Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Small Mammal
“This book provides to-the-point content that is expected from the series and is priced consistently with other books in Blackwell’s Five-Minute series.”  (Journal of The American Veterinary Medical Association, 15 March 2013)“In summary, this text does exactly as intended – to act as a quick reference guide during a consultation – and, therefore, is useful for those clinicians in need of assistance to formulate a suitable diagnostic and therapeutic plan.” (Veterinary Times, 10 September 2012)“The succinct and practical nature of the book makes it an excellent handy reference guide, with a surprising amount of detail on each condition.”  (Journal of Small Animal Medicine, 1 May 2012)“Its succinct and practical nature makes it ideal for first-opinion practice. It is also an excellent starting point for those looking to develop an interest in the ‘exotic’ species, which these days are becoming more and more popular.”  (Veterinary Record, 14 April 2012)“The succinct and practical nature of the book makes it an excellent handy reference guide, with a surprising amount of detail on each condition.”  (Journal of Small Animal Medicine, 2012) "Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Small Mammal, 2nd edition edited by Barbara L Oglesbee, pulls together a wide range of treatment details on veterinary medicine for small and exotic mammals and is a ‘must' for any practicing vet's library." (The Midwest Book Review, 1 November 2011) "This hardback book is a concise, easy reference, complied after gathering biological, medical and surgical data from a welcome increase in the literature on the common small mammals seen in veterinary practice ... The book is well set out." (Veterinary Practice, 1 November 2011) The 2nd edition of Blackwells’ Five Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Small Mammals has expanded from rabbits and ferrets to include guinea pigs, rodents (rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils) and chinchillas. Despite the addition of some species not present in Australia, the inclusion of guinea pigs androdents expands the Australian veterinary audience that will be able to use this book. The format is similar to the Canine and Feline Five Minute Manuals and, most importantly, focuses on conditions seen in the pet, not the laboratory mammal.  Each chapter is based on a species. The conditions listed are based broadly on diseases, but clinical signs, such as conjunctivitis, diarrhoea, anorexia and dyspnoea, will allow the clinician unsure of a diagnosis to confidently navigate the information in this book. Although the preface claims that some of the information is anecdotal, there are pertinent references at the end of each topic iffurther reading is desired. The information is current, with some newer treatment options listed. It is also helpful that the distribution of a disease is given, as some of these conditions are not seen in Australia, which can be confusing when reading overseas texts. The appendices are a useful tool to quickly find dose rates and indications. Laboratory values for different species are listed and include reference ranges in the units used in Australia and overseas. The supporting website has some handy client handouts that willassist clinicians in providing information for their clients. I would recommend this reasonably-priced text to vets interested in pocket pets, but also for those vets in general practice who need a quick reference guide to help them with the occasional sick small mammal consult. In terms of ease of use and condensing a large amount of information into a format that is quick and accessible, this book will give the ‘pink’ book on small mammals a run for its money.Anne FowlerBSc(Vet)(Hons), BVSc, MACVSc (Avian Health, Wildlife Health) Healesville, Victoria-December 2011