DOG AND CAT BOOKS:

Book Review by Donna C. Smith (journalist)
The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats
By Amy D. Shojai
$19.95 (Rodale 2001)

If you have a dog or cat this is one book you'll be glad you have on the shelf. Shojai has thought of everything when it comes to pet illnesses and injuries, and she presents the information in an easy-to-understand style. A chart titled "Human Medicines that Work for Pets" is one example of what makes the book invaluable to the panicky pet owner. Shojai also gives advice on recognizing when the pet is in trouble, techniques for restraining frightened pets, giving the pet CPR, animal safety tips, and a symptom finder.

Chapters on every ailment imaginable, from Clothes-Dryer Injuries to Porcupine Quills include notes on whether to call the vet, what to grab out of the medicine chest, first aid, and follow-up care. Amy Shojai interviewed over 80 top veterinarians from across the country to get their expert advice on what to do in over 150 emergency situations. Tables, charts and illustration further aid in helping the pet owner come to the aid of their pet. The book is well organized, making it easy to find the needed information.

As much as we hate to think about it, every owner has to deal with his or her pet's injury or illness. The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats can make those times a lot less scary.

Posted with permission from the author. You can read this review at http://www.epinions.com/content_25700634244 and other reviews on the same topic at http://www.epinions.com/book-Books-All-7155629

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FROM UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE
FOR RELEASE: WEEK OF JUNE 24, 2001
PET CONNECTION by Gina Spadafori
NEW BOOK OFFERS FIRST-AID TIPS FOR PET OWNERS

What do an ironing board, clingy plastic food wrap and a condom have in common? In an emergency medical situation, all can be pressed into service to help save the life of your pet.

Surprising, innovative and definitely useful, such information makes a new book on first aid for dogs and cats an essential part of every pet lover's reference library. When an animal is sick or injured at home, chances are you won't have instant access to either a veterinarian or to professional-grade medical supplies. But you will be able to lay your hands on a book that tells you in easy-to-understand terms what to do right now and how, so you can buy your pet some time when it counts most.

This was exactly what pet expert Amy Shojai was hoping for when she came up with the idea for her latest book, "The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats" (Rodale, $29.95).

"When working on my previous books I had been researching first aid," said Shojai, the Sherman, Texas- based writer of more than a dozen books on pets. "I was really struck by the fact that most were written by veterinarians who assumed that the pet owner who was reading the book had a chest full of veterinary medical supplies right there."

Shojai even noticed one book that made reference to a stretcher, something even the most well-prepared pet owner wouldn't have on hand. "So I wondered: What do you do when you don't have professional equipment? And it's a no-brainer: You use what's available."

Like using an ironing board for a stretcher. Or a cookie sheet, if the injured animal is a cat or small dog. Plastic food wrap can be used to hold wounds together until the animal can be seen by a veterinarian. And a condom? Shojai says it's ideal for holding a bandage on the paw of a cat or small dog.

Before she started writing about pets, Shojai worked as a veterinary technician. She saw firsthand how many times a pet lover's response to an animal's injury or illness made the difference in determining if the animal later lived or died. In "The First Aid Companion" she draws on her hands-on experiences as well as on the expertise of more than 80 veterinarians to give pet lovers the information they need, at exactly the time they need it most.

More than 150 common medical problems are covered in the book, along with information on how to prevent life-threatening emergencies. Each alphabetically listed entry, from "abdominal wounds" to "worms," offers an immediate assessment of the situation: whether the animal needs to see a veterinarian immediately, relatively quickly, or if the problem can be remedied at home. A "do this now" guide explains what the pet lover's immediate response should be. The layout of the book also helps. It's designed so that each entry covers facing pages, so the book can be opened on a table to leave the pet lover's hands free to help the injured or sick animal. The entries even offer advice on follow-up care after the pet has been treated by a veterinarian.

Shojai take pains to stress that no first-aid book should take the place of a veterinarian's care. Indeed, she makes it clear on every page that her book is meant to complement the efforts of professionals.

"Veterinarians don't want to be the last line of defense," says Shojai. "They want to be the first line, and they want to give a pet a fighting chance. First aid is just that: first aid. It does not replace a veterinarian's care."

"The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats" is the first such book I've seen that makes a pet owner a full member of the team when it comes to saving the life of a pet. Along with the number of the nearest emergency veterinary clinic, this book is something every pet lover should keep on hand, just in case.

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Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com. Posted with permission of the author. COPYRIGHT 2001 UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE; 4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

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