the most recent home veterinary hub-bub focused my attention on animal care library building.

the "Merck" book seems to be the vet bible and is already on my buy list. "Where There is No Vet" sounds interesting but I've never seen it up-close and in person. Anyone here have this book? recommend it? what other veterinary "how-to" books do you all suggest?

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002

Answers

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

Yep, the Merck Veterinary Manuel is a must have!

"How To Be Your Own Vet, Sometime." For the life of me, I can't remember the authors name.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

I am not a fan of Merck. I sold mine several years back, and rarely used it for reference. I think once you get past the how to type books, Rasing Rabbits the Modern way, the goat, sheep pig etc. type books, then for good vet texts you need species specific books. Goat Medicine is a must if you are going to do your own vetting. Perhaps with the larger animals Merck would be of more value, there certainly is more info in it geared towards the more typical farm animal. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

I too read the post and was interested to know if anyone had read "Where there is NO Vet". Went to amazon.com, but no reviews on the book. Has anyone read it? I'm interested in purchasing a copy, but would like another opinion.

-- Marsha (CaprisMaa@aol.colm), January 29, 2002.

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

I too read the post and was interested to know if anyone had read "Where there is NO Vet". Went to amazon.com, but no reviews on the book. Has anyone read it? I'm interested in purchasing a copy, but would like another opinion.

Sorry -- wrong addy

-- Marsha (CaprisMaa@aol.com), January 29, 2002.

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

Well I have a Merck manual, my vet uses it on occasion............ Buy it last with a spare 40 bucks. There are lot's of better books to buy first. For sheep, Laura Lawson has two worth buying Managing Your Ewe and Lambing Problems. David C Henderson's The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers is good too. A good starter book is the Western Canadian Sheep Production Manual. Did you have a particular animal or situation in mind?

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 29, 2002.

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

Some others are:

Herbal Handbook for Farm & Stable by Juliette de Bairacli Levy (a herbal approach to animal health).

A Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners by Dr. C. E. Spaulding (used to write for Countryside and Small Stock Journal). Written in laymans' terms.

Keeping Livestock Healthy: A Veterinary Guide by Dr. N. Bruce Haynes (a Garden Way book).

A Veterinary Guide for Farmers by G.W. Stamm (published in Canada in 1950).

Livestock Health Encyclopedia by Rudolph Seiden (title is self- explanatory).

When it comes to specific species, it is hard to beat the books put out by Interstate Press (usually authored or co-authored by Dr. M.E. Ensinger or his son). Examples: Swine Science, Beef Cattle Science, The Stockman's Handbook, Sheep & Goat Science. I understand they are bibles at vet. schools. Expensive even for out-dated editions.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 29, 2002.

Response to very boring - NON castration centric - home veterinary question

I just recently started building a library of health and first aid books for animals. Do a search at Amazon.com. I looked up most books with homeopathic or natural care. Looking through my local bookstore and reading reviews at Amazon helped me to decide. All of the books that I bought I am very pleased with.

I bought

Homeopathic First Aid for Animals: Tales and Techniques from a Country Practitioner by Kaetheryn Walker

Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs : Small Doses for Small Animals by Donald Hamilton

The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats (Prevention Pets) by Amy D. Shojai

The Nature of Animal Healing : The Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat by Martin Goldstein D.V.M.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), January 29, 2002.

One thing you should remember: with each book/video/whatever, it's that author's opinion. There can be many ways to do things, but each author stresses his/her way. We all know it may not necessarily work nor be the only way.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.