Category — pet guide

Atresia Ani

Atresia Ani is a rare condition that causes foals to be born without an anus. It also may cause part or all the rectum to be missing. Surgery is the only option for foals born with this devastating condition.

• Symptoms and Types
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Living and Management

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Fungi can cause various types of disease, often affecting multiple body organs or systems in the reptile. These infections can occur anywhere in its body, including the skin, respiratory tract, stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Unfortunately, most fungal diseases can be terminal for the reptile.

• Symptoms and Types
• Causes
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Much like in other animals, endoparasite worms are a common problem in chinchillas. And of all the gastrointestinal parasites affecting chinchillas, the roundworm Bayisascaris procyonis is considered to be the most serious — it is even contagious for humans, and may lead to a fatal brain disease. In chinchillas, the roundworm parasite mainly affects the central nervous system, causing paralysis, loss of motor function and coma. Transmitted mainly from contaminated food with infected raccoon droppings, roundworm infections currently have no effective treatment and must, therefore, be taken seriously. If you suspect a your chinchilla has roundworm infection, bring it to a veterinarian immediately.

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Living and Management
• Prevention

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Epileptic Seizures

Much like in humans, horses suffer from epilepsy. And although equine epilepsy may not be the most common of horse afflictions, it is one that horse owners should be aware of. It causes seizures of various intensities and without proper care, a horse who is suffering from epilepsy runs the risk of seriously hurting themselves, other people or animals around them.

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Living and Management

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Avian Influenza

Avian influenza (or bird flu) is a lung and airway disease found in birds, and it is caused by the influenza virus. This viral infection can also spread to humans, so if your bird is infected, seek immediate treatment and take all necessary precautions to prevent an outbreak of bird flu.

Because of its infectious potential to humans, any breakout of avian influenza has to be reported to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Recently, a ban has been placed on imported pet birds from countries where bird flu has been reported (i.e., certain African, Asian and European countries).

To make sure your new bird does not have avian influenza, get it examined by a veterinarian for infectious diseases and inquire about the bird’s origins.

• Symptoms and Types
• Causes
• Treatment
• Prevention

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Avian Poxvirus Infections

Poxvirus infections can happen in any bird, and is named after the specific bird species affected by it, like turkey pox, pigeon pox, canary pox, etc. The incidence of Poxvirus infections in pet birds has been greatly reduced due to the import restrictions of exotic birds. Poxvirus infections at one time were very common in the blue-fronted Amazon parrots which were imported to America and Europe as pet birds. The severity of Poxvirus infections can range from mild, to more serious and deadly.

• Symptoms and Types
• Causes
• Treatment
• Prevention

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Inflammatory Skin Lesions, Abscesses

When pus collects in a cavity under the skin or in the membrane of an organ, abscesses are formed. In chinchillas, abscesses usually occur following an infection from a bite wounds or other traumatic injuries. These infections may be bacterial, spreading to other areas of the body and causing abscesses to develop there, too. Abscesses need to be treated promptly, as the infection may enter the blood stream, leading to toxemia and, in prolonged and severe cases, even death.

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Living and Management
• Prevention

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Pet-Conscious Tips For Valentine’s Day

Does your heart melt whenever you look into the soft, imploring eyes of the one you love? Does it skip a beat at the sound of your sweetheart’s voice as you walk in the door at the end of a long day? Do you pause in the middle of the day to sigh, thinking of your honey’s warm, wet nose, and furry ears?

It’s love, and we know it — dogs and cats make the best Valentine’s ever. There’s no need to get them chocolates, and they have no use for flowers. In fact, these gifts are actually dangerous for them. But do you know why?

Here are 5 great tips that help will keep your pets safe this Valentine’s Day.

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Do we need any more evidence that pets are sold as a cash crop than the impressively disgusting practices on display in my hometown over the past few weeks?

Buy a puppy, get a sick little creature. That’s been the norm in South Florida for years. But it seems the local players are getting greedier than ever. How to turn a tidier profit? Set up shop just in time for the holidays.

You heard right. I’ve just seen my second, really sick puppy from a pet store no longer in business. It was operating just last week, but it’s not a going concern as of the new year. Getting ahold of the owners? Best of luck tracing the tracks of the greenbacks you gave to that shady puppy mill buyer.

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