UC Davis Book of Dogs : The Complete Medical Reference Guide for Dogs and Puppies (Hardcover)

by Mordecai Siegal (Author) "Some 4.8 billion years ago, the earth's crust solidified..." (more)
Key Phrases: fetal hyaloid artery, canine parvovirus type, different infectious disease agents, United States, German Shepherd Dogs, American Kennel Club (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"An absolute must for all of us that care about and care for man's best friend." -- --Sherbyn W. Ostrich, VMD President, AVMA

"Two paws up for the UC Davis Book of Dogs!" -- --Diane Vasey, Editor in Chief, American Kennell Club Gazette

Product Description
An authoritative, up-to-the-minute guide for dog owners, breeders and trainers that includes everything they need to know about the health and well-being of their dogs -- written by the faculty of a distinguished school of veterinary medicine and edited by Mordecai Siegal, who also edited The Cornell Book of Cats.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 1 edition (September 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062701363
• ISBN-13: 978-0062701367
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #242,847 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive? Yes. User-friendly? NO!!!, December 19, 2001

By	Jennifer Stevens (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just like a parent should have a comprehensive pediatric medical guide for their children, dog owners should have a comprehensive medical guide for their dogs. And, technically, this one certainly fits the bill.

This book is thick for a reason. It covers nearly every medical condition, disease and ailment that you can think of. It also provides solid information on normal dog growth and development, feeding, and home health remedies.

HOWEVER, if you are looking for a user-friendly, easy-to-read, "For Dummies"-type canine medical reference, THIS IS NOT IT. I strongly disagree with some other reviewers who say otherwise. "The Book of Dogs" rivals your average human medical reference guide -- full of medical jargon and technical terms. I cannot find my way through this book without constant use of the glossary and index in the back. And I find myself sifting through page after page trying to locate the exact information I'm looking for. Not user-friendly at all -- especially in an emergency.

(By the way, I AM an educated -- albeit non-medical -- professional, and I STILL have problems understanding this book!)

Unless your dog has some kind of serious medical condition(s) -- my dog, for instance, has Sebaceous Adenitis, a rare auto-immune disease -- for which you need more detailed information, you don't really need this book. You (and your dog) are better off with a book like "What Your Dog Is Trying To Tell You: A Head-to-Tail Guide to Dogs' Symptoms And Their Solutions" by Stephanie Pedersen and John Simon.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UC Davis Book of Dogs: The best resource, June 14, 2001

By	Oksana (California) - See all my reviews

I write a dog advice web column called: ASK OKSANA and this is the book that I have recommended to countless readers. It was originally written for vets by the veterinary faculty of UC DAVIS's Vet School, but so many people encouraged the editor to rewrite it so that lay people could understand it, that he finally agreed and has written the "Bible" for canine healthcare. Each chapter focuses on a different system (gastro-intestinal, cardiac, etc.) and each chapter is written by a different faculty specialist. The index and dictionary are great. If your dog is diagnosed with Addison's, you can look it up and read all about its causes and treatments. There's a great section on how to find food allergies. It explains complex medical issues in terms that an educated, non-medical professional can understand. If you love your dog, then this is one book you cannot afford to be without! It's a bargain at this price!

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but far from "complete", fortunately not expensive., August 8, 1998

By A Customer

This book has much good information but fails to cover even items that are currently being researched at UCD -- I was particularly disappointed to find nothing on HOD which has been a plague among the larger dog breeds.

Much information -- but far from as the title suggests -- "complete". Definately worth the price, however.