Small Animal Internal Medicine, Third Edition

Book Synopsis: This book focuses on the clinically relevant aspects of the most commonly encountered internal medical problems confronting practicing veterinarians. The book has been hailed for its emphasis on diagnostic approaches to clinical signs, diagnostics techniques, general therapeutics, and synopses of important disorders. It teaches students and practitioners critical thinking and decision-making skills rather than merely offering a "laundry list" of disorders.

The book contains 98 chapters in 13 sections. The first 10 sections cover specific disorders by system, while the last two sections pertain to oncology, hematology and immunology, and infectious diseases. Each section is developed by one author, which promotes consistency. Each section begins with discussions on clinical signs related to the respective organ system followed by diagnostic techniques and appropriate treatment.

The extensive use of color illustrations, tables, and algorithms sets this book apart from others in the field. The book is liberally illustrated and contains hundreds of summary tables and boxes on clinical signs, causes, drug information, and other treatment modalities. The four-color format provides visual appeal and clarifies the different types of tables.

Each section begins with discussion of clinical signs to encourage assessment and diagnostic skills; this problem-oriented approach simulates what veterinarians encounter in practice. Comprehensive drug tables at end of each section provide recommended dosages and indications for a variety of agents. Algorithms promote decision-making skills based on clinical findings. Clear, step-by-step procedures are highlighted in text. All contributors are recognized experts in their respective internal medicine specialties.

Cross-referencing reduces redundancy throughout the book and makes information easy to locate. Summary boxes and tables, color-coded to indicate the type of information they contain, provide quick access to signs, etiology, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Full-color format enhances visual appeal and highlight key information in tables and boxes. Pediatric and geriatric content is consistently integrated where appropriate. Integration of toxicology links exposure to noxious products with a variety of systems disorders. All contributors are recognized experts in their respective medical specialties.

Cardiovascular Ambulatory ECG section has been expanded to include discussion on how a Holter monitor records signals as well as reading Holter monitor readings. Also, a discussion on normal heart rhythms and arrhythmias has been included.

New event recording section has been added to the ambulatory ECG portion of the chapter. New section titled Other Methods of ECG Assessment has been added to electrocardiography portion, including a discussion of heart rate variability (HRV) and signal averaged electrocardiography (SAECG). Common 2-D echocardiographic views section has been updated and expanded. Biochemical markers of myocardial injury section added Congestive Heart Failure chapter has been entirely reworked and expanded. New section on arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy added. Discussion on noninfective myocarditis added. New section on arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy added. New sections on cor triatriatu and endocardial fibroelastosis added. Serologic tests section has been expanded to include discussion of heartworm antibody tests for cats. In heartworm prevention section, discussion has been added on selamectin and moxidectin.

Respiratory Nasal mites section has been divided (and expanded) into nasal mites and nasal capillariasis. New section on computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging added to Diagnostic Tests for Lower Respiratory Tract. New section on thoracoscopy and thoracotomy added to Diagnostic Tests for the Pleural Cavity and Mediastinum. New section on neoplastic effusion in Disorders of the Pleural Cavity. New section on Large Airway Disease with subsections titled Extrathoracic (Upper) Airway Obstruction and Intrathoracic Large Airway Obstruction. New section titled pleural space disease.

Digestive New discussion of indications for ultrasonography of the stomach and small intestines. Discussion on intestinal permeability testing has been added. New discussions added on partially hydrolyzed diets and elemental diets. New discussions of both low-profile gastrostomy tubes and jejunostomy tubes. Brief discussion of budesonide. Budesonide has been used for inflammatory bowel disease and hepatic disease in people, and has recently been used in dogs and cats with similar problems. New table: Examples of Commercial Bland Diets. (Bland refers to easily digestible diets that contain less fat than is found in many pet foods.)

Section added on Sialoadenitis/sialoadenosis/salivary gland necrosis. Discussion added on trichomoniasis. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is now known as antibiotic responsive enteropathy. The malabsorptive diseases section of the chapter has been updated accordingly.

Urinary Tract Brief discussion added on plasma clearance of iohexol to reliably estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in dogs and cats. Brief discussion added on the recent commercial availability of an antigen capture ELISA test for the detection of low levels of albumin in canine urine (microalbuminuria). Brief discussion added on angiotensin's involvement in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis. Discussion added on feline diets that increase the risk of calcium oxolate urolith development, as well as diets that decrease the risk of struvite urolith development. New section added on functional urethral obstruction.

Endocrine New section added on primary (psychogenic) polydipsia. Diabetes mellitus section has been divided into diabetes mellitus in dogs and diabetes mellitus in cats. New section added on incidental adrenal mass.

Neuromuscular Section on gait expanded to include brief discussion about animals with lower motor neuron disease and animals with upper motor neuron lesions. Discussion of Schiff-Sherrington posture has been expanded. New section titled Pain/Hyperpathia has been added to the Screening Neurological Examination portion of the chapter. It includes a new discussion on neck pain and assessing pain in other regions of the vertebral column as well as assessing muscular pain. Discussion of Scar-tissue Related Acquired Epilepsy. Discussion of Phenobarbital increased to include the recommendation of veterinary re-evaluation every 6 to 12 months to prevent hepatotoxicity as a result of serum PB concentrations being too high, and discussion of seizure control with PB monotherapy if serum concentrations are kept within the proper range. Discussion of felbamate (Felbatol) and alternative therapies added to anticonvulsant therapy. Discussions of chemical ototoxicity and metronidazole toxicity added. New topics: intraspinal articular cysts and syringomyelia/hydromyelia. Suggested Readings have been updated throughout the book to reflect the latest research findings.