The Veterinary General Practice Casebook

“A fantastic self assessment text with a great representation of the clinical caseload of a week in companion animal general practice, alongside snippets of practice management, self care and, best of all, recipes for cake! A great read for all clinical vet students, new and recent graduates, and those wanting to refresh their knowledge.”

Dr Liz Mullineaux, FRCVS, BVA President 2024-25

“This book is formatted as a week in the life of an extremely busy small animal general practice vet. The week is divided into cases with questions followed by answers which cover a general practice approach. Respect for the role of the general practitioner vet shines through the book. If you are a senior vet student or recent graduate this book will not only test your knowledge but subsequently, in a very entertaining way, reduce the number of common recent graduate mistakes. The best part is you don’t have to test yourself - you can simply skip to the delightful answers clearly written by practical experts. If you’re not in the mood for a quiz or you’re too tired to learn, then the recipes that conclude each chapter are simply delicious. Skimming through these very useful cases, my favourite is the oral papilloma which is famously mistaken for nasties by recent graduates and only crops up in a community intermittently, so may be a surprise when first encountered!

As a veterinarian who has been in small animal practice for over forty years, the description of this book as a “workout “is a misnomer. I hate workouts, exams and certainly my style of learning hates challenges. I don’t think it should be seen as “practice or exercise to test one’s fitness” (Merriam Webster) but rather a very refreshing , informative and practical guide to the intricacies, joy of discovery and the myriad of skills involved in veterinary general practice.”

Dr Julia Crawford, BVSc, President ASAV (Australian Small Animal Veteirnarians), Past President AVA, Bondi Junction Veterinary Hospital, Aus

“Who doesn’t enjoy case studies when attending CPD meetings, even better ones that resonate with the work we do in General Practice; the all too often the unsung hero of our profession? Well here is a collection of truly realistic ones that not only help re-affirm your knowledge (and pride as a GP) but also gently guide you toward further knowledge all in the guise of a textbook. I found this book truly educational, enjoyable and far from paternalistic; a rare combination. The way this book is presented means you can either have a jolly good read or just dip in and out when you have a spare few minutes, as well as being that reference text book you can refer to whilst hiding in the dispensary. The book covers a wide variety of issues, just as one meets in first opinion practice, all laid out in a very readable manner. I found it addictive, always reading one or two more cases than I meant to.”

Julian Kupfer, BVSc LLM MRCVS, Chair of the Animal Welfare Foundation, UK

“The Veterinary General Practice Casebook is a fantastic addition to the veterinary literature. Edited by two outstanding clinicians, with a real passion for wellbeing of both animals and people in our profession, this book takes us on a wonderful ride through the sorts of cases we see every day in practice – from skin irritations to neoplasia, dental disease to diarrhoea and much more. With contributions from well-respected and experienced clinicians from across the globe, each case problem is concisely presented – and is followed by a series of clinically relevant questions that we, as clinicians, are faced with every day – questions that our clients and patients need answers to. The thought-provoking manner in which these cases are presented - and the questions crafted - provides a wonderful learning platform for veterinarians in all walks of life. The answers to the questions are incredibly helpful – providing clinically relevant, evidence-based information pertaining to the case, along with practical recommendations and useful resources (including the provision of some great charts and tables for quick reference).

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book – and I see it as a tremendously valuable tool for clinicians across a range of disciplines, for learning, having clinical rounds discussions as a part of staff training sessions, or simply a great read to remind ourselves what an amazing and interesting profession we’ve chosen.”

Philip R Judge, BVSc MVS PG Cert Vet Stud MACVSc (Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care; Medicine of Dogs), Director, Vet Education Pty Ltd, Aus

Andrew Gardiner BVM&S Cert SAS MSc PhD DipECAWBM (AWSEL) MRCVS spent 16 years in general practice, during which time he obtained the RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Surgery. He was awarded a doctoral scholarship in Medical Humanities to research 20th century British veterinary education and practice at the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, University of Manchester, after which he joined the staff of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, to promote general practice-informed teaching. Since 2009, working with students and volunteer veterinarians, he has run All4Paws, an accessible veterinary care practice for homeless and vulnerably-housed animal owners in Edinburgh.

Anne Quain BA(Hons) BScVet(Hons) BVSc(Hons) MVetStud GradCertEdStud(HigherEd) MANZCVS (Animal Welfare) DipECAWBM (AWSEL) PhD graduated with her BVSc from the University of Sydney in 2005. She is a senior lecturer in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science and also works in private practice. She is a member of the ANZCVS in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, a Diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behaviour Medicine in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, and has a PhD in veterinary ethics. Together with Siobhan Mullan, she co-wrote Veterinary Ethics: Navigating Tough Cases. She also co-edited The Vet Cookbook: A Collegial Collaboration. She is passionate about general practice, clinical and ethical decision-making and animal welfare. In 2023, she received a Fear Free Research Award in recognition of her commitment to alleviating fear, anxiety and stress in animals through research.