Book excerpt: Veterinary Laboratory Medicine covers all aspects of basic clinical biochemistry and haematology, and includes test-by-test interpretation of laboratory results. Information is provided on sampling techniques, the selection and use of an external laboratory, as well as near-patient testing and the practice laboratory. Also included are step-by-step instructions for most commonly used point-of-care tests, a guide to the evaluation of instruments for in-practice use, and a detailed explanation of the principles of impedance counting and photometric analysis. The book will be ideal for practitioners who require a guide to laboratory work, and for veterinary students studying laboratory medicine and clinical pathology. The second edition has been fully updated to reflect advances in diagnostic techniques, and includes new chapters on diagnostic endocrinology and feline virus testing as well as a much expanded chapter on diagnostic profiling and pattern recognition.