 1 edition (December 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764563408
• ISBN-13: 978-0764563409
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,055,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem for any dog owner!, July 21, 2006

By 

Susan "Tornado Chi's" (Tornado, WV USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Dog Care: A Complete Veterinary Guide (For Dummies (Pets)) (Hardcover)

I had never seen this book and bought it blind on marketplace and all I can say is WOW! I wish I would have bought it sooner!!

It contains 12 chapters
~The wolfs descent
~The healthy dog
~Feeding and nutrition
~Canine structure
~Life support systmes
~The respiratoty systam
~The dogs world
~The skin
~The next generation
~The question of inheritance
~The Canine athlete
~Alternative approaches

Each chapter is very detailed with many drawings and photos of a healthy dog and problems that can arise. This book has a good section on first aid and a supply list for your kit and advice on what to do at home on while in route to the vet. Detailed instructions on bandaging variuos parts of the body and the easiest way to give medicines (liquid, pill, topical)

Chapter on how to elvuate your dogs food and what each part of the digestive system does. Also, what each ingredent in food does for your dog at diffent stages in his life (puppy, adult, senior).

Skeletal chapter very detailed showing normal bones and also problems in the bones and muscles. Detailed on many diesases that plague the bones with the appropate treatment listed.

Has a chapter devoted to the senses of the dogs and how problems in each sense affect the dog. Also covers behavioral problems in this chapter with ways to correct each problem.

Breeding chapter discusses pros and cons of breeding, spaying and neutering, natural breeding, artifical inseminaltion (very small section), ways to confirm pregnancy, whelping and complications.

Genetics chapter is a little more complicated, but has diagrams to help. Also has a chart of genetic defects in the dog and the mode of inheritance and age of onset.

Exercise chapter is a good outline for anyone with a sporting dog. (I have chi's so I didn't get much use from this one)

The book ends with alternative approaches showing different ways to deal with common problems. I have no idea if these work, but several vets wrote this book, so I assume it's pretty safe to say that they can't hurt, however in any medical emergency the only thing to do is rush to the vet, these are just suggestions which readers may find helpful for supportive therpy for non-life threatening problems.

Overall I rate this book very highly in my canine library. True, it is not the Mereck Vet Handbook, but for the average owner it is a great book with many photos and clear cut info.