Textbook Evidence Hierarchy

---
name: textbook-evidence-hierarchy
description: Navigate the veterinary textbook landscape with authority rankings. Know which textbooks are definitive for which topics. Use when citing veterinary references or resolving conflicting information.
---

# Veterinary Textbook Evidence Hierarchy

## Overview

Map the veterinary textbook landscape so the agent knows which sources carry the most authority for which clinical domains. When multiple sources conflict, this skill defines which source to prioritize based on domain expertise, editorial rigor, and professional acceptance.

## When to Use

- When multiple sources provide conflicting information
- When deciding which reference to cite for a specific clinical topic
- When a user asks for the "best" or "most authoritative" source on a topic
- Keywords: reference, textbook, source, cite, authoritative, definitive, gold standard

## Textbook Authority by Domain

| Domain | Primary Reference | Secondary References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Internal Medicine (SA) | Ettinger's Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine | Nelson & Couto Small Animal Internal Medicine |
| Pharmacology | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook | Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Riviere & Papich) |
| Surgery | Fossum's Small Animal Surgery | Veterinary Surgery: Small Animal (Tobias & Johnston) |
| Emergency/Critical Care | Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care (Silverstein & Hopper) | BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Emergency and Critical Care |
| Cardiology | Manual of Canine and Feline Cardiology (Tilley et al.) | BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Cardiorespiratory Medicine |
| Oncology | Withrow and MacEwen's Small Animal Clinical Oncology | BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Oncology |
| Toxicology | Small Animal Toxicology (Peterson & Talcott) | Plumb's (for drug-specific toxicity) |
| Dermatology | Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology | BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Dermatology |
| Equine Medicine | Equine Internal Medicine (Reed, Bayly, Sellon) | Current Therapy in Equine Medicine |
| General Reference | Merck Veterinary Manual | BSAVA Manual series |

## Workflow

1. Identify the clinical domain of the question.
2. Look up the primary and secondary reference for that domain from the authority table.
3. When citing, prefer the primary reference for its domain.
4. When sources conflict, apply the conflict resolution rules below.
5. Always note the edition and publication year of the cited textbook.

## Conflict Resolution Rules

1. When a specialist textbook and a general reference conflict, the specialist textbook takes precedence for its domain.
2. When two specialist textbooks conflict, note the discrepancy and cite both with their respective recommendations.
3. When a peer-reviewed study contradicts a textbook, consider the study design quality, sample size, and recency. A well-designed RCT in the target species may override a textbook recommendation.
4. When in doubt, cite the more conservative (safer) recommendation.

## Limitations

- Textbook editions become outdated. Always note the edition and publication year.
- Textbooks reflect author perspectives and may have blind spots.
- Some subspecialties lack a single definitive textbook.