The fourth edition of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA)’s Manual of Canine and Feline Dermatology is now available. Under the direction of Hilary Jackson and Rosanna Marsella, the manual has been revised and updated to provide an easy-to-read resource focused on the clinically relevant aspects of dermatological diseases. It also includes several new chapters as well as expanded sections.
This new edition retains the popular format from the third edition. The initial chapters review the basic structure and function of the skin, discuss a logical approach to history-taking and outline the core investigative tests that can be performed. A separate chapter on skin cytology has been added to this edition, providing practical information on common skin diseases that should be useful to all practitioners.
The introductory section is followed by chapters taking a problem-oriented approach to common dermatological conditions, including papules and pustules, scaling, and erosions and ulcerations. The chapters on pyoderma, ear disease and atopic dermatitis have been significantly expanded and new to this edition are two chapters dedicated specifically to feline dermatological conditions.
A chapter covering the indications for allergy testing and the use of allergen-specific immunotherapy is also new to this edition. The main purpose of an allergy test is to confirm the clinical diagnosis of atopic disease and to identify the relevant allergens, which can then be selected for allergen-specific immunotherapy.
The final section of the manual focuses on the major skin diseases encountered in dogs and cats and includes a chapter on topical treatments, which have an increasingly important role in the management of small animal dermatology patients, either as a sole therapy or as part of a multimodal treatment regime.
The BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Dermatology is available as a print edition (£90 or £60 to BSAVA members), which can be purchase via the BSAVA online shop, and a digital edition (£90 or £60 to BSAVA members), accessible via the BSAVA Library.
