[.ca] Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals (ISBN 0801668204)

This is it!:
This book should be on the shelf of everyone who works with dogs and cats, especially those who work directly with pet owners. The appendix is packed with detailed protocols to help owners manage and change problem behaviors, from dominance aggression to inappropriate urination and back again to chronic leg-humping. Owner compliance is one of the biggest challenges animal care professionals face, and these detailed step-by-step protocols steer sometimes overwhelmed civilians in the right direction. My only complaint with this book is that you will (I promise, you will,) lose a few pages due to the perforated appendices. It would be nice to see a spiral-bound, easily photocopied edition.

Lot of good information, difficult to get through it all:
I found this book to be inclusive of a lot of current information, but it is not for light reading. It can be difficult to get through all of the information, or dig out what you may find useful. Her emphasis on some problem behaviors being the consequence of an imbalance in neurotransmitters is not shared by everyone, as a good majority of these animals can be considered normal when evaluated in an ethological sense. The handouts at the end of the book are very useful in getting a history from an owner, as well as handouts for the treatment of problem behaviors.

Essential reading for anyone serious about animals:
I have consulted with Dr. Overall in the treatment of a dog we rescued who has OCD, and in addition, I have also read her book cover to cover three times. There are a lot of books on this topic -- both for veterinarians and for lay people -- out there, but this one is the best. Dr. Overall, unlike a number of vets (even veterinary behaviorists) truly understands the nature of dog behavior -- and the importance of positive reinforcement in shapingn it. She is my hero, and I recommend this book to anyone who has a serious interest in animal behavior.

Quintessential Text for Behavioural Medicine!:
Karen Overall, whom I affectionately call the Behaviour Goddess, has allowed her passion for her work to spill over into what could have been a dry tome on the emerging field of veterinary behavioural medicine. Almost every topic (from epidemiology to pharmacology) is exhaustively covered and she has clearly indentified where further research is warranted. A must read for any veterinarian, behaviourist or pet owner searching for more information about their pet's normal and abnormal behaviours. Also recommended: Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson, Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor, The Toolbox by Terry Ryan

Finally not something made for the novice!:
I have been looking for good textbooks on this subject for quite some time, as most texts don't have much to offer me. (I have a BS in Animal Science with extensive work in behavior.) The text seems clearly written and well organized. I also like the way the author talks about where we lack on each subject - where more reseach is needed. A very good book for the scholar type. But defintely not for newcomers!