No Way to Treat a Friend ─ Lifting the Lid on Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine

"No Way to Treat a Friend" is an informative and readable exposé of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine (CAVM). Written in an accessible style and illustrated with stories and real-life cases from veterinary practice, this book is a counterweight to the mass of 'pro' literature in existence which uncritically promotes CAVM without consideration of whether or not it could be harmful to an animal companion. The authors, both practicing veterinary surgeons, take a close look at how animals can appear to respond to treatment, even when it is ineffective. Individual alternative practices are examined-including homeopathy, acupuncture, raw diets, and the anti-vaccination lobby-to find out if they stand up to scrutiny. With a thoroughly scientific focus, this is not an attack on different belief systems but a rigorous analysis of the facts, and a consideration of typical CAVM arguments. "No Way to Treat a Friend" will be a helpful reference for those who want to know more about the various therapies themselves, as well as an invaluable resource for veterinary practitioners and anyone with an interest in animals and their welfare. Niall Taylor is veterinary surgeon working in rural Somerset, England. A general practitioner, he also has a long-standing interest in critical thinking and how it relates to complementary and alternative veterinary medicine. He is a founding member of the Campaign for Rational Veterinary Medicine and runs the rationalvetmed.net website. Alex Gough is the Head of Medical Referrals at Bath Veterinary Referrals, and is the author of the veterinary textbooks "Differential Diagnosis in Small Animal Medicine" and "Breed Predispositions to Disease in Dogs and Cats", both of which have been translated into multiple languages. [Subject: Veterinary Medicine, Holistic Pet Care]