Vet Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Protecting Your Pet's Health [Hardcover]

Louise Murray D.V.M. (Author), Mehmet Oz (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 24, 2008

From an experienced and highly respected authority in the veterinary world comes a comprehensive must-have guide to everything you need to know to ensure high-quality health care for your beloved animal companions.

Our pets mean the world to us and we go out of our way to pamper them, from gourmet cat treats to doggie daycare. We should, of course, also demand the very best when it comes to their health. But how do we choose the right veterinarian? How do we know if our pets are receiving proper medical treatment or the most effective therapy when they are sick?

Remarkable progress has been made in veterinary medicine, but there is still much disparity in the health care provided for pets. Dr. Louise Murray cuts through the confusion, addresses the common concerns of pet owners, and arms you with knowledge so you can avoid substandard care. Inside you’ll find information on

• how to choose a veterinarian
• what to look for during your pet’s exam
• when it’s time to seek out a specialist
• how to make sure your pet is protected by up-to-date technology, safe anesthesia protocols, and advanced surgical techniques
• proper pain management and adequate nursing care for your pet
• the lowdown on vaccinations
• the growing realm of alternative veterinary medicine
• the latest pet insurance plans
• the use and misuse of steroid medication

She also gives counsel on where to turn if you suspect improper care, and provides comforting advice on saying good-bye.

Vet Confidential is an honest and vital source that will help pet owners make sure that their cherished pets will live a long, happy, and healthy life.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Organization is key to this domestic animal guide for obtaining and understanding veterinary care. Focusing primarily on dogs and cats, veterinarian Murray provides questions to ask and information to seek while selecting appropriate pet care. She includes detailed descriptions of everything from vaccines to conditions affecting the eyes, heart, and other internal organs. Medical tests and treatments are discussed, with accompanying subheadings on risks involved and who should conduct the procedures. The author provides Web sites when available for organizations of veterinary specialists (such as oncologists) and discusses the importance of animal behaviorists in assessing the source of a pet’s discomfort. A chapter is devoted to natural medicine, with detailed discussion of homeopathic cures, acupuncture, and herbs. Murray cautions against excessive steroid prescription and advises on determining if a veterinarian has made a mistake in diagnosis or treatment. With numerous checklists and several personal stories, and useful and timely coverage of fiscal matters, Murray’s guidebook serves as the single source for owners seeking the fullest understanding of their pet’s veterinary options and care. --Colleen Mondor

Review

Advance praise for Vet Confidential

“Experience, knowledge, and wisdom . . . Dr. Murray has given pet parents a wonderful gift with this informative and necessary guide.”
–ASPCA

“Vet Confidential is a must-have for everyone with a four-legged friend in their lives. Offering helpful advice on working with your veterinarian to maximize your pet’s health and tips on all the latest advances in the field, this book takes the mystery out of seeking the very best health care for your animal companion.”
–Marty Becker, D.V.M., resident veterinarian on Good Morning America

“This is a rare but open look at the intricacies of veterinary medicine. The ins and outs, the rights and wrongs, of what to do and what can be done when your pet is sick is revealed in this very fine and informative book. Dr. Louise Murray becomes your advocate. At last, a book that is on your side.”
–Mordecai Siegal, author, The UC Davis Book of Dogs and The Cornell Book of Cats

“Veterinary medicine has made profound advances in the past decade, and Vet Confidential provides pet owners the tools to benefit from those advances. Dr. Murray’s essential guide to veterinary care is comprehensive yet easy to navigate. Short of going to vet school, I can’t think of a better way to safeguard your pet’s health than by reading this book.”
–Dr. Susan G. Hackner, chair, Department of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, The Animal Medical Center

“In a clear, concise, and straightforward style, Vet Confidential helps to ensure the best possible veterinary care for your pet. There is important information in this book for both new and experienced pet owners, and if readers follow Dr. Murray’s advice, they will be much better partners with their veterinarians, for the benefit of their animal companions.”
–Felicia B. Nutter, D.V.M., Ph.D., staff veterinarian, The Marine Mammal Center

“Everyone with a pet needs this book. Read it before you go to the vet; read it again when you get home. You and your pet will both feel a lot better if you do.”
–Kate Spade and Andy Spade, co-founders, kate spade

“Practical and authoritative, Vet Confidential gives readers the guidance they need to make wise and informed decisions about their pets’ health care.”
–Nina Munk, founder, UrbanHound.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (June 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345503201
• ISBN-13: 978-0345503206
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.9 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,064,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Louise Murray is Director of Medicine for the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. At the ASPCA, she works to provide optimal health care for the pets of people of all walks of life, as well as for animals who have been victims of cruelty rescued by the ASPCA's humane law enforcement officers, and the ASPCA's shelter animals who are hoping for good homes. While overseeing the medical care of the patients of Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, she continues to practice as a veterinary internist and works to educate pet parents on protecting and maximizing their pets' health.

Dr. Louise Murray dreamed of becoming a veterinarian from the time she was a little girl, reading the books of James Herriot and caring for the menagerie of pets kept by her family. She realized this dream when she graduated from Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her internship in medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York the following year. She went on to a residency program and became board-certified in veterinary internal medicine, then worked as an internist in private practice until joining the ASPCA in 2004.

Dr. Murray strives to improve the lives and health of animals, both those who are members of human families, and those who are seeking good homes. She believes that sharing knowledge about veterinary medicine with pet lovers helps provide them with the necessary tools to attain the best care for their pets. Her motto for pet parents is: Love Your Pet. Educate Yourself, and she is dedicated to helping pet parents attain the information they need to be successful advocates for their animal companions.

Dr. Murray has been the recipient of multiple veterinary awards, including the American Association of Feline Practitioners Award for Outstanding Interest and Ability in Feline Medicine and Surgery, the Martin A. and Beatrice R. Weiser Memorial Award for Outstanding Research, and the Carola Warburg Rothschild Human Animal Bond Award. She is a member of the Phi Zeta Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine. Her research on feline hyperthyroidism has been nationally published, and she has lectured on this and other topics around the country.

Dr. Murray has appeared on many national and local television and radio programs, including CNN American Morning and Anderson Cooper 360, ABC World News Tonight and Good Morning America, NBC The Today Show and Nightly News, CBS The Early Show, MTV, FOX News Live, and Animal Planet's Animal Precinct, and has provided veterinary information to many magazines and newspapers including the New York Times, USA Today, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, and People Magazine.

Dr. Murray lives in Manhattan with her husband who serves as a captain in the FDNY, and their two cats Dov and Siena.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT! Every pet owner needs a copy!, June 27, 2008

By 

Animal Lover (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vet Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Protecting Your Pet's Health (Hardcover)

I had heard this book was great, but never expected it to be this brilliant! It is literally jam-packed with information that most pet owners would never know that is so useful in every day life. Not only this but Dr. Murray's writing is fluid and captivating. A great buy, I definitely recommend it!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best from The Best, June 29, 2008

By 

Brian Mumpower - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vet Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Protecting Your Pet's Health (Hardcover)

I will be ordering several copies of this book. I have had the immense pleasure of meeting and getting to know Dr. Murray under very unpleasant circumstances. She helped save my cats life many years ago as the hands of a vet who botched surgery on him. She is a consummate professional with a mountain of knowledge and expertise. Truly an expert in her field, she gives practical advice backed by years of experience. In addition she treats animals with the love and respect they deserve. I just can't say enough to praise Dr. Murray. I will forever be thankful to her for what she did for my cat and me and I am so very happy to see her sharing what she knows with everyone. I would advise everyone to get this book. You won't be disappointed and in fact you may spare your pet a lot of pain and heartache by learning what Dr. Murray has to say. Get your copy soon. And if you read this Dr. Murray, thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone who owns a pet must have this book!!!!, July 2, 2008

By 

Victoria Trembow (Frederick, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vet Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Protecting Your Pet's Health (Hardcover)

Dr. Murray was an ANGEL sent to our family when our precious 8 year old kitty, IPO, became critically ill in 1998. What our local vet diagnosed as liver failure was reassessed by Dr. Murray as being diabetes induced, as the result of a rare brain tumor. She brought him "back to us". Day and night, she watched over him, nursed him back to health, educated us on proper home care/treatment....and comforted us by phone AT ALL HOURS. Her love, devotion and expertise gave us two more years with IPO in which he was able to still live/love comfortably. Dr. Murray was gentle but honest when the time finally came that we had to say goodbye to our beloved kitty. She comforted us as we grieved and still took my heartbroken phone calls long after he was gone. Her compassion to IPO, our family and to ALL her patients makes her an Angel to all who have been blessed with her touch.....and NOW, she can touch so many more lives by sharing her expertise, wisdom and compassion through her book!!!
The book is practical, well-written and packed with very useful information you can't afford NOT to have if you love your pet! I have already ordered several copies of this book and will order more this week to give as presents to all my friends who love animals! I highly recommend the book......and hold deepest respect, gratitude and affection to the author!