Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals

Revised Edition Edited by: Larry Vogelnest, Timothy Portas

A clinically oriented, practical reference for veterinarians, biologists, zoologists and wildlife carers.

Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals provides up-to-date knowledge of Australian mammal medicine. This revised edition is a companion volume to Medicine of Australian Mammals, a text that remains relevant and current, although there have been significant advances in Australian mammal medicine and surgery since its publication in 2008. Together, these two texts remain the most comprehensive source of information on medicine of Australian mammals available. + Full description

This book is divided into two sections. The first includes detailed chapters on general topics and topics relevant to multiple taxa, including a new chapter on assessment, triage and treatment of bushfire-affected wildlife. The second section provides updates of current knowledge relevant to specific taxa. Each chapter is authored by Australian experts. Several appendices provide useful reference data and information on clinical reference ranges, recommended venipuncture sites, chemical restraint agent doses and regimens, a drug formulary and dental charts.

Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals is clinically oriented with an emphasis on practical content and easy-to-use reference material, and is a must-have for veterinarians, students, biologists, zoologists, wildlife carers and other wildlife professionals. This volume also complements, updates and utilises the resources of other books such as Radiology of Australian Mammals (Vogelnest and Allan, 2015), Pathology of Australian Native Wildlife (Ladds, 2009), Haematology of Australian Mammals (Clark, 2004) and Australian Mammals: Biology and Captive Management, Second Edition (Jackson, 2025).

- Short description

News

This revised edition is publishing June 2025. Need your copy sooner? The First Edition (2019) is still available to purchase as an eBook.

Reviews

Praise for the first edition:

"A thorough, well-researched, and referenced yet practical, clinically oriented, and easy-to-use reference."
Amy L. Shima, Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 50(3), 2019

"With a masterly mix of experience, a most readable format, and excellent images, the editors and authors have set a high standard."
Robert Johnson, Journal of Wildlife Diseases 56(1), January 2020

"With the release of Current Therapy in Medicine of Australian Mammals, we are reminded that there is a wealth of incredible veterinary and scientific minds working passionately in the wildlife conservation sector to progress and enhance the care and conservation of mammals worldwide. This volume ...has far-reaching global applications."
Phil Tucak, The Journal of Wildlife Management 84(2), 2020

Details

Hardback | June 2025 | $280.00
ISBN: 9781486317936 | 848 pages | 270 x 210 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
B&W photographs, Colour plates, Illustrations

Features

Provides veterinarians, students, biologists, zoologists, wildlife carers and other wildlife professionals with the most up-to-date information on the medical management of Australian native mammals.
Clinically oriented with an emphasis on practical content and easy-to-use reference material.
Appendices provide useful reference data and information on clinical reference ranges, recommended venipuncture sites, chemical restraint agent doses and regimens, a drug formulary and dental charts.
Authored by Australian experts.
Companion volume to Medicine of Australian Mammals.

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of contributors

SECTION 1 GENERAL TOPICS AND CONDITIONS AFFECTING MULTIPLE TAXA
1 Wildlife health in Australia
2 Veterinary aspects of native mammal conservation translocations
3 Disease risk analysis for wildlife translocations
4 Wildlife rehabilitation practices in Australia
5 Assessment and management of reproduction in Australian monotremes and marsupials
6 Management of overabundant populations
7 Monotreme, marsupial and bat immunology
8 Stress physiology of Australian mammals
9 Capture, physical and chemical restraint
10 Surgery
11 Pharmacology
12 Dermatology
13 Dentistry
14 Nutrition
15 Paediatrics
16 Zoonoses
17 Antimicrobial resistance
18 Neoplasia
19 Plant and other toxicoses
20 Emerging infectious diseases
21 Toxoplasmosis
22 Mycobacteriosis
23 Marsupial herpesviruses
24 Neural angiostrongyliasis
25 Cryptococcosis
26 Haemoprotozoan parasites
27 Assessment, triage and treatment of bushfire-affected wildlife

SECTION 2 TAXON-SPECIFIC UPDATES AND TOPICS
28 Platypus
29 Short-beaked echidna
30 Coccidiosis in short-beaked echidnas
31 Macropods
32 Macropod progressive periodontal disease (‘lumpy jaw’)
33 Koala
34 Koala retrovirus
35 Chlamydiosis in koalas
36 Veterinary involvement in the research and management of free-ranging koala populations
37 Wombats
38 Possums and gliders
39 Dasyurids and the numbat
40 Devil facial tumour disease
41 Bandicoots and the greater bilby
42 Bats
43 Hendra virus
44 Rodents
45 Pinnipeds
46 Cetaceans
47 Dugong

Appendix 1. Clinical pathology and physiological values
Appendix 2. Blood collection sites
Appendix 3. Suggested chemical restraint agents, regimens and doses
Appendix 4. Drug formulary
Appendix 5. Dentition charts for selected Australian mammal Families
Appendix 6. Abbreviations
Colour plates
Index

Authors

Larry Vogelnest has worked as a zoo and wildlife veterinarian with the Taronga Conservation Society Australia since 1990. He is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Zoo Medicine. Larry has been the Senior Veterinarian at Taronga Zoo for 30 years, and in 2023 he took on the role of Senior Veterinarian for the NSW Sentinel Koala Population Monitoring Program. He is also the co-editor of Medicine of Australian Mammals and co-author of Radiology of Australian Mammals.

Timothy Portas has worked exclusively with managed and free-ranging wildlife since 1999 and is currently the Wildlife Veterinary Director for RSPCA Queensland. He is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Zoo Medicine, a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine and an adjunct senior lecturer at Murdoch University.