Common Problems Requiring Veterinary Attention In Snakes
Here is a brief list of some common health problems seen in pet snakes:
For the public
Ultraviolet Lighting for Reptiles
Ultraviolent or UV lighting is a type of light radiation outside of the visible light spectrum found at higher energies than violet light and it is found in 3 forms: A, B, and C. UVA is used by reptiles to regulate their daily biological cycles and rhythms. UVC is damaging radiation that leads to skin damage and cancers. UVB is the most important light for reptiles as it is necessary for many reptiles to properly absorb calcium from their diet in order to utilize it for hardening their bones and other metabolic processes throughout their bodies. Hamster Tapeworms
Many hamsters sold in pet stores are infected with the tapeworm (Rodentolepis nana). This parasite can be transmitted to people.
Hamster Husbandry and Diet
All hamsters need secure cages that are made from sturdy materials. A hamster can chew a hole through a plastic shoebox within about 30 minutes so make sure that the container you use to hold the hamster during cage cleaning is equally secure. There are many commercially available hamster cages that have plastic tunnels and attachments that allow you to build very extensive habitats. Always be sure to properly latch any doors or lids as hamsters are notorious for finding these openings and escaping into houses. It can be very difficult to locate escaped hamsters.
Emergency Care for Goats
Knowing what constitutes an emergency for your pet goat and having a plan for getting necessary veterinary care could save your pet's life.
Preventative Care for Goats
As with other pets, preventative veterinary care will help keep your goat healthy throughout its lifetime.
Why Do I Need a Vet for My Chickens?
As backyard chickens are increasing in popularity as pets, their owners are coming to expect quality veterinary care for these feathered friends.
Treating Alkalinity Problems in Aquariums and Ponds
Alkalinity is a measure of the water’s ability to buffer the pH to provide stability and avoid rapid changes in pH that could adversely affect the health of the animals in the water. It is one of the more important but most often overlooked parameters to monitor for healthy water quality in a system. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is the compound that has the most effect on alkalinity, but sodium, bicarbonate and other compounds play more minor roles. Good quality kits are available from companies like Salifert and Red Sea to test alkalinity by adding drops to the water sample in a test tube.
Correcting Water Quality Problems
Problems with the Nitrogen Cycle
Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates measure the biological filter in a system. Elevations in any of these parameters with normal pH and alkalinity indicates a problems with biological filtration (see related article: The Importance of Water Quality Testing on this website). Mild elevations in all parameters are generally easy to fix, but there are some special cases described below that are far more concerning.
Caring for Puffer Fish Teeth
Puffer fish have teeth that grow continuously and need to be continuously worn by proper hard food items found in their wild diet. In captivity they will often have problems with overgrown teeth due to soft captive diets.