Comparative Pharmacokinetics: Principles, Techniques, and Application

Haematology of Australian Mammals is a truly comprehensive look at the hemogram of Australian mammals. The hardbound text is divided into 9 chapters and 3 appendices, which cover an in-depth compilation of guidelines for phlebotomy, general aspects of hematology, blood parasites, and published values for Australian mammals. The text is easy to understand, yet provides enough detail for clinical hematologists. Representative mammals from each taxa are included, although hematology reference value for every known Australian mammal are not provided. Photomicrographs are numerous with the vast majority in color and sharply focused. Black and white photographs depicting phlebotomy techniques in Chapter 1 are generally clear and appropriate. All captions are appropriate for each photograph. Appendices include scientific and common names, conversion factors, and hematology stains. Twenty-two pages of alphabetized references are included at the end of the book. References are listed in standard parenthetic form in the text. This style occasionally interrupts the flow of the text, especially when numerous references are cited, but this is only a minor distraction. Chapter 1, Guide to phlebotomy, discusses various sites for blood collection and handling from representative taxa. Black and white photographs compliment the text and the author has done a good job discussing multiple venous access sites for each group or individual species. Sample handling techniques are an important contribution to the chapter. Chapters 2 through 6 discuss general aspects of hematology with specific reference to Australian mammals. The chapters include Erythrocyte Morphology and Response to Disease, Biochemistry of Erythrocytes, the Leukocyte, Platelets, and Haematopoiesis. Each chapter takes a comprehensive look at the subject in great detail, from an introductory definition to morphology. Scanning electron micrographs compliment the erythrocyte morphology discussion and the two-dimensional photomicrographs. This is a welcome addition that provides a comprehensive understanding of the erythrocyte. Hematological changes in response to season, glucocorticoids, drugs, excitement and inflammation are discussed in sufficient detail and clarity to make this aspect of the text very valuable. In Chapter 7, the cytological characteristics of haematological cells from Australian mammals is summarized. There are 384 color plates depicting the leukocytes and erythrocytes of monotremes, kangaroos and wallabies, possums and gliders, wombats, dasyurids, numbats, bandicoots and bilbies, murids, bats, otariids, phocids and cetaceans. Even the heterophil, lymphocyte, monocyte and eosinophil characteristics of dugongs are discussed and depicted. The plates are collectively grouped in the middle of the chapter, surrounded by and referenced in the text. This is not a distraction as the captions on each page state the species depicted, then the plate number; a refreshing component to the chapter. Erythrocyte morphology for each species is described at the beginning of the discussion. The author has done an outstanding job of providing clear, concise photographs and text in this chapter, which could almost stand as its own reference text. The hemoparasites of Australian mammals are discussed in Chapter 8. An inclusive list of the hematozoan, microfilarid and muspiceoid nematode parasites occurring in the literature is provided, as well as a few line drawings and black and white photomicrographs of hemoparasites. General descriptions and species affected are discussed. Pathophysiology and life cycles are unknown for most of the hemoparasites, making this the shortest chapter in the book. Chapter 9 discusses the hematological characteristics of Australian mammals. Reference values are provided in a series of 42 tables. Values for PCV, RBC, Hgb, MCV, MCH, MCHC, nRBC, WBC, WBC differentials, platelets, and total plasma solids are listed for each species, along with the number of animals sampled. Values obtained are listed according to the investigator(s), which is presented as a footnote. There are multiple ‘‘no data available’’ spaces for certain values with each compilation, but data provided by other investigators fill the gaps in data values. The author has done a remarkable job of bringing together known reference values for the groups discussed in Chapter 7. The appendices are appropriate and begin with Appendix 1, an alphabetical list of common and scientific names of Australian mammals, as well as multiple New Guinea mammals. An additional listing provides the alphabetized scientific name with the common name for the same animals. Appendix 2 provides conversion factors for values mentioned in the text and Appendix 3 lists hematological stains. A simple glossary is provided at the end of the text, followed by the references and the index. This hardbound text is an absolute must for any practitioner involved with Australian mammals. While most of us will never work with a platypus or bandicoot, every exotic animal veterinarian will improve their understanding of the hematology of Australian mammals with this text. —Wm. Kirk Suedmeyer, D.V.M., Dipl. A.C. Z.M. , Kansas City Zoo, 6700 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Missouri, 64132, USA.