As human beings, we are adept learning machines. Long before a baby learns that
she can change a sheet of paper by crumpling it, she is absorbing vast amounts of
information. This learning continues throughout life in myriad ways: learning to
ride a bike and to take social cues from friends; learning to drive a car and balance
a checkbook; learning to solve a quadratic equation and to interpret a work of art.
Of course, much of learning is necessary for survival, and even the simplest
organisms learn to avoid danger and recognize food.However, human beings are
especially gifted in that we also acquire skills and knowledge to make our lives
richer and more meaningful.Many students would agree that reading novels and
watching movies enhances the quality of our lives because we can expand our
horizons by vicariously being in situations that we would never experience, reacting
sympathetically or unsympathetically to characters who remind us of ourselves
or are very different from anyone we have ever known.As authors, our goal
was to write a book that encourages students to understand biochemistry in this
broader sense, as a way to enrich their understanding of the world.
Now in a fully updated seventh edition, Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook remains the most complete source of drug information relevant for animals available. Providing referenced dosing recommendations in each monograph, this book offers doses for a wide range of species, including dogs, cats, exotic animals, and farm animals, in a single resource. The book also includes detail on key aspects for appropriate use of each drug, including pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, adverse effects, safety during pregnancy or nursing, overdoses, drug interactions, monitoring, chemistry and stability, storage, compatibility, and available products. The seventh edition adds 22 new drug monographs, as well as updated dosages and information for existing drugs. A noteworthy feature is the Prescriber Highlights section found at the beginning of each monograph that allows readers a quick method of finding important information for that drug.
