Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital Newsletters
Newsletter for February 2005
In
this issue:
* Pet Nutrition update
* First Pet Campground
* Feral Dog Crisis in the U.S.
* Animal Acupuncture
* Choosing the right pet....Exotics?
VEGGIES CAN HELP KEEP OLDER DOGS SPRY
Exercise and a diet fortified with vitamins, fruits and vegetables helped
older dogs learn new tricks and kept them spry in an experiment that scientists
said could teach humans a thing or two. Beagles given either the fortified
diet, regular exercise or both did much better in learning new tricks than dogs
fed regular chow and allowed to lie around more, the researchers reported on
Tuesday. Dogs are similar to humans in their dietary needs and the way
they digest food, so the findings have implication for people, said Molly
Wagster of the National Institute on Aging, which funded the study. Dogs
also can develop memory and learning problems as they age in much the same way
people do.
"This research brings a note of optimism that there are things that we can do
that may significantly improve our cognitive health," Wagster said in a
statement. "The combination of an antioxidant diet and lots of cognitive
stimulation -- which was almost the equivalent of going to school every day --
really did improve brain function in these animals," added Elizabeth Head of the
University of California Irvine, who worked on the study. "We're excited
about these findings because the interventions themselves are relatively simple
and might be easily translated into clinical practice for people."
For the study, Head, William Milgram of the University of Toronto in Canada and
colleagues studied 48 older beagles over two years. Writing in the journal
Neurobiology of Aging, they said they divided the dogs into four groups that got
either standard care; a diet supplemented with tomatoes, carrot granules, citrus
pulp, spinach flakes and supplements; standard care plus extra exercise and
play; or the special diet and the special play and exercise regime.
A second set of 17 dogs aged 1 to 3 got either a standard or fortified diet.
Tests included having to find a hidden treat. The older dogs clearly benefited
from the special diet and the special exercise program, the researchers said.
All 12 of the older beagles that got a supplemented diet and exercise could
solve a difficult problem, compared to eight of 10 dogs that got the enriched
diet alone and two of eight dogs that got no special treatment.
Last week the U.S. government issued new guidelines that
encouraged Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables and to exercise for at
least an hour a day to improve their health.
FIRST DEDICATED PET CAMPGROUND IN
THE NATION OPENS
Nestled off the beaten path in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains
could be the answer to a predicament for pet lovers who want to share vacations
with their pups. It’s called Four Paws Kingdom Campground, a dream of Meik
and Birgit Bartoschek. The German-born couple spent several years traveling the
United States with their two dogs, in hopes of finding the perfect spot to build
a campground targeted specifically to dog owners. Three years ago, the couple
bought 30 wooded acres in the Green Hill township of Rutherford County, where
they are completing the work on the campground.
“We love dogs and we love people and we felt there were plenty of other campers
who would love to vacation with their dogs, just like us,” said Bartoschek, who
greets visitors to his yet-to-be-finished dream with a graceful ease and ready
smile. To make sure his hunch was correct, the former international marketing
director for a chain of European resorts researched camping and pets. “I
found that about two-thirds of campers travel with their pets. That’s over 2
million people,” Bartoschek said.
According to Kampgrounds of America, the world’s largest system of franchised
campground facilities, about one-third of their 2.5 million campers travel with
their dogs. In fact, the KOA park in Cherokee opened an air-conditioned kennel
that offers dog daycare. Officials say it is often filled to capacity.
Mike Gast, a KOA spokesperson, says many of the company’s 500 campgrounds in the
United States also provide enclosed walking areas where dogs can run unleashed.
The Bartoscheks say they are taking that concept a step further. At Four Paws,
Rover can run the agility course, take a dip in the poochie pond, get cleaned up
in the custom bath-house, then get a trim at an outdoor grooming station. Mrs.
Bartoschek is a certified agility trainer and she will offer training and
exercise to campers during their stay at Four Paws.
While the campground caters to pet owners, the Bartoscheks say there are
activities for people, as well. There will be 42 recreational vehicle sites; six
sites for tents and two small cabins. Bartoschek says a playground for children
will be installed in the next couple of weeks and more than half of the 30 acres
remains a forest, where the couple cut out primitive hiking trails. Mrs.
Bartoschek is a well-known artist in Europe, where her work hangs in resort
hotels. She says she will also offer art classes to campers, and she personally
hand-painted all the signs in Four Paws.
The cost for camping is about average for the industry. It ranges from $23 to
$33 a night and includes all the services to make Fido a happy camper.
Beginning May 14, Four Paws offers a “sneak peak” to campers at reduced rates.
Word is spreading about the campground through pet owner and camper user sites
on the Internet and through the company Web site,
www.4pawskingdom.com.
“We are taking reservations, but we are not full yet,” said Bartoschek. “We even
have a reservation from a man who’s bringing his pet wallaby. That’s a small
Australian animal, similar to a kangaroo.”
Already local residents and pet owners frequent the agility training arena and
bring their pets over to play.
“Our dogs just love it out here, and I think it’s a wonderful idea,” said
Georganne Moyer, who owns a Bassett hound, Cameron, and a Jack Russell Terrier
named Dixie. She met the couple through the Rutherford County Humane Society.
The campground will hold its grand opening on June 4, but getting to an opening
day was not easy for the couple. They left behind careers in international
marketing and the arts. Most banks in the area turned down their financing
applications. Only one bank in Rutherford County agreed to lend a portion of the
cost. So the couple dipped into their savings and turned to family for the rest.
Now they talk easily of working with local veterinarians to provide workshops
and care for the animals and of future plans to hold a “true German Oktoberfest”
for the community. It would seem their days of struggle are behind them.
Then, Bartoschek pauses to reflect as he pets one of his dogs at play in the
completed agility training area.
“It is always a risk to go to another country and do something you’ve never
dared and put all you have into it,” said Bartoschek. “We were determined
to have this dream and this land,” said Mrs. Bartoschek, her face beaming in the
sunlight of an April morning in Rutherford County. “This is home and our future
now.”
U.S. Facing Feral-Dog Crisis
Packs of wild dogs roam America's city streets and backcountry roads.
Lingering on the edge of domestication, they live in dilapidated buildings, old
cars, and sewers— anywhere that will shelter them from summer's blistering heat
or winter's bitter cold. Some are abandoned pets; others were born on the
streets. In order to survive, these social creatures form packs, scavenging
garbage or killing livestock in teams.
In rural communities, wild dogs attack livestock, angering farmers who commonly
shoot them. A survey by the National Agricultural Statistics Service in 1999
found that feral dogs were partly responsible for killing cows, sheep, and goats
worth about U.S. 37 million dollars. Farms aren't the only place where
these animals may be found. Low-income, high-crime neighborhoods in cities like
Los Angeles, St. Louis, New York, Santa Fe, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, are being
overrun by tens of thousands of unwanted dogs, says Randy Grim, founder of Stray
Rescue in St. Louis, a nonprofit organization that saves street dogs.
"The problem is only going to get worse," he said. "Animal control agencies and
humane societies don't want to deal with it. It's just too overwhelming."
The problem started in the 1980s, Grim said, springing from a combination of
increased dog fighting, dogs being bred for aggressiveness, and reduced animal
control. Compounding the problem, he said, is that America's poorest
neighborhoods do not have veterinarians or animal shelters.
In Detroit, packs of free-roaming dogs have posed such a danger that a postal
service spokesman said they considered stopping mail delivery to some areas last
year because carriers were "constantly being bitten" or injured eluding vicious
animals.
In St. Louis, a 10-year-old boy was attacked and killed two years ago by a pack
of stray dogs. Police Chief Ron Henderson told the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
"They were feeding off this kid. I've seen over 1,500 bodies but I've never,
never seen anything like this. Nobody has."
And it's not just a problem in the United States—it's worldwide. According
to some estimates, the current world population of domestic dogs may be as high
as 500 million, of which a substantial, although unknown, proportion is
free-roaming. There have been news reports of feral dogs causing havoc in
Australia, India, Russia, Taiwan, and Turkey. In Greece, more than U.S.
one million dollars is reportedly being spent on rounding up, sterilizing, and
vaccinating thousands of street dogs in Athens before the 2004 Olympic games.
Most towns and cities across America have strong animal-control programs and
veterinary services that keep the pet population in check, protecting citizens.
But not all communities have that luxury.
The Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where 23,000 people live,
is one of the poorest counties in the nation. The animal population on the
reservation is at crisis levels. An estimated 4,000 dogs, covered with mange and
ticks, roam the land and are sometimes so hungry they resort to cannibalizing
other dogs. The reservation does not have a veterinary hospital, and each
week Indian health officials investigate an average of two dog bite incidents,
often involving children.
"The animals need to be healthy in order to have a healthy community," said
Karen Santos, Companion Animals Project Coordination for the International Fund
for Animal Welfare (IFAW.) In July, the nonprofit organization, along with
other animal welfare groups, held a five-day clinic on the reservation, spaying
and neutering 980 cats and dogs. "Fixing the animals makes them less
aggressive," explained Santos. This in turn, she added, will help reduce the
extraordinarily high number of bites that occur on the reservation. The
clinic's staff also provided treatment for mange and vaccinations. The
program is the first time a humane approach to control the number of pets on the
reservation has been carried out. A shoot-and-kill policy, she said, was
previously in place.
Another clinic is being planned for May.
The IFAW also has sterilization programs in Turkey, Russia, the Indonesian
island of Bali, and the Navajo Nation in Arizona—all aimed at reducing feral dog
populations. In St. Louis, Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue, is out on
the streets everyday feeding 50 or more mutts.
If these wild dogs don't die of sheer starvation, he said, diseases such as
parvovirus, heartworm, or intestinal parasites usually kill them. Their average
life span is one to two years. Many of the animals he sees were once "bait
dogs"—smaller, passive animals used to train fighting dogs. Great Dane puppies
are commonly used, he said, and wire is twisted around their legs to hold them
down, so they can't run while being mauled during training sessions.
"If they live, they are just discarded onto the streets," said Grim. The animals
are recognizable by their missing limbs, and scars from the brutal attacks.
Since starting in 1991, Grim is credited with saving 5,000 feral dogs, all of
which—through months of gentle, loving care—have been turned into house pets and
adopted by new families. Some have even gone on to become therapy animals,
bringing joy to people in hospitals and nursing homes. A book on his
rescue triumphs and struggles was published this year, entitled The Man Who
Talks To Dogs (St. Martin's Press, Melinda Roth.)
In between interviews and speaking engagements, Grim has found time to start a
new program, called Operation East Side, that offers free spaying and neutering
and medical care for dogs in low-income areas of St. Louis. He hopes to make it
a model program for other cities to follow. "The involvement of all of us
in animal welfare is essential to solving this problem," said Grim. "Through
sterilization and rehabilitation, the feral dog problem can be contained but
first we must acknowledge its existence."
Animal Acupuncture
When Mary Morrison's 16-year-old border collie, Shadow, was diagnosed with
kidney disease last year, traditional veterinary medicine offered two options:
kidney dialysis or euthanasia. Morrison chose another option altogether:
acupuncture.
Three times a month for the past year, Morrison has brought Shadow to the Del
Ray Animal Clinic in Alexandria, Virginia. There, during a typical 20-minute
session, Anne Mixson, a board-certified veterinarian trained in veterinary
acupuncture, inserts up to a dozen needles into various acupuncture points on
Shadow's skin. Acupuncture has not cured Shadow's kidney disease or slowed
the decline of old age. But it has helped alleviate the collie's symptoms and
discomfort.
"She has more interest in life, more pep. She's eating," says Morrison. "We
haven't felt like she was ready to be put down."
Shadow represents both the promise and challenge facing veterinary acupuncture.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that acupuncture is an effective treatment for a
host of ailments in animals. But researchers still understand relatively little
about why and how this alternative therapy works.
The American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture in Hygiene, Colorado, says that
acupuncture can treat ailments ranging from hip dysplasia and chronic
degenerative joint disease to respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological and
urinary tract disorders. Vets most commonly apply acupuncture to cats,
dogs, cows and horses. But they also can treat pets like birds, ferrets and
rabbits. Veterinarians in the United States have practiced acupuncture
since the early 1970s. The demand for acupuncture services has increased over
the last decade, and it is raising fewer eyebrows from skeptical colleagues,
practitioners say.
"Clients are asking for it every day," says Kevin Haussler, a lecturer with the
department of biomedical sciences at Cornell University's College of Veterinary
Medicine, in Ithaca, N.Y. "[They] are the number one reason why any of us are
doing alternative therapies like acupuncture or chiropractic, because they want
something more than just drugs or surgery."
"Within the greater veterinary medical community, I would say that acupuncture
is very well accepted," says Haussler. "Because we're always looking for the
next thing that is going to make animals feel better [and] reduce pain."
Historical Uses of Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been practiced on humans in China for more than 4,500 years.
The first use of acupuncture on animals can be traced to the western Jin dynasty
period of China from 136 to 265 A.D. In this early form, sharp stones were
used to cut and bleed specific locations on horses and other large working
animals. Traditional eastern medicine explains acupuncture as a method to
assess and rebalance the flow of qi, or energy, that travels along 12 main
linear pathways, or meridians, in the body.
Sickness comes from blocks or imbalance in the body's qi. To correct these
imbalances, small needles, inserted in any number of 365 basic acupunture
points, redirect the flow of energy and restore the body to health. The
West explains acupuncture by pointing out that most of the body's 365 main
acupuncture points are located at clusters of nerves and blood vessels.
Stimulating these areas triggers a host of local and general physiological
effects, leveraging the body's own healing power. Studies have shown that
acupuncture can increase blood flow, lower heart rate and improve immune
function. Acupuncture also stimulates the release of certain
neurotransmitters like endorphins, the body's natural pain-killers, and smaller
amounts of cortisal, an anti-inflammatory steroid.
Closing the Research Gap
A leading research center on acupuncture and animals is Colorado State
University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Ft.
Collins. Researchers there are exploring how acupuncture, in conjunction
with anesthesia during and after surgery, can reduce the amount of anesthetic
gas and post-operative pain medicine that a patient requires. The
reduction in medication can significantly lower the risk of adverse drug
reactions in patients, according to Narda Robinson, a veterinarian and adjunct
faculty member in the veterinary program at Colorado State University.
"I think the thrust of all this [research] is, how can we improve patient safety
from medical procedures and [improve] their quality of life," Robinson said.
"The more that veterinarians learn and accept acupuncture and some of the other
complimentary [alternative] medical techniques, the safety of medical
intervention for animals will be that much better."
Choosing the Right Pet, Exotic
Pets, Pets for Your Life Style
You think you want a pet. You have no idea what type of animal you want.
Before you purchase any pet think about time, room and the patience. If you live
in an apartment and work long days, a rat might be a good choice. Obviously, a
dog will not be a good pet for you because of lack of space and little time to
spend with him. Maybe a parrot would make a good choice in an apartment? Many
people think that parrots will make great pets if you live in an apartment and
do not have a lot of time to spend with the animal. Parrots are highly
intelligent and require a lot of interaction with their owners. A cat or even
two cats could be a good choice. They love to interact with you when your home
but are independent enough to make do without you. There is much to consider
before buying a pet, but I think I can help you determine what pet might be best
for your lifestyle.
Dogs
Man's best friend the loyal dog. All dogs require exercise. Large breed dogs
need lots of room to run around. They have so much to offer. A dog that loves
their owner is a loyal friend for life. Times have changed though in dog
ownership. Neighbors are less patience with noise and not patient at all with
the waste involved with dogs! Be prepared to follow behind Spot with a
pooper-scooper! Times have also brought about innovations such as the dog litter
box. Yes, you can now train your dog to use a litter box. This is for small
breed dogs. I cannot quite see a Great Dane using an indoor litter box. Dogs get
very lonely without human interaction. So lonely in fact it will cause
behavioral problems that are very difficult to correct. Dogs can be rather
costly. You start with the original purchase price and then add the cost for
license, shots, booster shots, maintenance, and veterinary care. Many illnesses
and accidents can happen to a dog. Surgery, laboratory tests, and boarding costs
just to name a few will add up into the thousands of dollars. A dog is a
wonderful choice of pet if you have the time, love, and space to care for him.
Nothing warms my heart more than seeing in the eyes of a dog the shine for the
love and devotion of his owner.
Cats
Cats are an excellent choice in most households. If you have to spend, a lot
of time at work cats are usually pretty forgiving as long as you give him a lot
of love when you get home. A bow or two to his grace could not hurt either. Even
the horrid litter box and the odor that comes along with the litter box is not
much of a problem anymore. The new crystal litters are such a blessing to the
cat owner. If you do work long hours you might want to consider two cats. This
way they can keep each other company when you are not home. Be sure to have a
cat tower, scratching pole and green plants to chew on that way they will
hopefully leave your stuff alone. Cats do like to scratch up walls and couches,
they will most likely use a scratching pole, but do keep in mind they can
destroy your beautiful couch while you are away.
Houseplants can also be a problem with cats. First many plants are poisonous to
cats and second you could come home to find that your one big plant is now lots
of little plants all over your floor. Cats also cost a great deal to keep. Some
local governments require cat licenses. They also need shots and then booster
shots each year. The cost of cat food is not cheap and you should feed a
high-quality cat food. Serving your cat a low quality food will cost you plenty
of money in the end with urinary tract infections and other problems that occur
because of feeding the incorrect food. Cats can have accidents and get sick, as
with any pet, veterinary costs will always be involved in pet ownership.
Fish
Fish can fit into any lifestyle. They have their virtues in that they are
quiet, need no vaccinations, and are utterly beautiful to watch. Starting cost
can be quite expensive. First, you need to decide if you want salt water or
fresh water fish. Gather all the information you will need to care for them
properly. You must know how to correct chemical imbalances and ph problems in
the tank, this must be correct before the fish are introduced to the water.
There are accessories you will need to purchase for the fish tank. You will need
a filter plate, filter, and gravel, plants that will keep algae under control, a
heater for temperature, a thermometer, and a decholorinator to remove chlorine,
a hood, and a light. After the tank is together, add the water then adjust the
temperature and adjust the ph levels. Check the water again in 24 hours to make
sure the balances of ph are stable and the water is the proper temperature for
the variety of fish you want. You will need to learn about fish diseases and
have the proper medications on hand. After the initial start-up cost, fish are
not expensive to keep, food, chemicals, medications and the power to maintain
the filtering, lightening and temperature of the fish tank. Fish may not be
cuddly but they are excellent stress reducers.
Birds
One of our favorite pets is the bird. There are so many varieties and sizes
of birds. Each bird variety is different in how you care for them. Pet birds
range in size from the tiny little finch to the giant hyacinth macaw. The cost
for the pet bird also ranges exorbitantly. The cost of a finch may be as little
as $10 compared to the cost of a hyacinth macaw, which could cost $20,000, or
more.
Small birds are good pets if you live in an apartment. Large parrots can also be
pets for the apartment dweller, if you have plenty of quality time to spend with
the parrot. Parrots tend to be very noisy. Their deafening screeches will easily
travel through apartment walls. Parrots are also very messy.
Parrots are highly social, and extremely intelligent. They will need to spend
plenty of time interacting with their owner. Parrots have a highly complex
social structure in the wild. This socialization must be substituted for in the
domestic bird. Parrots also need a large variety of stimulating toys to play
with. Rotate the toys frequently to keep the bird from growing bored. Spend
plenty of time each day talking to your bird; giving it supervised freedom from
its cage, and playing with your bird.
Along with the initial cost of the bird, you will need to purchase a cage.
Choose your bird's cage carefully. You do not need to spend thousands of dollars
on a "bird entertainment system" but you do need to pick out a cage that is safe
for your bird to live in, the larger the cage the better. Watch out for small
parts that can be ingested. Make sure that the cage is secure. Parrots are
master criminals and can escape easily from their cages. Make sure that the cage
is primed and painted with a non-toxic substance. Birds do not need vaccinations
but they do get ill and can have accidents so make sure you have access to a
good avian vet before purchasing a bird. Bird proof your house before bringing
your new pet home. Most of the following advice will apply to small birds as
well as large parrots. Your home has many unsafe things in it. Non-stick
cookware can emit toxic, fatal odors into the air and kill birds. Many
houseplants are poisonous and will make a bird very sick or even kill it. Open
boiling pots on the stove have taken many precious pets? lives as do open
toilets and open containers. Ceiling fans and fireplaces must be off and out
before a bird is allowed to roam free. Parrots have extremely long life spans
and may out live you. Make sure you have plans if this should occur. Never let
your bird out unless it is supervise.
Rodents
Maybe an ideal pet for you could be a rodent, though there is a great deal
of difference between a rat and a hamster. Rats rarely bite and hamsters can be
quite nippy. There are also gerbils and mice to take into consideration. Rodents
take up little space, do not need to be walked, and are very quiet. Rodents are
very inexpensive to keep and require no vaccinations. However, they too can
become ill, have accidents and can require vet care.
All rodents have similar care in that they need a safe secure cage. Of course, a
rat will need a larger cage compared to the mouse. Rodents will need an exercise
wheel, toys, chew toys to keep their forever-growing teeth worn down, water
bottles, food, and non-toxic bedding.
In the wild rats are highly social. I highly suggest purchasing two rats of the
same sex. While there are some social species of hamsters, most are not social
and should be kept in separate cages. Hamsters react to stress much more acutely
than rats. While hamsters are good pets for children when they are together,
they should be supervised. Hamsters can become afraid and deliver a nasty bite
to the child and children could accidentally injure the hamster.
Supervise your rodents play at all times. There are many harmful and dangerous
perils in a home. As with birds, toxic fumes can kill a rodent. There are also
poisonous houseplants to watch out for, and places for the rodents to drown like
open containers with liquid in them. Rodents are ideal for our urbanized
society.
Sugar Glider
The Sugar Glider is a marsupial from Southern Australia. They make sweet,
affectionate little pets. They love human attention and love to play. They sleep
in the daytime and play at night so this may make an outstanding pet for a
nocturnal human. These little sweeties require a healthy specialized diet. They
cannot consume fat. The majority of their diet is fruit and vegetables (75%).
They should receive protein (25%). It is unsafe for the sugar glider to roam
free in your home. It is also unsafe for your home. They do chew on drapes and
furniture. Keep the sugar glider out of the sunlight. Bright light can
permanently blind them. Provide a proper enclosure for them. A cage should be no
smaller that 24" inches in diameter and 38" tall for not any more than 2
animals. Bigger is better. They make excellent pets for the family that has time
to spend with them. They are highly intelligent and social animals. Having two
sugar gliders is better than one. Check out the laws in your area before
purchasing a sugar glider.
Hedge Hog
Affectionately know as the "Yuppie Puppy" since its popularity as a pet is a
recent occurrence. Hedgehogs are around 6 inches long and have quills on the top
portion of their bodies. Their undersides are soft fur. These pets are also
nocturnal. These little armored animals need to be caged. They require an
exercise wheel and toys. Check the legalities of hedgehogs before purchasing.
They do not take up a lot of space, and are very quiet.
Unfortunately, people grow disenchanted because they are difficult to handle and
many hedgehogs become ignored and lonesome. The hedgehog is another pet that can
be special for the right person.
Ferrets
These are loving and playful little animals. They are relatively quiet
except for occasional chuckles. They take up little space and use a litter box.
They should be caged and let out when they are supervised. They are explorers
and this can get them into mischief and can lead to serious injuries. Make sure
your home is escape proof before bringing your new pet home. They can get out
the smallest of holes. Some of their means of escape may be a dryer vent, a heat
vent, or even a mouse hole. I kept my ferrets in an extra bedroom. If you use a
cage, let them out frequently for exercise and play. If they are housed in a
cage, make sure the cage is no smaller than 2 X 3 feet and 2 feet high. Add
hammocks for them to sleep in. Ferrets require a high protein, high quality
food. There are commercial ferret foods available. However, they can be fed a
high protein kitten good (not cat food) such as Iams. Ferrets require
vaccinations. Ferrets should be spayed and neutered and their scent glands
removed. You will usually buy them descented and neutered. Check legalities
before purchase. They are not legal in all places. Ferrets make outstanding
pets.
Primates
Monkeys are one of the most intelligent animals on earth. They are also the
most difficult animals to keep as a pet. It is very expensive to keep a primate
happy and healthy. A monkey that does not bite is extremely rare and their teeth
are sharp. Monkeys are impulsive, unpredictable, and excitable. They can never
be toilet trained. Monkeys should not be kept singly. They are social animals
and socializing with you is not enough. They will become lonely and become sick
or die. Having a monkey is like having a 6-month-old baby (basic needs) or a
toddler (intelligence and agility) but for the next 20 to 40 years.
The cage needs to be big, the bigger the cage the better. Do not use anything
less than a 12-gauge wire. A safety entrance must be included to prevent the
escape of your monkey. Monkeys need light to survive, so provide them with a
Vita-Lites (replicates natural sunlight) Primates need this light for their
skeletal development. Variety is an important key to feeding a primate. Feed him
a commercial primate diet, supplemented with fruits, nuts, cooked vegetables,
wheat products and eggs. They also enjoy insects like crickets, grasshoppers,
and mealworms.
Monkeys need a complete health exam once a year. They need their TB test to
protect their health and you and your families? health. Also needed are a
parasite examination and a complete blood screening. Find out the vaccination
requirements for monkeys.
Monkey's are like children and can get into anything. Watch medicines, poisons,
anything that is dangerous to a child, is more dangerous to a monkey because he
can more readily get into things.
Be sure to check with your state, county, city, subdivision, and other local
government agencies to see if primates are legal. If they are in fact legal in
your state, it may be illegal in your county, city, or even neighborhood.
Please do considerable research before you purchase a monkey. If it seems like I
am trying to persuade you away from buying a monkey as a pet, I am. With many
exotic pet purchases, animals suffer. Luckily the cost of a monkey is
prohibitive in it self and is less likely to be bought on a whim.
Arachnids
An arachnid is a spider and they have eight legs, insects have six legs.
Spiders are not for everyone and they have very special needs. They can bite,
though venomous, most species do no more harm than a bee sting. Like a bee
sting, it is possible to be allergic to the spider's venom and you can go into
anaphylactic shock. Any animal taken out of the wild deserves the largest
enclosure possible. A fish aquarium makes an excellent enclosure. The top should
be screen, cheese clothe or mesh so that the aquarium has ventilation. Keep the
cage out of direct sunlight. Glass containers especially can get very hot which
can kill the spider. Spiders are carnivores and predators. The spider crushes
its prey with its powerful mouthparts.
A favorite arachnid of mine is the tarantula. The Grammastola Rosea, or Chilean
Rose, is the most popular choice because of its easier disposition. Tarantulas
are delicate creatures. When handling them be very careful that they don't fall,
they can be skittish and a short fall can injure them severely or even kill
them. Tarantulas do not like roommates. They are not social critters, so they
must be kept one per enclosure.
A spider could be an excellent choice of pet for the right person. Protect your
pet from other people, and protect other people from your pet. There could be
liabilities in owning a venomous pet.
Reptiles
This would include snakes, iguanas, geckos, and many more pets that are
reptilian. Reptiles have very specialized care from proper nutritional
requirements, lightening, heat, humidity and enclosures.
People view snakes as requiring minimum care. This is not true at all; snakes
require very special care from temperature to housing, diet, and health. What
makes a snake make a good pet? They are quiet and docile, and most snakes are
easy to handle. They are also clean and odorless. The owners must accept
responsibility for keeping these animals in a safe and secure habitat.
Snakes are carnivorous. They are not vegetarian. A snake is fed once a week.
Younger snakes should be fed more often. Find out what the best food or the
foods that the species of snake that you are purchasing requires. Many snakes
eat rats and mice. Make sure you have his home ready for him before you bring
him home. You want to make 100% sure that the enclosure you are planning to use
is escape proof. Make sure the cage is easy to clean, is ventilated, and is of
adequate size. A good formula to use is 3/4 square foot of floor space for foot
of snake. One end of the cage should be heated with a hot rock or an under tank
heater. The other side should be cooler so the snake can choose to cool down
when he needs to. A snake could make a good pet for some people.
Iguanas are not easy to care for. The iguana has become a very popular pet but
few people are aware of the difficulty of caring for them. Iguanas are very
expensive to care for. They require a very large cage, a varied fresh diet,
proper temperatures, and UV lighting. Adult iguana's can become very aggressive.
Iguana's can also grow up to six feet in length. An iguana needs a leafy green
diet that is high in calcium. Serve the iguana no less than eight different
leafy greens a day. These greens can be supplemented with fruits twice a week.
A baby iguana needs a cage that is at least 40 gallons or larger. Adult iguanas
can grow up to 6 feet in length. As the iguana grows, he will need a larger
cage. An adult will need a cage that is at least 8-feet tall and 12-feet wide.
Pet iguanas often suffer from Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). The symptoms of MBD
are swollen limbs and jaw, rubbery bones, brittle bones, recessed jaw, lethargy,
and death. The cause of MBD is improper UV radiation, diet too low in calcium or
too high in phosphorus. MBD can also be caused by too low of temperature so that
the iguana cannot digest his food.
Be prepared for your iguana before you purchase him! Of any exotic pet species,
I believe it is the iguana that has suffered the most in people's homes because
of their need for highly specialized care.
Summary
Pets are wonderful companions for us. I know my home is not complete without
several. People must take into consideration their finances, time they have to
spend with a pet, space availability, and tolerance levels for destruction and
noise. Other things to consider if the pet is nocturnal and you sleep at night
when will this pet receive the attention he needs? How tolerant are your
neighbors to noise? I have given you insight to various possibilities and you
can see each pet is unique in terms of personality and care requirements.
Research your choice of pet before purchasing and have his cage and necessities
completely ready for him before bringing him home. This will alleviate much
stress to your new pet. More than anything else love them and interact with
them. You will have an outstanding companion for a long time.
Best Regards,
The doctors and staff of Priest Lake Veterinary Clinic