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Exotic Animal Formulary by James W.

Carpenter
Article in Journal of Small Animal Practice May 2013
DOI: 10.1111/jsap.12011

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Sharon Redrobe
Twycross Zoo
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BOOK REVIEW
Exotic Animal Formulary
James W. Carpenter
Published by Elsevier, 2012, 4th edition, paperback, 744 pages, Price
38.99, ISBN-13: 978-1437722642

This soft bound book, approximately A5 size, is divided into 13

chapters: invertebrates, fish amphibians, reptiles, birds, sugar
gliders, hedgehogs, rodents, rabbits, ferrets, miniature pigs,
primates, wildlife. Each chapter is written by single or several
authors who are all regarded as experts in their fields. There are
15 appendices including temperature and haematology conversion factors (between US and SI units) and an exotic animal
emergency drug table. Each chapter is followed by the reference
list. The chapters are clearly displayed at the top of each page and
the side of the pages has blocks of colour to indicate where each
chapter starts and finishes. This arrangement makes for a very
user-friendly experience and quick work of looking up a dose.
The chapters are subdivided into the expected sets of tables; antimicrobials, anaesthetics, etc. A few extra tables on the normal
haematology and biochemistry values plus some basic husbandry
parameters are also very welcome.
The list of chapter titles makes it obvious to most European
readers that this book is aimed squarely as an American audience;
why else devote entire chapters to sugar gliders and primates?
The US-aim of the book is also made clear in the naming of the
hedgehog chapter which refers to the African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) which has become a common exotic pet in the
USA and not the European wild hedgehog; readers should note
that the medicine and approach to these two species can often be
quite different.
The tables of medicines are well laid out and referenced,
though the usual challenge of exotic animal medicine means
there are several drug dosages listed for each drug giving the clinician little guidance on what is considered the best dose so far
in the rapidly evolving field of exotic animal medicine. Likewise,
as the book clearly aims to be comprehensive, leaving virtually no
stone unturned in hunted out drug dosages, there is much use of
conference proceedings as well as refereed journals. Whilst this
approach gives the clinician a wide choice of drugs and dosages,
it may be confusing to the novice and care should be exercised
in assuming how much science there is behind some of the suggested doses. It would be helpful to perhaps rank the published
doses to indicate whether they are from pharmacokinetic studies
or just mentioned (by people like me!) in conference proceedings as doses I have used and think are useful. Lack of hard
data seems to still be a common theme in exotic animal medicine
though it is wonderful to note the increasing body of real science behind such books. The tables here will guide the clinician
towards a sensible choice in a wide variety of conditions and in
many different species; this is surely an improvement on daring
to extrapolate from dog or human doses. This is not a how to
treat exotic animal patients type of book, nor does it aim to be,
and now it is in its fourth edition it is a trusty companion to
many vets and vet nurses.

E4

In summary, this book is a must have addition to the exotic

animal clinicians armoury. It is a handy book to keep in consultation rooms which, with the caveats mentioned above, will often
come to the aid of the busy vet in exotic animal practice.
Sharon Redrobe

Sharon is the Zoological Director at Twycross Zoo, a large primate-centric zoo with every species of great ape and over 1000
animals (including birds, reptiles and carnivores) housed over
80 acres. Sharon has worked exclusively with exotic animal species for 20 years, working in Edinburgh Universitys pet exotic
clinic, Bristol Universitys dedicated Rabbit Clinic and more
recently as Head Vet at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Current research
projects are primate bone growth and elephant herpesvirus.
Sharon has written numerous book chapters and papers on
exotic animal medicine and addressed most of the international
veterinary conferences including those of the WSAVA, BSAVA,
ARAV, AAV, AAZV, and NAVC.

Journal of Small Animal Practice

Vol 54

May 2013

2013 British Small Animal Veterinary Association