After the huge success of Sarah Caney's other published books entitled Caring for a cat with chronic kidney disease and Caring for a cat with lower urinary tract disease both published by Cat Professional, Sarah has written a book dedicated to Caring for a cat with hyperthyroidism. This review looks at the revised version of this book, first published in 2009. The book has been extensively updated and revised to reflect newer diagnostic tests available and new treatments.
This updated addition to her series concentrates on educating owners/clients with cats that have been recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I however would recommend this book for student veterinary surgeons, student veterinary nurses, veterinary nurses and technicians.
The book comprises five sections that include well written easy to read chapters containing important highlighted veterinary terminology, directing the owners to the glossary for simple explanations. Throughout the book there are regular links to further information regarding the discussed topics and recommended useful websites to aid further self study if required.
Section one of the book answers immediate concerns that an owner may have after initially receiving the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism for their cat from their veterinary surgeon. It includes a brief explanation about the illness, aetiology, and treatment of hyperthyroidism. This section would certainly support and assist with any immediate emotional concerns that the owner may have at this time.
Section two is the longest section of the book. It includes 32 commonly asked questions as subheadings with easy-to-read, in-depth explanations. Some examples of these are ‘What causes hyperthyroidism?’ and ‘What is the best way to medicate my cat?’ It covers aetiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the illness — there is so much useful information in this section that is presented with colour pictures, tables and diagrams to really explore in detail how to live and care for a cat with hyperthyroidism.
Section three includes Sarah's experience in nursing cats with hyperthyroidism and other owner experiences regarding living with hyperthyroid cats. There are presented cases for owners to read and follow with information on how other owners felt during the process of adjusting to life with a hyperthyroid cat. This is an excellent method of allowing the owners to see and read about successful stories and see and understand the effects of treatment.
Section four educates the owner about the importance of their relationship with the veterinary surgeon and what to expect from their veterinary surgeon. It provides useful links to websites if owners are concerned about the service they are receiving from their veterinary surgeon and where to go for help.
The final section of this book discusses the ethical consideration about owners being advocates for their pets with respect to euthanasia and a useful discussion about quality of life to assist the owner in making the correct decision when it is necessary.
The book has an easy-to-read, informative format and straight forward presentation that ensures it is suitable for owners living with cats with hyperthyroidism. It provides in-depth discussions clearly explaining every aspect of Caring for a cat with hyperthyroidism.