Category — Pet Products

Dystocia

Female egg-laying reptiles can produce eggs even when a male is not present, so all females are at risk of being unable to pass an egg that has formed, a condition known as egg binding. Species that produce live young can also have difficulty giving birth, also known as dystocia.

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

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Avian Aspergillosis

Airway and respiratory tract diseases are very common in pet birds. One such disease commonly is Aspergillosis, which is a fungal infection of the bird’s respiratory tract.

• Symptoms and Types
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Prevention

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Many different types of viruses can cause disease in reptiles, but the adenovirus is of particular concern to owners of bearded dragons. Other reptiles, including some snake and lizard species, can also be infected, but young bearded dragons are the most susceptible.

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

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Abscess

An abscess is a lump or growth that you may find anywhere on your horse. It occurs as a result of an infection your horse’s body is combating. This lump is usually rather painful and as time passes it is likely to rupture, releasing nasty pus. The process may take up to a week to complete, and can be extremely uncomfortable for the horse.

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

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Ticks, Mites, and Fly Larvae

External parasites not only annoy pet reptiles, but they can also transmit disease and be very debilitating, even causing death in extreme cases. Preventing and/or dealing with their introduction and spread through a reptile collection is a very important aspect of keeping reptiles healthy and happy.

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

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Some animal experts have asserted that pets intuitively eat plants according to their specific medicinal value — that is, as long as they have several plants to choose from. The problem, however, is that we choose our plants for beauty rather than edibility. So when a pet has only household plants or landscaping to choose from, it can lead to something more serious than a bellyache, especially if the plants are toxic or sprayed with chemical pesticides and fertilizers. But, given the right plants to choose from, your pet will be able to treat itself and you won’t need to worry about potential side effects.

Whether you have a large yard space, a small four-foot by four-foot plot, or a windowsill, you can grow a healing garden for your cat or dog. Most of these plants are simple to grow and inexpensive to boot. Even better, many double as home remedies for you and your family.

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Here’s another contentious topic: psychoactive drugs for pets. They’re used for all kinds of disorders and in my experience they’ve saved lives.

There’s no doubt on this point: Veterinary behaviorists and general practitioners have been using these drugs now for decades with significant benefits to dogs, cats, horses, and birds.

The problem? This arises every time veterinarians and pet owners employ these drugs as the sole approach to the complex issue of “mental health” in pets (a.k.a., behavior problems).

“Pets displaying unwanted behaviors do not deserve to be medicated,” many trainers, natural health proponents, and others argue. Nor, they say, does it help much beyond the sedating, mind-numbing capabilities these drugs offer. What these pets really need, in their estimation, is a healthy dose of exercise, basic training, and behavior modification.

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Think you deserve a $3,500 annual tax deduction for “qualified pet care expenses”? Think about it. This tax deduction could effectively mean that up to $3,500 of your pet food and veterinary expenses will be 10 to 30 percent cheaper (the degree of savings would depend on your tax rate).

Considering that most responsible pet owners spend about $1,500 every year on their pets , such a proposal might help each individual, or family, support about 2.5 pets a year in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed.

Representative Thaddeus McCotter is the man behind the drive to pass a resolution in favor of such a tax break. He’s is sponsoring the proposed legislation for the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years Act (commonly referred to as the “HAPPY Act”).

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Traditionally, dogs and cats have eaten eggs straight from the nest with nary a worry about nutritional value, toxic effects, or whether they might choke on a shard from the shell. But domesticated cats and dogs do not have the same access to bird nests that they once did, so we don’t get to witness them consuming eggs safely. As we worry about our own health and what we put into our bodies, we also worry about what we are feeding to our pets.

So what about one of nature’s “perfect foods,” the egg? There is evidence to support eggshells as an excellent source of calcium and protein for your pet. For strong bones and teeth, crush the eggshells and sprinkle about a half teaspoon into your pet’s regular kibble. And although research does not point to eggshells as a source of salmonella poisoning in cats and dogs, if it is a concern, you can boil the shells first — allowing them to dry thoroughly — and then crush the shells in a coffee grinder, food processor, or with a mortar and pestle.

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OK, so that’s just a salacious title. Your veterinarian may well recommend pet health insurance. And I do, too. That makes … um … two of us.

Well…maybe I exaggerate. It’s clear that veterinarians increasingly buy into pet health insurance. When faced with very sick patients whose owners hold insurance policies for them, we breathe a sigh of relief. In our experience these clients more readily accept our recommendations to treat their pets. More and more of us see pet health insurance as a positive influence on patient care…not to mention out bottom lines.

Yet even those of us who wholeheartedly endorse it tend to tread lightly on the subject, as if we’re well aware we should be careful what we wish for. God forbid that blue genie in the bottle should turn around and bite us in the butt once he’s freed.

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