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Llama and Alpaca Normal Vital Signs and Physical Examination Parameters

September 19, 2021 Comments Off

– Heart rate: 60-90 BPM, found by listening (ausculting) with stethoscope at fleece-free area under elbow. Heart rates can be increased due to exercise/exertion/excitement, stress, fever, or pain. Arrhythmias are common in SAC’s-generally no big deal.
-Temperature: Varies from 99.5 to 102F. Neonates are unable to thermoregulate and have a wider temperature range. Ambient temperatures can greatly influence body temps. SAC’s are prone to heat stress and care must be taken to ensure cooling systems (shade, misters, and fans) are utilized.
– Resting respiratory rate: Varies from 10-30 BPM, can be difficult to hear with stethoscope due to fleece. Watch for rise and fall of chest/flank area or place hand in front of nostrils to feel warm breath.
Respiratory rates can be increased due to exercise/exertion/excitement, stress, fever, illness (ex. pneumonia), obstruction, or pain
– Mucus membranes and capillary refill time: Check non-pigmented areas of the gums, should be light pink, moist and when pressed with the fingertip color should return in 1-2 seconds. Vulva may also be examined if pigment covers entire oral cavity.
– Temperament/attitude: Each animal will be different so your observations are vital! Be aware of “normal” behaviors for individuals as well as the herd. Watch for isolation, failure to compete at feeding, excessively quiet animals, sudden aggression…anything unusual
– Body condition: Ideally animals should be weighed throughout the year. Fleece can hide even a severely emaciated condition, so a thorough palpation of the body (esp. bony parts) should be performed as able.
– Gait: Is the animal moving all limbs normally in the walk, pace, trot and gallop? Failure to weight bear on a particular limb likely indicates pain or injury.
-Conformation: When evaluating for health pay close attention to head and neck carriage. A weak, sick or depressed SAC will hold the head lower (extended) or arch it back over the thorax.
– Eyes, ears and mouth: Eyes should be wide open and clear. The globe should be smooth. Squinting and tearing are signs of a problem. Ears should be in a normal position and move according to stimulation. A drooping ear (esp. with a head tilt) or foul odor indicates a potential problem. The mouth should be symmetrical and functional. Observe animals during feeding to ensure normal chewing and swallowing behaviors.
– NOTE: Everyone (!) should own a thermometer dedicated to animal use. Additionally know where it is, and be comfortable using it. An inexpensive stethoscope may also be handy. Always have basic wound care supplies on site (betadine or novalsan scrub, triple antibiotic ointment, vet-wrap, non-stick pads, saline eye irrigation, clean washrags or towels…) if you have multiple animals discuss common medications you may want with your veterinarian.…

Do You Know The Answer ? Where Do Turtles Live

April 17, 2021 Comments Off

Though the question, “Where do turtles live?” may seem simple, the answer is quite broad. Turtles live just about everywhere. Depending upon their species, turtles can be found living in a number of habitats.

Where You will Find Sea Turtles – As the name implies, you will find sea turtles living in most of the oceans of the world. The only place you won’t find them is Antarctica. Most sea turtles enjoy the warm, balmy waters of the tropics, but the leatherback sea turtle will roam in colder waters in search of food. All of the sea turtles head for land when it is time to lay their eggs. They will dig a hole in the sand where they deposit their eggs and immediately after covering them up, head back out to sea.

Not much is known about sea turtle habits, but researchers are learning more everyday about these wild creatures that are in so much danger of extinction.

Aquatic Turtle Habitat – Aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles can be found in a wide variety of habitats. Some live in ponds, streams, marshes or swamps. They eat a variety of foods such as fish, plants, mollusks and insects. Some turtles, like the mud turtles, like to burrow in the mud at the bottom of the water source. They can be found in all manner of clean, clear water. They are happiest in a habitat that is chockfull of vegetation and small vertebrates for them to feast upon. You will often see an aquatic turtle at a local lake or pond basking contentedly in the sun on a comfortable rock.

If you intend to purchase an aquatic or semi-aquatic turtle as a pet, you need to do plenty of research so that you may recreate a habitat that will keep your turtle healthy and happy

Land Turtle Habitat – Land turtles can be found in a variety of habitats. Some prefer desert conditions, while others prefer cool mountainous regions. Others will live in pastures and woodlands while others prefer hot and humid habitats. Many land turtles can boast excellent climbing skills and almost all of them love to bask in the sun. Turtles that prefer solid ground to water habitats can be found wherever their food supply takes them.

Keeping a Turtle as a Pet – Many children’s first pet is a turtle. They are fairly inexpensive to keep and live a long life when cared for properly. Providing the right type of habitat for your turtle is one of the most important aspects of successful turtle care. Doing the proper research on the type of turtle you have will afford you much information about the correct diet and living conditions to optimize their captive life. If you are unsure about the right turtle for your household, keep in mind that some turtles live exclusively on land while others will prefer a habitat that allows them to swim freely. Not all turtles spend all of their time beneath the surface, but if they are aquatic or semi-aquatic you will have to ensure they have access to clean, clear water at all times.

Owner's Guide to Cat Tapeworms

April 7, 2021 Comments Off

There are many parasites that can give cats problems. Feline tapeworms are some of the most common. These white worms are capable of growing approximately eight inches long if they live long enough. Thanks to the suckers and hooks that Mother Nature equipped them with, they’re capable of attaching themselves to the walls of the small intestine of your cat.

Cats typically don’t experience many problems if they’re infested with just a few of them. However, tapeworms in cats can cause serious problems as their numbers increase. They will keep your feline from getting the proper nutrition from their food, eventually causing them to shed pounds. Their fur will also undergo changes, becoming rough and dull.

To understand how feline tapeworms infect cats, you first need to understand a bit about their life cycle. As you know, fleas can easily infect your cat. Sometimes, fleas will harbor cysticercoids, which are formed when flea larvae eat tapeworm eggs. If your cat bites at an area infested with infected fleas, he may end up swallowing one.

After eating an infected flea, the small intestine will break it down and leave the cysticercoids to develop into adult cat tapeworms. This is when they will attach themselves to the small intestine walls and sustain themselves with the nutrients that your cat is supposed to get from his food.

Feline tapeworms are segmented. As they grow, segments will break off and pass out of the body through the feces. Owners who inspect their cat’s feces will likely notice them. They look like small grains of rice that are moving around. Some of these segments may also appear around the anus.

Your vet can determine if your cat has tapeworms quite easily. He will simply have to take a look at a sample of your cat’s feces under a microscope. They aren’t always easy to see via the naked eye.

Fortunately, tapeworms in cats are usually easy to deal with. You will need to give your cat dewormer medication in order to get rid of them. One cycle of this medication may not be enough to get rid of the infestation entirely though.

Parasites such as fleas and lice play a vital role in the transmission of feline tapeworms. Therefore, owners need to do their best to control these parasites so that their cat doesn’t get infested with worms. Limiting the amount of time that your cat spends outside roaming around will help. Giving him dewormer medication on a regular basis will also be useful.…

Remove Cat Urine Smell And Stains From Your Carpet Quickly And Inexpensively

February 16, 2021 Comments Off

It can be stressful and time intensive looking for ways on how to get cat urine smell out of carpet. The odor in some homes I’ve been in have literally brought tears to my eyes! Not to mention leaving an ugly stain.

Plus it can be a really big pain requiring you to spend money and buy different cleaning products you do not have any idea if it will work.

After learning what works and what doesn’t from working in my own pet service business for many years, here’s what I do to inexpensively, but successfully, to get rid of cat urine smell plus spots from my personal clients carpet.

It’s so simple and easy and requires just two or three actions to accomplish.

Cleaning Up New Cat Urine Stains Out Of Carpet

Step 1 – For any new stains on your carpet, you first need to absorb as much of the urine as you possibly can using newspapers or paper towels. Press straight down on them to get rid of as much fluid as is possible.

Make sure you position the paper towel or newspaper below the carpeting in the event the urine has soaked into the carpet padding.

Use as much newspapers or paper towels as required so that the stain is hardly damp.

Step 2 – Begin using fresh water to clean the spot. Perform the procedure again till the stains have disappeared. Quick and easy!

Step 3 – (You can use this final step if you would like to be certain all traces of cat urine is gone) – Use an enzyme cleaning agent, which is a product that will literally eat all odor producing bacteria, on the area. This will make certain any cat urine residue still left in the spot is eliminated. In addition, the smell is going to be removed by using this process. You can find and buy an enzyme cleaner at most local stores or on the internet.

Clean-up Those Dried Cat Urine Marks Within Your Carpeting

It will require a bit more work to successfully eliminate older marks which sometimes have set in. You most likely need to get all of them out because your pet companion possess a remarkable sense of smell and might want to go to the bathroom on the same place repeatedly if it can smell its urine there.

Step 1 – Utilizing a carpet cleaning machine, remove any chemical products in addition to cleaners you may have used to remove the stains before on the carpet.

Just use clean water inside the carpet cleaning machine because of the fact that any kind of chemical products can reduce the ability of the enzymatic cleaner (which you’ll use next) at getting rid of the stain.

Avoid the use of too much water on the stain, simply because you do not want to increase the risk of the stain going into the padding beneath the carpeting!

Step 2 – Clean the stain by using an enzymatic product until the stain is no longer visible.

Step 3 – Once the cat urine stains has been visibly removed, utilize a black light flashlight in order to guarantee every last bit of cat urine is fully gone. The black light makes all indications of urine glow a purple color. It’s amazing what this little device can show you that your naked eye cannot see!

If you do discover some traces of urine still left, re-apply the cleaning solution to remove it.

By getting rid of every single cat urine spot, and above all the smells out of the carpet, you’ll considerably lessen the possibility of your cat urinating directly on those same spots for a second time.…

How To Effectively Treat Mange In Dogs

February 3, 2021 Comments Off

Dog mange is a condition caused by the Demodex mite that causes irritation to the skin and hair loss. Most cases of mange appear in young dogs. Demodectic mange or Demodicosis is caused by the Demodex mite. The mite can be found in hair follicles. The Demodex mite, in small numbers is normal to be present on the skin of pet. Only when the mite begins to reproduce rapidly it causes the demodectic mange disease also called mange.

Treatment of canine mange

If the disease is temperate usually it heals spontaneously. Statistics show that 90% of demodectic mange cases are localized and can be treated locally. As a local treatment can be diluted Amitraz (3ml to 30 ml of mineral oil), or 1% rotenone ointment (Goodwinol ointment) and applied on the skin daily. In some cases these wounds will heal on their own but they may get worse before they improve. The numbers of mites should be reduced after only four weeks of treatment.

If the number of mites hasn?t reduced, the disease probably should be treated as a generalized form. If a dog develops generalized demodicosis, more aggressive treatment is usually needed. Although treatment is recommended, studies show that 30% to 50 % of generalized cases of mange heal will recover on their own without any treatment.

As a first step in treating the generalized form of mange you should start the treatment with a prescription product called Amitraz (Mitaban-Upjohn). Amitraz dips must be applied every two weeks. Before starting the treatment it is recommended that medium-length and longhaired dogs breeds to be clipped short, so that the solution can get into contact with the skin. First you have to wash the dog entirely with an antibacterial shampoo, like benzoyl peroxide shampoos, and carefully towel dry the dog. Before washing you dog with benzoyl peroxide shampoo you should apply a protective ophthalmic ointment to the eyes of the pet. After drying the dog, apply the Amitraz. Don?t forget to wear protective gloves when applying the Amitraz. Let your pet air-dry after the Amitraz dips. You might also want to administer an antibiotic to control secondary skin infections. This treatment require between 4 and 14 dips given at 2 week intervals. Skin scrapings should be tested for mites after every 4 dips. The treatment should continue until no mites will be found after two consecutive treatments. Dogs with generalized mange can be considered cured only after one year from the last treatment, if no mites we?re found during this period. As side effects to the Amitraz dips, some dogs may feel sedation or nausea.

Some dogs may not respond to this treatment. Although Ivemectin is not licensed for the treatment of demodectic mange, this is used by some veterinarians as treatment for this disease. In some cases, this drug offered good results. Large daily doses of liquid ivermectin must be administered so that the active ingredient should be effective against the Demodex mite. This should only be administered under close veterinary supervision. A second option if Amitraz dips did not work for your dog is Interceptor or Moxidectin. This is may be more effective than Ivemectin. No matter the treatment you choose to treat your dog for mange, you should first speak with a veterinarian.…

Is Owning A Pet Rat Right For You?

November 16, 2020 Comments Off

When you tell someone your contemplating obtaining a rat for your family generally folks’s first reaction is this weird look on their face and they say “Yuck! Why?” “Their tales are scary looking!” They are frequently linked with scary and filthy things.

Here you can read and choose for your self if possessing a rat is ideal for you and your family members.

Unfortunately folks are poorly educated when it comes to these extremely clever critters . They only know what history has claimed them as being, a disease infested, nasty, annoying rodent that eats all your food and bites people for fun. When in reality, the domesticated rat (a.k.a. Rattus Norvegicus) are physiologically and psychologically different from their untamed relatives. The rat has no more health risks to people than any other pet..

Their tails might not be the cutest thing to look at but they help the rat to balance themselves. Speaking from experience, you don’t actually notice them or pay attention to them mainly because you’re to busy looking at those cute faces and big dumbo ears!

Dumbo/fancy rats are basically the same thing. The dumbo rat just has bigger ears than the fancy rat.. You will want to buy your rats in pairs so they can keep each company when you cant. You should buy rats in same sex pairs or you will have a bunch of rattie babies!!!!

Typically a rats lifespan is approximately 2 years but of course that can change if treated properly and they are maintained well. Size: 7-10″ body, plus 6-8″ tail.

Rats are very are the smartest of all small pets!!! If taken the time, rats can learn their name and come to it! Unfortunately, rats do have an odor to them. Ideally, their litter and caged should be cleaned every couple of days to help keep odors away, once a week at the latest. This does not just pertain to rats it’s with any caged animal.. So if your not to keen on small animal odors then rats may not be for you, or any other caged animal..

Once all the essentials are purchased, maintanence is fairly inexpensive. You will need a rat habitat to house your furry critter, bedding, food bowls and sipper style water bottle, fortified fancy rat diet, chew toys, exercise ball and wheel. Rat guides and training books are very beneficial. Please look under the buy rat supplies tab to see everything you need to maintain your new rat.

In my opinion, rats are the perfect pet! No having to take your rats on midnight walks because nature calls.. Rats are fairly cheap and inexpensive to keep. They will fit and adapt to any size home. They’re big on personality and real people pleasers! They are great candidates for training because they have great memory and problem solving skills.…

End The Struggle, Read This Article About Dogs

December 18, 2018 Comments Off

There are a lot of breeds of dogs, and lots of different families. It is hard to decide what to do about owning a dog. Read on to get some tips to help you understand whether dog owning is for you.

Having a dog at your home is a big financial commitment. Good quality dog food and medical care can cost between $700-1000 a year. It can cost a lot of money to take your dog to the vet in an emergency, so you will want to investigate health insurance for your pet.

Just like humans benefit from an annual physical, your dog should see the vet at least once a year. Your dog will not be able to express its concerns, so make sure that you get it a checkup periodically. An annual checkup can help catch such issues before they become a major problem.

It is important for you to take your dog in to see the vet on a fairly regular basis. Just like humans, dogs can develop health problems like toothaches, arthritis and weight gain. Do not wait until you think your dog is sick before taking him in to be seen.

When choosing a dog for your home, don’t forget to estimate the size it will be as a full grown adult. This is especially true if you have small children at home. Although a small puppy will be cute, it may grow into a large, one hundred pound dog. Do some research on the average adult size of the breeds you are considering.

You need to trim your dog’s nails regularly. If the dog’s nails curl under, your dog might be in pain. You can always do your own trimming with clippers from the store. Can’t hack it? Take them to the groomer instead.

It is very important for you to keep your dog’s ears clean. Keeping the inside of the ears clean will help prevent infections of the ear. This is also a good time for you to inspect the ear for fleas, ticks and any other pests that could have made your dog’s ear home.

Brush your dog often, even if he’s got short hair. It’s good for his coat and skin and can alert you of possible issues like fleas, tics and eczema. The dog will also enjoy the attention and brushing him regularly will keep more of his fur from flying around the house and landing on your furniture and carpets.

Respect your pet. When out on a walk, do not force your dog to interact with other people or animals if he does not want to. There is a reason why your dog may not want to get too close, and it is important that you listen to him. If you try and make him interact, your dog may begin to act out over time.

If you are a very enthusiastic owner of a pure-bred dog, join your local AKC. They are an active social group where you can share your love for your dog, learn a lot and make new friends too. The experience can also help prepare you and your dog for entering contests and winning shows!

Be prepared to have a lot of patience with your dog during potty-training. Much like children, dogs learn at different speeds and ages and your canine may be slow or stubborn. Have good resources at your fingertips to assist your efforts and remember not to get angry when your dog has “accidents” as that will only impede his progress.

Keep your dog hydrated. Similar to humans, dogs need plenty of fresh water to drink. If a dog doesn’t get enough water, they can easily get dehydrated, sick, and possibly die. Provide them with a fresh water bowl every day. Always keep it filled and clean for them. Keep the bowl in single location.

Humane Society

Put your dog through obedience training. A well-trained dog is a joy to live with for both you and them. Teaching them simple commands like “Come,” “Heel,” “Sit,” and “Stay” can help curb or prevent troublesome behaviors in no time. You can either teach them yourself, or you can find out about obedience courses by contacting the SPCA or the local humane society for class recommendations.

Do you feel better prepared to care for your dog? This article has given you important advice than will ensure you know how to care for your dog. Use these tips to take proper care of the family dog.…