Review by Kathy Lyon (Click on stars for an explanation)

You may purchase this book in the VIN store.

This book is going to be most useful for technicians and students, but I would suggest that all clinic personnel (veterinarians included) read it, especially the opening chapter on restraint principles and the sections on removing the replacing animals in cages.

Techniques for restraining a cat are illustrated step-by-step. These include how to use a cat bag, a cat muzzle, toweling, the capture net, physical restraint, and gloved restraint. The photo caption for the gloves describes gauntlets as heavy leather gloves that reach to the elbow, but illustrates gauntlets that would not go much beyond the wrist. Use your imagination.

The section on dogs walks the reader through the various types of restraint devices and how to use them. It also illustrates holding positions, to accommodate the various procedures that might be planned. The book discusses restraint of friendly dogs, and how to capture and hold an aggressive dog until chemical restraint can be administered.

The following sections deal with cattle, horses, sheep, goats, small mammals, and birds. The techniques are well illustrated.

There are a couple of minor points to which I take exception. I would not recommend placing a bird on your chest to restrain it. Also, the book mentions putting Laxatone or supplement drops on the ferret's abdomen to distract it, but if you are examining the abdomen, having the head right there would get in the way. Most ferret veterinarians use some food item on a tongue depressor to distract the animal away from the area of interest.

Each procedure features between two and eight photos that clearly show the exact steps necessary to achieve safe and effective restraint. The book also includes normal and abnormal behavior characteristics precautions, special handling, restraint devices and descriptions of medical procedures (such as venipuncture) for which special procedures are necessary.

Contents

1. Restraint Principles
2. Knot Tying
3. Restraint of Cats
4. Restraint of Dogs
5. Restraint of Horses
6. Restraint of Cattle
7. Restraint of Pigs
8. Restraint of Sheep
9. Restraint of Goats
10. Restraint of Rodents, Rabbits, And Ferrets
11. Restraint of Birds

Appendix 1: Gender Names; Appendix 2: Physiologic Data; Appendix 3: Glossary.

Paperback, 8.5 x 11 format, 240 pages, 1228 illustrations. ISBN: 0-323-03465-9. Publication date: 2006. MOSBY Publishers. US$42.95.