Building on the success of the previous edition, the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Gastroenterology, 2nd edition incorporates not only the new information available since the original publication but also additional chapters on diagnostic techniques and presenting complaints.
Part 1 considers diagnostic techniques, with chapters on the approach to a gastrointestinal case, laboratory evaluation, imaging, endoscopy, immunology and biopsy. The completely new chapter on imaging of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas covers in detail the modalities most frequently employed in small animal practice, namely radiography and ultrasonography, whilst also briefly discussing more advanced techniques of Doppler and harmonic ultrasonography, scintigraphy, CR and MRI.
The short chapters in Part 2 provide a practical approach to investigating presenting complaints: dysphagia and regurgitation; vomiting; acute and chronic diarrhoea; malabsorption; GI haemorrhage; dyschezia and tenesmus; jaundice; hepatic encephalopathy and infectious diseases. All follow the same basic format: outlining the clinical features, ranking the differential diagnoses in order of importance, and providing step-by-step algorithms for diagnosis.
The more traditional organ-based systems approach in Part 3 has been expanded from the previous edition to include chapters on disorders of the oral cavity, perineum and anus, and biliary system. Each chapter is presented in a similar style, starting with a brief description of relevant anatomy and physiology, then detailing diagnostic tests, and concluding with a discussion of the disorders that can be encountered, including their treatment.
The completely new final part contains chapters devoted to critical care, assisted feeding techniques, and an overview of therapeutics.
The chapters, written by a host of international authors, all experts in their field, are accompanied throughout by full colour illustrations.