Sometimes even the most attentive owners mistakenly dismiss signs of serious illness. Here are three you shouldn’t ignore: 1. Listlessness If your normally active cat or dog would suddenly rather sleep than play, don’t excuse this behavior as mere exhaustion. It’s actually the first, subtle sign your pet can give that something is very wrong….
Beautiful but deadly, the chemical responsible for the tiny phosphorescence of fireflies (genus Photinus) is responsible for reptile deaths every year. Bearded dragons are the most frequently reported victim although tree frogs may be a close second. It is thought that the lucibufagins responsible for the illumination are cardiotoxins, similar to the toxicity found in…
Chinchillas are avid chewers who enjoy putting anything and everything in their mouths. Just like Golden Retriever and Labrador puppies this makes them highly susceptible to many different toxicities. When providing bedding for a cage, care should be taken in deciding which materials to use. Products that clump or expand should never be used in…
Although zinc is an essential factor in the health of a bird, ingesting too much can harm or kill. Acute exposures to zinc can occur through incidental ingestions of metal objects (such as pennies minted after 1982). Chronic exposures can occur if a bird is prone to picking at galvanized steel or iron cages. Small…
By Stefanie Guindon, CVT When it comes to our companion birds (e.g., parrots, parakeets, etc.) and small furry, pocket pets (e.g., mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.), we have to be particularly careful safe guarding them. Due to their curious nature (e.g., manipulating items with their beak), their ability to fit into small areas…
