Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Howell reference books) [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by James M. Giffin (Author), Liisa D. Carlson (Author) "Any dog, no matter how docile he may be, has the potential to bite when he is severely injured, frightened or in pain..." (more)
Key Phrases: canine atopy, symmetric hair loss, collapsed nostrils, United States, German Shepherd Dogs, Cocker Spaniels (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Open the front cover and the first two pages you see contain the Index of Signs and Symptoms, from Abdomen (painful, swollen, distended, and tucked up) to Weight loss, Wheezing, and Whining (continual). There's a comprehensive index in back, of course, running the gamut from Abortion to Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis, which is all very useful, but when your pooch is in pain, it's great to be able to turn, with the minimum of folderol, to the page that says to relax, it's nothing a bit of extra grooming won't fix, or alternatively to hightail it over to the vet hospital. It's a wonderful reference for any dog owner, with chapters on emergencies (such as burns, dehydration, and poisoning), as well as worms, infectious diseases, skin care, and canine eyes, ears, and nose. There are chapters on the digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems, the nervous, musculoskeletal, and urinary systems, plus dog sex, whelping, puppy pediatrics, geriatrics, and chapters on cancers and medications. In short, it covers every health dimension a dog owner might want to know more about, identifies the possible causes, helps you determine the severity of the condition, and indicates what treatments or actions to take to best insure your dog's good health. --Stephanie Gold --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
"The best book of its kind in print! A Masterpiece in the field of dog care.... Mercifully clear and readable. If you own a dog and love it, you must keep a copy on your handy reference shelf!" —Mordecai Siegal, President of the Dog Writers Association of America and author of over 20 books on dogs and other animals.

"Will more than pay for itself! Compared with similar books, this is the most beneficial ever published! All-encompassing and so inviting to use…Accurate, reliable, up-to-the-minute, intelligent and explicit.... This book will more than pay for itself with the very first dog health problem you may encounter and solve yourself. And I'll sign my name to that!" —Alfons Ertelt, Chief Tester, American Temperament Test Society

"A Must for any dog owner!" —The American Field

"Useful for any dog owner, indispensable for kennel owners…. Offers comprehensive, up-to-date, well-organized information on every phase of health care for dogs." —Publisher's Weekly

"Buy It! You can't afford to be without this one!...I must have ten books on home veterinary care now—Forget Them! This one is complete, well and simply written, profusely illustrated, and wonder of wonders, it's well-indexed—in three ways, yet!" —Ilio
A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House; 3 edition (November 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876052014
• ISBN-13: 978-0876052013
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #318,426 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

98 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book isn't a purchase, it's an investment, June 19, 2000

By A Customer

I have been meaning to write a review for this book for quite awhile, but when I found myself turning to it (yet again) last week after receiving a difficult diagnosis for my beloved geriatric dog, I thought it was time to sit down and express my appreciation for this book.

I am not fond of reviews that insist I "must! " have this or that, so please forgive me if I sound strident in my insistence that this really "should! " be in the possession of everyone who has a dog to care for. Here lies information that can help you out of the trenches and decide when you should wake up your vet in the middle of the night, when to wait till morning, and when to try handling things yourself. This is also the place where I learned how to monitor my pets vitals so I can get an idea of what may be going on and to provide my vet with some of the information needed to hit the ground running. Out of the several pet care books I have (Pitcairn's being one of them) THIS is the book that I grab first and it's the one my neighbors come over to examine when thier dog seems "off" and the one my family calls and asks me to read parts of over the phone (I will share this book, but I won't loan it). I wish they'd all get thier own copy, but at least one of us has it on hand.

As someone who has four large, geriatric dogs I love dearly, I wouldn't be without this book. Plenty of other books are going to provide you with glossy color photos and generic information, but when you need information--real, solid stuff you can leave teethmarks in, this book is what you need. General care and functioning is covered very well, but this volume really shines when things seem serious, even scary and it fleshes out those pre- and post-vet questions like no other.

PS--Pitcairn's book, which I mentioned in passing, is a nice general resource that is especially helpful for those interested in learning about feeding thier pets natural, whole-food diets. I like my copy quite a bit, but I can best describe it by saying I'll loan that book to a friend for a week or so, not so with Home Veterinary Handbook.

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you own dogs, you should own this book!, December 23, 1999

By	Mary Jo Sminkey "author of cfwebstore" (Carlisle, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Hardcover)

This is by far the best health care guide for dogs. From the quick index of symptoms on the inside cover, to the great coverage of many diseases and disorders in canines, this is a well-written and easy to understand book, that goes beyond the basics most dog care books give you, without becoming too technical. My vet actually kept one on hand in his office for quick reference.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A money-saver for the conscientious dog owner, January 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Hardcover)

One of the most difficult tasks for the loving dog owner is deciding when a malady needs a vet's attention. This book helps to make this task easier. As a multiple big dog owner, I can't afford to run to the vet every time one of my dogs is not feeling his or her best. This book allows me to research a malady to help make the important decision: does my dog need to see a vet? This saves me money and gives me peace of mind. It also gives me the information I need to have an educated conversation with my vet about treatments, when and if they are necessary. It's like having an assistant on call 24 x 7.