DOG HEALTH PRODUCT REVIEW

The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health

Knowing when to take your dog to the vet and when to let him heal naturally is a pretty tricky business. How do you tell when he needs to see a professional? After all, your dog is not going to tell you.

Nobody likes forking out big money for a needless visit to the vet, but then again no conscientious dog-owner can bear to think of his dog suffering needlessly, either! Frankly, it's a bit of a challenge.

I've owned dogs since I was just a pup myself, and this is still something that I've never been 100% comfortable with: of course, I'd always rather be safe than sorry (something which has resulted in many, many unnecessary trips to the vet over the years, just to set my mind at rest) … but I've also always wished for the kind of solid grounding in dog health basics which would enable me to confidently decide for myself when my dog needs to see the vet - and when I can save both him and myself the hassle!

Stress-Free Dog Care

You can imagine the relief I felt when I happened across The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health (by Malcolm Fields - dog-care professional) on the Internet. It was amazing: this guide is exactly what I was looking for. It's complete and detailed, covering all the common health problems (both serious and not) that affect dogs; the overall focus is on preparation and prevention; it teaches you how to accurately diagnose (with the assistance of step-by-step flowcharts which tell you whether he'll be fine by himself, whether he needs to see the vet, and how urgently the vet should be seen); and, while it's packed with knowledge and advice from veterinarians and trained dog-care specialists, it's easy on the eye and reader-friendly - you can actually understand what they're trying to say!

In a nutshell, it's detailed (but not overwhelmingly so), comprehensive (covering all the common ailments and illnesses), informative (while retaining an easy, relaxed tone) and it gives you the kind of introduction to canine healthcare that'll allow you to take good care of your dog, without spending unnecessary time and effort trying to absorb the jargon of a veterinary textbook!

What's Actually Covered?

The book deals with all the common problems and diseases suffered by dogs, including 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; more severe issues like arthritis and cancer; and symptomatic "alerts" like hair loss, lethargy, and behavioral changes.

Not only that, you also learn how to home in on early warning signs by identifying and accurately interpreting your dog's body language; the best ways to groom your dog quickly and effectively; how to take good care of his teeth and gums; how to administer medicine safely and easily; and how to recognize the early warning signs of health trouble through behavioral and physical changes.

All this information is fully supplemented by full-color diagrams, photographs, and illustrations.

The Best Bit

While it's great to learn about dog anatomy and medical problems, the most important thing I wanted to learn was: How can I tell how serious the problem is, and when do I need to take my dog to the vet?

So I was really pleased to find the many and detailed symptom charts, which were designed especially to help owners make solid decisions about their dog's health-care. Each chart starts from the specific symptoms of a particular ailment (you just follow the "branches" of the flowchart, depending on the symptoms that your dog has) and tells you the recommended path of treatment for each one, as well as advising whether veterinary care should be sought, and if so, how urgently. Pure genius!

It Comes with Freebies!

In addition to the fully-illustrated, 240-page guide itself, you also get a handful of tempting freebies: specifically, four bonus books.

There's "The Ultimate Guide to Dog First Aid", a wonderfully useful resource for those situations requiring an immediate response (including how to perform the canine Heimlich maneuver and doggie CPR); "180 Gourmet Recipes for Your Dog", which really teaches you how to indulge your best friend's taste buds; "101 Ways to Spoil Your Dog for Under $10", detailing all kinds of luxuries-on-a-budget and activities for you and your dog to enjoy together; and "20 Super-Healthy Recipes for Your Dog" – which proves that doggie health-food is as delicious as anything else! These books have a combined value of over $80 - not a bad freebie!

The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health: In Summary

All in all, I couldn't be happier with this product. It's exactly what I was looking for – and even if I hadn't spent the last decade or so wishing for a book just like it, I think I'd still snap it up in a second: it's that useful.

This is an information resource that every responsible dog owner should have access to. Not only does it enable you to make good decisions about the more serious health issues commonly suffered by dogs, but you learn a lot about the minor, day-to-day ailments and afflictions that almost every dog will encounter from time to time, as well as a host of useful facts on preventative care.

This comprehensive guide to dog health will help you to spot little problems before they become big ones: truly indispensable.