Dr. Otten and list,
 
This is not a flame in regards to Dr. Otten's remarks, and I would
appreciate that any comments from the other FML'ers be confined to
private emails, as I prefer that this not become a flame subject.
 
Dr Otten wrote:
>Great another useless book for veterinarians to spend money on.  If it is
>truely usable to the lay person then "Essentials of pet ferrets - A
>Veterinarian's guide for ferret owners would have been a better title.
>However, if this is a true veterinary book than I would suggest most
>veterinarians would be wiser to invest a few extra dollars and purchase
>Fox's ferret book.  Or if they are planning on practicing on other pockets
>pets, then the Hillyer/Quesenberry book would a wise expenditure of $60
>(two exam fee's and most vets have made up this loss.)
 
Dr. Otten, I was not made aware that you had been asked to review
"Essentials of Ferrets: A Guide for Practitioners".  This book is written
within the American Animal Hospital Association's series on Exotic Animals,
as a follow-up to a previous edition on rabbits and ferrets.  Dr Susan
Brown was the original author, and was my senior editor in producing this
update.
 
This book is intended for practitioners.  It is a detailed in-depth review
of the clinical techniques, surgical requirements and medical information
on ferrets.  However, as a student I disliked reading books that depended
heavily in medicalese, and this was written for ease of reading and use,
therefore it is much more accessible to the lay public, regardless of the
fact that it was not written specifically for that purpose.
 
I find Dr Fox's book to be an excellent resource, especially for my work
with breeders, but it certainly was not written with the private
practitioner in mind.  Hillyer and Quesenberry is a landmark in the field
that I use extensively, but is not devoted specifically for ferrets.  I
think all these sources are useful in practice.
 
While I appreciate your candor on wasted money, I would prefer to hear your
commentary once you have had a chance to read the book itself.
 
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
 
Karen Purcell DVM
Author of "Essentials of the Ferret: A Guide for Practitioners"
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[Posted in FML issue 2772]