labanimalvet

First off, I must admit that I have not yet finished the book. I'm only on the cancer section, and I'm not sure if I will finish it. Initially I was really excited to find this book (I have the kindle audio edition), because I'm a Laboratory Animal Veterinarian, so I encounter and appreciate comparative medicine on a daily basis. But almost immediately, I was turned off by the author's repetitive and nauseating writing style- overuse of adjectives, subjectivity, egotism, etc. Furthermore, this book so far has NOT offered anything new. I realize that most people may not realize this, because they are not in the field of comparative medicine. And I would have no problem if the author simply chose to present the information in a book that is accessible to the everyday person. The author does do this, but that is not all she does- she claims that she is taking a new, 'zoobiquitous' approach that few people if any have done before. In fact, this is not a new approach at all and is done every day through comparative medicine studies, namely animal research, which the author makes quite clear that she is opposed to. But it becomes obvious that in her opposition to animal research, she has failed to recognize the many benefits that comparative animal research has provided (although she does make reference to research findings, but does not mention that those findings came from animal research).

The entire book thus far exudes a sense of profoundness- as if the author is crossing uncharted territory. I feel like that is misleading to readers and does not give credit where credit is due- not only to the wildlife and zoo veterinarians, but also to the lab animal veterinarians who strive to uphold animal welfare while also contribute to the advancement of scientific and medical knowledge- in this case advancement that uses animals that have been selected as models of human diseases. The author paints a small picture of animal research as cold, uncaring, and unimportant. She portrays it as a field that uses genetically mutated animals that are completely unlike their natural counterparts. While research does use genetically engineered animals to serve as superior models of human diseases, animal research also uses natural animal models that include not only mice and rats, but dogs, cats, primates, frogs, birds, pigs, gerbils, snakes, horses- the list is endless. Many of her profound conclusions have already been concluded and put into practice in animal research.

It is true that MDs and DVMs need to work together to achieve a heightened quality of medicine that benefits both people and animals. But the author gives the impression that human and animal doctors are really not working together at all. But in fact, they are working together extensively in the field of research/laboratory animal medicine that the author chose to ignore. Not only does the author not incorporate this field in her writings, she explicitly expresses her distaste for animal research. I believe that in order to truly develop a zoobiquitous approach, you need to have an appreciation and understanding for all areas of scientific and medical advancement.

The author is correct about one thing though- that many MD's, especially specialists, have a superiority complex, inflated ego, etc. This complex is exemplified in her book.

By not painting an objective, well-rounded picture

anger, frustration, disappointment