SMALL ANIMALS
While developing the questionnaires for the pet-owners, it was
hypothesised that factors such as farm animal contact, wildlife
contact, living near farms or pet-owners who worked closely with
other animals would have a positive correlation with seropositivity to
C. burnetii in the pets. This hypothesis was supported by the elevated
risk ratios and odds ratios associated with some of these factors.
As there are no studies published on C. burnetii prevalence in domes-
tic animals in this region, this initial study is a step towards improved
understanding of the epidemiology of Q fever in North Queensland.
Acknowledgments
Sample collection undertaken by nine veterinary practices in the
Townsville region is very much appreciated.
References
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian social trends, 1995. ABS, Canberra,
1995.
BOOK REVIEW avj_838 387..389
Medical history and physical examination in companion animals. 2nd edn. Edited by A Rijnberk and FJ van Sluijs. Saunders,
London, 2008. 333 pages. Price $125. ISBN 978 0 70202 968 4.
T
his book is a guide to the nuts and bolts of clinical assess-
ment, without a through application of which, a diagnosis
is inferior or impossible. There are many contributors to the
text, with all but one being from Utrecht University, and it is a credit
to the translator, BE Belshaw, that the text is eminently lucid.
The book opens with three theoretical chapters, followed by 27
practically-orientated chapters containing theory, technique and
history, accompanied by four appendices and a CD.
There are chapters on all the organ systems and special
glands, diagnostic approach, pre-anaesthetic examination, medical
records, restraint, emergencies, certification and instrumentation.
Birds, reptiles and small mammals, along with appendices on some
husbandry requirements of exotic animals and pocket pets, are also
described in dedicated chapters. The illustrations are comprehen-
sive and have excellent descriptions of what is being demonstrated,
with many full-coloured photographs and line drawings illustrating
correct and incorrect techniques, not necessarily just pathology.
However, there are some parts of the book that are less relvant,
such as the ‘skin scrapping’ technique, which is well described but
does not depict the popular technique in Australia of using a
scalpel held vertically as a curette. I doubt many practices would
have the curette instrument described.
The accompanying CD is worth the cost of the book for a practitio-
ner on account of the plethora of forms that can be customised and
for the movie footage that illustrates aspects of behaviour and
© 2011 The Authors
Australian Veterinary Journal © 2011 Australian Veterinary Association
2. Cook GC. Canine associated zoonoses: An unacceptable hazard to human
health. Q J Med 1989;70:5–26.
3. Maurin M, Raoult D. Q fever. Clin Microbiol Rev 1999;12:518–553.
4. Buhariwalla F, Cann B, Marrie TJ. A dog-related outbreak of Q fever. Clin Infect
SMALL ANIMALS
Dis 1996;23:753–755.
5. Boni M, Davoust B, Tissot-Dupont H et al. Survey of seroprevalence of Q fever in
dogs in the southeast of France, French Guyana, Martinique, Senegal and the
Ivory Coast. Vet Microbiol 1998;64:1–5.
6. Loukaides F, Hadjichristodoulou C, Soteriades ES et al. Active surveillance of Q
fever in human and animal population of Cyprus. BMC Infect Dis 2006;6:48.
7. Smith JR. Studies on canine parvovirus; associated diseases and control.
[dissertation] James Cook University. 1986.
8. World Organisation for Animal Health. Manual of diagnostic tests and vaccines
for terrestrial animals. 5th edn. Chapter 2.2.10. OIE, 2004.
9. Marrie TJ, Durant H, Williams JC et al. Exposure to parturient cats: a risk factor
for acquisition of Q fever in Maritime Canada. J Infect Dis 1988;158:101–108.
10. Babudieri B. Q fever: a zoonosis. Adv Vet Sci 1959;5:81–181.
11. Marrie TJ, Embil J, Yates L. Seroepidemiology of Coxiella burnetii among wild-
life in Nova Scotia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1993;49:613–615.
12. Marrie TJ, Van Buren J, Fraser J et al. Seroepidemiology of Q fever among
domestic animals in Nova Scotia. Am J Public Health 1985;75:763–766.
13. Enright JB, Franti CF, Behymer DE et al. Coxiella burnetii in a wildlife-livestock
environment: Distribution of Q fever in wild mammals. Am J Epidemiol
1971;94:79–90.
(Accepted for publication 19 December 2010)
neurological disturbance. The historical content includes a descrip-
tion of the development of the stethoscope (or phonendoscope
as the preferred term) by a Frenchman in the early 18th century.
Possibly to avoid compromising the animal nature of this volume
we are given the comment on the discovery of its use on ‘une jeune
personne’ in French!
One could take issue with the restraint of rabbits in a box or retro-
bulbar bleeding of mice that are no longer performed. Advice
on the care of gerbils, hamsters and chinchillas do not apply in
Australia. The reptiles are also not representative of Australian
animals, but husbandry techniques are the same. Further, in
Chapter 30, the illustrations in Figures 22 and 23 have been
reversed from their description.
European idiosyncrasies and instrumentation do not detract from
the value of this text, as many veterinary techniques have had to be
‘Australianised’ in the past. However, this book is an essential text
for all students entering clinical years and should be on the shelves
of all veterinary practices for reference.
J Aspley Davis
John Aspley Davis is a Canberra-based small animal veterinary
surgeon who has served on the Veterinary Schools Accreditation
Advisory Committee.
doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2011.00838.x
Australian Veterinary Journal Volume 89, No 10, October 2011 387