Preface

This is the third edition of Equine Internal Medicine. Like its two predecessors, it has been written and edited with the aim of promoting a clearer comprehension of the principles of medical disease and/or problem development by focusing on the basic pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie the development of various equine diseases. As with previous editions, basic information is presented and then related to the clinical characteristics of each disease and its therapy and management.

All the chapters that appeared in the first two editions have been updated, and a number of them have been extensively revised or rewritten. Although the bulk of the chapters address specific diseases along systems-based lines, we realize that the practitioner is initially confronted with a specific problem that may have its origin in one or more of the body's systems. The first section of the book is therefore devoted to an in-depth discussion of the basic mechanisms by which problems might develop and the principles underlying the treatment of many of them. The reader can build on this foundation by reading about specific disorders in the second section of the book, which is divided into chapters dealing with problems of a particular body system or of a specific nature.

Many true experts have contributed to this text. Their depth of knowledge about all aspects of equine internal medicine is encyclopedic and daunting. We are grateful for their efforts and diligence in helping us to produce what we hope will come to be regarded as the definitive text on medical diseases of horses. We are indebted to them for their efforts. We trust that they derive a sense of pride from the part they have played in producing what we hope represents the gold standard in equine medical textbooks.

In these days of progressive globalization of the world's societies and associated growth in the international movement of horses for breeding, recreational, and competitive purposes, there has also a worldwide increase in expectations relating to the standard of veterinary care and evaluation of sick horses. The sophistication of specialist training programs and the increased number of equine internists also taking advantage of postgraduate doctoral opportunities have resulted in a wealth of new information and the maturing of an increasingly complex and challenging discipline—equine internal medicine. The delivery of superior health care and increased client expectations that have been associated with the growth of this discipline have led to the appearance of extremely well-informed and astute equine general practitioners everywhere and specialist equine internists on most continents. More than ever before, equine internal medicine now stands as an autonomous specialty in the veterinary profession. We trust that the third edition of Equine Internal Medicine will prove to have as much universal appeal and application as those that preceded it.

Finally, we would be remiss if we did not thank the many people at Elsevier for their persistence and efforts. Penny Rudolph and Lauren Harms in particular deserve our gratitude. They and many others have assisted in manuscript preparation, correspondence, and all the other tasks that must be accomplished to get a book like this into print. Without them and the generosity of our colleagues, this book would not have been published. We think that everyone's efforts have been worthwhile.