Illustrated Articles
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Hand-raised babies usually make better pets, as they have been completely socialized with humans. Hand-feeding is a job best left for the experienced bird breeder or aviculturist. If you are considering hand-feeding a baby bird, you should contact your local bird breeder or avian veterinarian for help. This article provides general guidelines and best practices.
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Guinea pigs can be hardy and easy to care for when provided an appropriate environment for their unique needs. Like all animals, guinea pigs are susceptible to certain problems and diseases. This handout outlines the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for some of the more common health problems of guinea pigs.
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A pet hedgehog’s diet should mainly consist of high-quality hedgehog food mixed with high-quality, low-fat cat food. The diet may be supplemented with certain insects, fruits, and vegetables, which are listed in this handout. Foods that should be avoided are also listed. Hedgehogs have a propensity for obesity if their food intake is not monitored or controlled.
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This article outlines general guidelines on food intake and supplementation for iguanas. Opinions vary on the nutritional needs of captive iguanas and our knowledge in the subject is continually expanding based on new dietary studies in reptiles. Check with your veterinarian for specific nutritional needs for your pet iguana.
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Skin and gut issues are problematic and can be caused by many things, including food allergies. The best way to identify food allergies is through an elimination-challenge diet trial, in which you eliminate potentially allergenic foods and treats for the length of the diet trial, then methodically add foods back into the diet to determine response. If a food allergy is identified, avoiding the food usually results in a good outcome, although some cats develop new allergies in later years.
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Skin and gut issues are problematic and can be caused by many things, including food allergies. The best way to identify food allergies is through an elimination-challenge diet trial, in which you eliminate potentially allergenic foods and treats for the length of the diet trial, then methodically add foods back into the diet to determine response. If a food allergy is identified, avoiding the food usually results in a good outcome, although some dogs develop new allergies in later years.
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Infertility in a queen (an intact female cat) is defined as the inability to give birth to live kittens, despite appropriate breeding with a fertile male. This handout provides an outline of common causes of infertility along with how they are diagnosed and, when possible, treated.
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Once a pet has lost some weight, the new goal is to make sure that excess weight stays off. Pet parents who partner with their veterinary health care team for support and who focus on changing their behaviors often have the most success. Examples of some changes include using a different food or a different feeding method, focusing more on portion control, and incorporating some movement or activity time into each day. This article addresses several commonly asked questions about how to help a pet during the maintenance phase (after the weight has been lost).
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For information purposes, the following article breaksdown Marshall's Premium Ferret Foods for owners.
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Feathers insulate to maintain a bird's body temperature and protect birds from the elements and play an important role in aerodynamics and flying. Feathers need to be removed or fall out to stimulate new feather growth. A bird needs to molt each year to get rid of old or damaged feathers. A pet bird's exposure to varied daily light cycles may lead to an irregular or incomplete molt that may be longer or shorter than a normal molt.