Small Animal Orthopedics

From The Critics

Reviewer: Donna L. Lindner, DVM(University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine)
Description: This is an interesting and ambitious new book that attempts to provide an overview of small animal orthopedics, including underlying biology, biomechanics, basic principles of diagnosis and treatment, management of specific fractures and nonfracture orthopedic problems, preoperative and postoperative management, and complications.
Purpose: The objective is to provide a solid orthopedic base that would enable veterinarians to correctly diagnose orthopedic disease, plan and execute treatment, and manage convalescence. To a considerable extent, these goals are met.
Audience: The book is written appropriately for its target audience of veterinary students and small animal practitioners. The author and contributors are well-known and credible authorities in the field of small animal orthopedics.
Features: Photographs, radiographic reproductions, and line drawings are clear and very useful, especially in the sections on diagnosis and principles of repair. The quantity and currency of references are variable from chapter to chapter. In some chapters, the contents are not footnoted to the references.
Assessment: In general, this will be a useful book for veterinary students and small animal practitioners seeking an overview of small animal orthopedics. It provides a solid foundation in the biology and biomechanics that underlie orthopedic decision making and a good introduction to or review of the basic principles of fracture repair as well as management of many specific orthopedic problems. The author states in preface that he does not want the science to overwhelm the art of the subject. In keeping with this objective perhaps, the emphasis in this book is on breadth of information rather than depth. Certain topics (for example, surgical approaches, paid management, anesthesia, and assessment of sensory perception in the neurologically impaired animal) are covered somewhat superficially, and a person without and prior knowledge in orthopedics would need to consult additional sources to augment information contained here.

Donna L. Lindner

This is an interesting and ambitious new book that attempts to provide an overview of small animal orthopedics, including underlying biology, biomechanics, basic principles of diagnosis and treatment, management of specific fractures and nonfracture orthopedic problems, preoperative and postoperative management, and complications. The objective is to provide a solid orthopedic base that would enable veterinarians to correctly diagnose orthopedic disease, plan and execute treatment, and manage convalescence. To a considerable extent, these goals are met. The book is written appropriately for its target audience of veterinary students and small animal practitioners. The author and contributors are well-known and credible authorities in the field of small animal orthopedics. Photographs, radiographic reproductions, and line drawings are clear and very useful, especially in the sections on diagnosis and principles of repair. The quantity and currency of references are variable from chapter to chapter. In some chapters, the contents are not footnoted to the references. In general, this will be a useful book for veterinary students and small animal practitioners seeking an overview of small animal orthopedics. It provides a solid foundation in the biology and biomechanics that underlie orthopedic decision making and a good introduction to or review of the basic principles of fracture repair as well as management of many specific orthopedic problems. The author states in preface that he does not want the science to overwhelm the art of the subject. In keeping with this objective perhaps, the emphasis in this book is on breadth of information rather than depth. Certain topics (for example,surgical approaches, paid management, anesthesia, and assessment of sensory perception in the neurologically impaired animal) are covered somewhat superficially, and a person without and prior knowledge in orthopedics would need to consult additional sources to augment information contained here.

3 Stars from Doody