Book Review

Compendium of Veterinary Products (5th ed.)

Aurora Arrioja-Dechert, ed.
North American Compendiums Ltd

This is the most complete listing of veterinary products available.

The Compendium of Veterinary Products (CVP) is to veterinary medicine what the Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR) is to medicine for humans. However, unlike the PDR, which is divided into two books (one with prescription medications and one with nonprescription medications), the CVP contains both types of veterinary products. The publisher does not charge manufacturers to list their medications; this ensures that all applicable veterinary products (not just those produced by well-known manufacturers) are included. Monographs, reference charts, antimicrobial dosage tables, information on medication use in food-producing animals, and many different reference sections on companies and organizations that produce veterinary medicines are provided. Like the PDR, the CVP is one of the only reference books that lists the active and inactive ingredients in products; most resources list only the active ingredients. When veterinary products are compounded, it is often useful to know which inactive ingredients are contained in other similar commercially available formulations. This reference is an invaluable resource for the veterinary practitioner. It is also available on CD-ROM for those who prefer electronic information.