Dog Health & Nutrition for Dummies

by M. Christine Zink

Book Overview

You do everything you can to maintain your optimum health. Doesn't your best friend deserve the same? Your dog's a member of the family and needs the same attention to health and nutrition as you do to stay healthy, be happy, and live longer. However, it's easy to get lost in the pet store's sea of dog products, passing aisle after aisle of dog food. Keeping your dog healthy or getting her back on the road to good health doesn't have to be difficult,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764553186
• ISBN13: 9780764553189
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

One of the Best Canine Health Books Out There

Inside and out this book will keep your dog healthy. You will learn how to nip potentially deadly health problems in the bud, how to recognize the signs of a healthy dog, and learn all that you need to do should your dog become ill. I am an aspiring veterinarian who will need 8 solid years of dog education to earn my DVM degree. This book is an excellent start for me because it introduces me to the regimens of canine health and nutition. This book is quite an education for even me: somebody who reads dog books all the time. You can't go wrong buying this book.

A Great Book for All Levels of Dog Owners

Although this is a "for dummies" book, I think it is really a nice book overall that has information for anyone ranging from someone getting their first dog to someone who is very active in the dog world. The author does not "dumb down" any of her information or presentation and presents everything in a clear, informative manner.The content is very broad and covers just about anything you might need to know about health and nutrition including structure, drugs, parasites, first aid, holistic/alternative therapies, and many more. The author even presents issues such as the hotly debated food issue with a relatively fair and balanced approach. Although she does take a side, she presents the postives and negatives of each side and lets the reader know that there are various schools of thought out there should s/he choose to research further.The book is attractively laid out with pictures, diagrams, charts, and cute little markers in the margin denoting things such as a "tip", "warning", "technical stuff", etc. It is an easy read that you are sure to pick up some new information from, regardless of your current knowledge about dogs. I highly recommend it to anyone.

One for every dog owner's book shelf

Wonderful book and one that every dog owner should have. It was easy to read and you don't need a masters degree in nutrition to understand it. Dr. Zink is down to earth in her advice on nutrition as well. Dr. Zink gives references on nutritional research for her remarks along with recipes for those who prefer to cook for their dog all in a non-biased format.

Good solid information

This book is extremely comprehensive in its coverage but is also an easy read. Contrary to the title, this book does not treat you like a dummy. It treats you like an intelligent and responsible dog owner who simply needs a little extra information on what to do when your dog is sick, how to feed your dog well, and how to recognize signs of trouble. Who knew that dogs can take Pepto-Bismol for stomach upset too?

Sensible nutrition approach

I have read many books on dog nutrition and this one is the best. This book presents both sides of the diet dilemma in an unbiased fashion, and backs it up with research from credible institutions and offers suggestions for improving whichever diet you use -- store bought or home cooked. In addition, the author is highly credible in her field -- she is an expert in canine sports medicine and is a full professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She teaches medical and veterinary students. She has her DVM and Ph.D. Honestly, you can't get much more credible than that! The book is not extremist in approach; rather it presents sensible questions about just what is in manufactured dog food, and how do we know it. It then rounds out the picture by presenting alternative diets (home-cooked food) but presents drawbacks there and how to correct them. It addresses supplements as well. While other topics are also presented beside nutrition (helping your dog age gracefully, training, etc.), I bought it mainly for its nutritional content, and I was not disappointed. The book cites research on nutrition from very credible institutions (Tufts University Veterinary School, as well as others). In addition, if you prefer to cook for your dog, it tells you how and where to send your food so you can find out if your are presenting a balanced meal. It offers other helpful hints as well.The book is very well written, mainly in active voice, and on a level the layman can understand. This one belongs on your book shelf!