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The eagerly awaited 'Vets and Pets' book is finally available! This is a compilation of previously published veterinary articles by Peter van Dongen. The articles have appeared in The Agility Eye and The Agility Voice, from June 1998, on a nearly monthly basis.

There are 24 chapters in total (the last chapter, on Skin Diseases, is totally new!) covering subjects including microchips, hip dysplasia, eye diseases, first aid, fleas, worms, neutering, epilepsy, euthanasia, nutrition, lameness and many others! All chapters have been updated.

This is the ideal reference book for veterinary information concerning your dog. It would also make a good gift for your friends or family (X-mas gift?). Perhaps you can even buy several books together to give out at your local dog club.

The book contains 66 pages, comes in A4 format, and is spiral bound and covered in laminated card.

You can get one of these books by sending your address and a cheque for £10.00 (this includes postage and packing) to:

Peter van Dongen 25 Tolsey Mead Borough Green Kent TN15 8EQ

Remember, it costs less than half a professional veterinary consultation and any profit made will be donated to a 'doggy' charity!

Alternatively, you can buy one directly from Peter at shows for £9.00 only!

VETTING "VETS AND PETS"
A Review by Mary Ann Nester

Confessing that you are a veterinary surgeon to any group of animal lovers is either an extreme act of bravery or amazing foolhardiness. It can turn the most ordinary conversation into a consultation - my dog has hiccups, my cat isn't eating or my budgie has turned purple. Peter Van Dongen, agility's very own vet, can now direct worried dog owners to his new book, "Vets and Pets" and get back to chatting about the weather and agility.

"Vets and Pets" is a spiral bound collection of articles originally published monthly by "The Agility Voice" and "The Agility Eye". Having them all together in one book, plus a new chapter on skin complaints, makes "Vets and Pets" a must for your library - to read from cover to cover or to dip into as time permits. Let's face it, how many of us know which issue of the "Eye" or the "Voice" has the article on bloat or epilepsy? And, although originally written for the agility enthusiast, the information and advice presented is important for all responsible dog owners everywhere.

The twenty-four chapters cover a wide range of canine aches and pains as well as answering the sort of questions that vets must hear everyday. I was astounded to realize that I had had personal experience of most of the ailments and health issues described in "Vets and Pets" - and my friends' dogs had had the rest! Information is provided in an easy to understand way - no blinding with science here. The booklet will help you have a better comprehension of the care available for your dog, but it is not intended as a substitute for a professional diagnosis. Most chapters end with the caveat, "If in doubt, you should speak to your vet!"

And it is very re-assuring that Peter Van Dongen not only owns and loves dogs, but has had a great deal of success competing with Basil, his Cruft's Agility Winner. I suspect that everyone has posed the question, "what would you do?" to their vet when faced with a tricky dilemma. "Vets and Pets" is the readers' chance to find out! Are Pete's pets micro chipped? How often are they wormed? How often are they fed? Does he give them chews? The answers are on the page.

But the chapter that touches me most is entitled "Euthanasia". This subject was explained clearly and succinctly. It left little doubt that Peter would handle the whole process with great sensitivity. In fact, Pete does not distance himself from his writing and this results in a very personal and affable style, all the more commendable when you remember that English is his second language. Reading his personal experiences or a phrase that can only be a direct translation from the Dutch, you can't help but feel that Pete is a real person and someone who would be enthusiastic and competent facing any veterinary challenge.

My suggestion is to go out and buy your own copy. Don't ask to borrow mine. With five dogs in varying stages of decline, I need it at home! I'm hoping that Pete will ask one of my pack to model their ills for the next reprint instead of using clip art!