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Rebar, A. H., MacWilliams, P. S., Feldman, B. F., Metzger, F. L., Pollock, R. V. H., and Roche, J. (eds.). A Guide to Hematology in Dogs and Cats. 264 pp. Teton NewMedia, Jackson, WY, 2002. $55.00. ISBN 1-893441-48-2.

The authors intend this book to be a practical, hands-on reference for veterinary practitioners and veterinary technicians performing in-house hematology in small animal practice. Accordingly, the book is spiral bound to lay flat when opened, and its pages are high-gloss to resist laboratory spills. Emphasis is placed on recognizing common abnormalities of dog and cat hemograms and relating those abnormalities to specific disease processes. The book is written in a modified outline format, with accompanying color photomicrographs (156) and other photographs or illustrations (19) to clarify the text. The majority of the chapters relate to the individual cell types encountered in a blood film and include a brief overview of cell production and function followed by a list of causes for typical changes in cell quantity and morphology. Photomicrographs illustrate both normal and abnormal cellular morphology and are generally of good quality and adequate in size. Some information is given only in image captions and not in the text, making it a little difficult to locate; however, the comprehensive index largely negates this criticism.

Advantages and limitations of the commonly available automated cell counters are discussed and compared with the use of commercial laboratories. Although in-clinic quality control is stressed as being essential, notably absent is any discussion of reference intervals, which is an important concept for in-house laboratories. The end of the book includes a chapter on hemogram interpretation, which leads the reader step-by-step through the hemogram in an organized, methodical fashion. There are 29 clinical cases presented, along with interpretations of the laboratory data and relevant images from blood films, bone marrow, or cytology. These cases provide an opportunity to practice organized interpretation and illustrate many of the concepts discussed in the text.

True to its design as a practical handbook, this unreferenced guide is necessarily concise, referring the reader to other reference texts for more in-depth discussions of pathophysiology, and suggesting consultation with a board-certified clinical pathologist for complicated cases. Despite minor omissions and oversimplifications (there is no mention of vacuolated eosinophils in Greyhounds, echinocytes are not described even in the case presentation of a dog with rattlesnake envenomation, and physiologic lymphocytosis is said to occur only in cats), this text would be a valuable addition to any in-clinic laboratory.

Dr. Robin W. Allison

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO

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