Dog Health Guide Review
When it comes to dog health, knowing when you should take your dog to see your vet and when it's okay to let them "self-regulate" is difficult. How do you know when they need medical attention? Unfortunately you can't rely on your dog to let you know when they need help.
Nobody wants to pay $70 for an unnecessary visit to your vet, but then no faithful dog-owner wants their animal to suffer. Frankly, it's not an easy decision. And if you've owned dogs at any point in your life, this is something you've probably faced at one time or another.
Many dog owners wish they had some level of knowledge of canine medical basics which would help them confidently decide when their dog needs to see the vet. That way you could save both your pet and yourself the hassle!
Dog Health Questions Answered
You can imagine the relief of many owners (including myself!) when Daniel Stevens of Sit, Stay, Fetch fame published "The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health," by Malcolm Fields, a dog-care professional. After going through this guide almost every dog owner will have what you need when it comes to answering most dog health questions.
It's complete, detailed, and covers all the normal health problems your dog might confront. The overall focus of Malcolm's guide is on being prepared and taking preventative action. You'll learn how to accurately diagnose the problem with the help of excellent step-by-step flowcharts.
You'll discover how to tell whether your dog will be fine by themselves, whether they need to see your vet, and how urgently you should get them to your vet.
And, here's the best part, it's filled with advice and insight from veterinarians and trained dog-care specialists, as well as, easy on the eye and you'll be able to actually understand what they're saying.
In a nutshell, it's detailed (but not overwhelming), comprehensive (Malcolm covers all common ailments and illnesses), filled with knowledge (while keeping a nice conversational, easy-to-understand tone) and it gives you the kind of introduction to dog healthcare so you'll feel confident you can take good care of your dog.
What Dog Health Issues Are Covered?
The book covers all the common problems and ailments suffered by dogs. Malcom addresses issues like toothache and dental trouble, ear infections, skin rashes and chafing, eye irritations, worming issues, and lameness; chronic problems like vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, asthma, breathing trouble, and liver problems.
He even goes into the more severe issues like arthritis and cancer; and gives you a hi-level overview on issues like hair loss, lethargy, and behavioral changes. And all this is fully supplemented by full-color diagrams, photographs, and illustrations.
The Best Part - Detailed Symptom Charts
While it's nice to have a basic understanding of canine anatomy and medical problems, the thing you want to know more than anything is - how serious is the problem is and when do I need to take my dog to the vet?
Well, you'll be happy to discover many detailed symptom charts, designed to help you make knowlegable decisions regarding your dog's health-care.
Malcolm has done a wonderful job in this area because each chart starts from the specific symptoms of an ailment (you just follow the "branches" of the flowchart, depending on your dog's symptoms) and shows you the recommended path for treatment, as well as, advising if veterinary care is necessary and if so, how urgently.
More For You Than Just Dog Health
In addition to the fully-illustrated, 240-page guide itself, Malcolm also includes four free bonus books. You get "The Ultimate Guide to Dog First Aid", which is a valuable resource for those situations when an immediate response is needed, like how to perform the canine Heimlich maneuver and CPR to your dog.
Theres "180 Gourmet Recipes for Your Dog", which shows you how to indulge your dog's taste buds, "101 Ways to Spoil Your Dog for Under $10", with all kinds of activities you and your dog can enjoy together, and "20 Super-Healthy Recipes for Your Dog."
Final Thoughts On The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health
Personally I couldn't be happier with Malcolm's guide. It's what I was looking for - and I've owned and dealt with every dog malady you can imagine over the last 20 years - it's that useful.
This is a resource every responsible owner should have, because it not only enables you to make solid decisions regarding the serious health issues your dog might face, but you also learn how to handle the minor, day-to-day ailments and almost every dog encounters, as well as useful facts you can apply on preventative care.
This comprehensive guide to dog health helps you spot little problems before they can become big, costly ones - truly indispensable.
You can check out Malcom's book here: "The Ultimate Guide To Dog Health"