In this profound yet readable book, Bernard Rollin, acknowledged pioneer in veterinary ethics, explores the nature of ethics, ethical reasoning, and ethical decision making. In Part I, he examines the changing social ethic for animals and discusses its implications for veterinarians' roles in areas of companion animal, food animal, and research medicine. Rollin also discusses the major issue of animal pain and its control.

Part II of An Introduction to Veterinary Medical Ethics sets out specific problems encountered by practising veterinarians the world over. Using eighty-two real-life cases, Rollin analyses the application of ethical theory and principles to practice in order to reach practical, reasoned conclusions.