The 3rd edition of this classic textbook continues to serve as a one-stop resource for authoritative information on all aspects of small animal surgery. Coverage includes basic procedures such as spays, castrations, and declaws, as well as more advanced surgeries that might be referred to specialists such as craniotomy, ventral slots, and lung lobectomy. Discussions of general surgical procedures include sterile technique, surgical instrumentation, suturing, preoperative care, and antibiotic use. Key sections provide clinically relevant coverage of soft tissue surgery, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery.
This book got me through surgery clinics and I used it in practice to look up surgical techniques frequently. It is worth its weight in gold. It's very thorough and step by step, from the most basic surgeries to the really complicated stuff. If it isn't a small animal surgery, then that's why it isn't in this book. It even goes through surgical instruments and setting up surgery packs, scrubbing in and gowning up for surgery, and different disinfectants and sterilization techniques, which is very worthwhile for training personnel. It also has color photos and goes through the possible post-op complications and pitfalls of the various surgical techniques. And it was written by surgeons at my alma mater, Texas A&M University, so I have to brag on that. Get a copy of this for your office bookshelf.
It's a bit sad that all I have time to read these days is a textbook, but it must be said that this book is an absolute plethora of information on small animal surgery and associated disease management. I can't possibly list all of the things I have learned from this book. Most recently, I've learned that I should fix a condylar fracture with two pins and a tension band wire, as this is best fixation method for controlling and opposing the constant tension placed on the proximal or distal portion of the bone by the muscles that attach there.