Small pet

Your rabbit’s eye just doesn’t look quite right. Maybe it’s red, or your rabbit’s eye has some kind of discharge. What could it be and should you pick up the phone and call a rabbit-knowledgeable veterinarian or is this something you can handle on your own? “Because eye disease can progress rapidly,” says Leticia Materi, PhD, DVM, of the Calgary Avian & Exotic Pet Clinic of Alberta, Canada. “An owner should bring their rabbit into the veterinary clinic within 24 hours of noticing the signs.” A red or irritated eye, an eye with discharge, or a swollen eye can all be indications of a variety of health issues. This is not something that a rabbit owner will be able to diagnose and treat at home. “If you note redness of the eyes, squinting, pawing or rubbing the eye, or excessive discharge, this could indicate a problem,” says Jennifer Blair, DVM of St. Francis Animal & Bird Hospital in Roseville, Minnesota. “Rabbits can get scratches or ulcerations of their cornea from trauma or irritation from hay or bedding. A protozoal parasite, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, can lead to cataract formation and secondary inflammation of the eye, called uveitis.” Jennifer Graham, DVM, DABVP (Avian/Exotic Companion Mammal), DACZM, Assistant Professor of Zoological Companion Animal Medicine Department of Clinical Sciences, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine explains, “Rabbits can have chronic eye discharge associated with dacryocystitis—inflammation of the tear duct that drains the eye—and also with dental disease, so be aware that in these conditions the eye itself may be normal. “Rabbits can also have eye discharge or squinting associated with eye infection, trauma, glaucoma or a corneal ulcer,” she continues. “This is a very important condition to address immediately because it is possible for a rabbit to lose vision fairly quickly if untreated disease causes damage to the delicate tissues of the eye.” Eye discharge is often due to infection of the conjunctiva and/or the nasolacrimal duct, according to Dr. Materi. The conjunctiva is the lining of the inner surface of the eyelids and the nasolacrimal duct is a duct that normally drains tears from the eyes to the nose. “This can be due to opportunistic infections by bacteria or trauma to the eye, i.e., scratches or bite wounds,” she says. “The rabbits may keep the affected eyes partially or fully closed and the eyes may have sticky discharge, swollen eyelids or appear red.”

A ball pit, not so unlike the ones little kids love, tops on a list of ferret supplies? Yes! Ferrets naturally like to hide, climb, and frolic, and a ball pit is a great place to do all three, Gruden says. Far from a frivolous pick, “it will, with clear plastic tubes made for ferrets attached, enchant most ferrets,” she says. To make your ferret’s playtime dream come true, you can try the Marshall Pop-N-Play ferret ball pit toy and attach the Marshall Super Thru-Way small animal tunnel toy to give your ferret 15 feet of tunnel fun.,Ferrets are among some of the most playful pets you can bring home—so much so that investing in a good selection of quality ferret supplies is considered an integral part of proper ferret care. “Ferrets are not rodents,” says L. Vanessa Gruden, executive director of the Ferret Association of Connecticut, Inc. “They are intelligent predator carnivores. As such, toys are vital.” Being so intelligent, it’s no surprise that ferrets are born explorers and will love new, exciting things. The only way to know what your ferret likes is by experimenting. While some ferrets may gravitate toward one general type of toy, Gruden says that others may enjoy a select few and some will literally love any toy that you put in front of them. Below are five types of ferret toys Gruden, who has been the manager of a ferret shelter in Hartford, Connecticut, for 27 years, recommends to keep your pet physically and mentally stimulated.

There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angoras, with four—the English Angora rabbit, the French Angora rabbit, the Giant Angora rabbit, and the Satin Angora rabbit—recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. The following expert tips apply to Angora bunnies of all breeds.  ,Known for their fantastically fluffy coats, Angoras are one of the oldest (and cutest) types of domestic rabbits. Fashionable among French royalty in the 18th century, Angora rabbits remain popular today, thanks to their floofy coats and playful personalities.   Considering adding an Angora bunny to your family? Here’s everything you need to know.  

In This Article FAQs

Salmonellosis in Rats Salmonellosis is a diseased condition that is brought about by infection with the Salmonella bacterium. Salmonellosis is very rare in pet rats and infection is usually found to have been spread via ingestion of food and water contaminated with infected feces, urine, and bedding material.   Infected rats can be potential sources for spread of this infection to humans as well, classifying this as an infection with zoonotic potential. Therefore, this condition should be managed with caution. Treatment is often not effective for the control of salmonellosis, so taking steps to prevent the spread of this infection is the best way to manage this condition in rats.   Symptoms and Types   Depression Dehydration and rough body coat Distended/swollen abdomen Diarrhea and weight loss Spontaneous abortion (in pregnant rats) Fatal (in most cases)   Causes Contact withbacteria belonging to the salmonella species is the most common cause of salmonellosis. Other causes include: Eating food that has been contaminated by salmonella tainted feces Food, water, or bedding contaminated by carriers of salmonella, such as wild rodents   Diagnosis   Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your rat, taking into account the background history of symptoms and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. Observing the clinical symptoms exhibited by the infected rat can help in making a diagnosis, but collecting fecal samples for culturing and identifying the bacterial species responsible for the infection will be necessary for making a confirmatory diagnosis.     Treatment   Treatment for this bacterial infection is often not an effective option. Broad-spectrum antibiotic drugs may be used in some recovering cases, along with administration of supportive therapy with fluids and electrolyte supplements to aid your rat in its recovery.   Living and Management   Segregate any rat that is affected with this bacterial infection from your other rat, and from other household animals. Because this infection is also transmissible to humans, you will need to take care while handling your rat during recovery. Wearing disposable gloves and changing your outer clothing will be necessary during the period that your rat is capable of transmitting the infection.   While it is important to take note that this is a serious infection that often has a fatal outcome, not all rats die as a result of infection, so you may choose to encourage recovery. Your rat will be very weak during this time and will need your maximum care. Consult your veterinarian regarding the care and diet to be given to your pet rat during the recovery period.   Prevention   Salmonellosis infection is highly contagious and is mainly transmitted in rats through ingestion of food and water contaminated with infected feces, urine and bedding material. Therefore, properly cleaning the cages regularly, removing any feces and urine, and changing soiled bedding material routinely are essential.   As much as possible, try to avoid housing rats of different age groups together, or new rats with established rats. Following these simple steps will go a long way in helping to prevent the spread of salmonellosis bacterial infection amongst rats.

If you share your life with guinea pigs, you need to be aware of a serious, and sometimes fatal, condition known as guinea pig bloat. Most mammals experience intestinal gas from time to time; it’s a normal byproduct of digestion. For our little cavys, however, this gas causes big concern.

Ectoparasitic Infestation in Rats Fleas are ectoparasites, or parasites that infest and feed on the outside of the body (e.g., skin and hair). These parasites are found in many pets; however, flea infestation in pet rats is very rare. Typically, pet rats typically only acquire this condition when they come in contact with wild rodents. Though flea infestation is not a serious condition and treatment is available to control it, if proper steps are not taken to prevent further spread or reinfestation of the fleas, this can become a recurring problem. Symptoms and Types Fleas may be visible on the infested rat’s body, and you will notice your rat scratching the infested areas more than normal. The skin may be red/inflamed in some areas due to the flea feeding on the area, as well as to irritation from scratching by the rat. Another indicator of fleas is the presence of its feces, which may be seen as black dots on the skin or in the hair. Causes Flea infestation in pet rats is caused by rodent fleas, which are mainly transmitted to them when pet rats come in contact with wild rodents. Diagnosis Diagnosis of flea infestation is usually based on visual examination of the skin for the presence of fleas. Other clinical symptoms that can be observed, like the presence of the fleas feces, seen as black dots, coupled with excessive scratching, may also aid your veterinarian in making a diagnosis.   Treatment Flea infestation is treated with medicated powders/dusts or sprays that are designed kill the fleas. To prevent reinfestation, disinfect and clean your rat’s cage and surrounding environment thoroughly. Living and Management Follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding the application of medicated dusts and sprays to your pet rat and its living environment. Although it is important to eradicate the fleas, there are also precautions that you need to take to make sure that your rat is not harmed by the chemicals you are using against the fleas. In addition, whenever you have handled a rat that is not your own, even an apparently clean and uninfested rat, you must take care to wash your hands and clothes after you have handled it, before handling your own rat.

Chinchillas are constantly renewing their coats. As new fur grows in, old fur is shed. This helps with temperature regulation. Chinchillas will shed more at the change of seasons. In the spring/summer as temperatures rise, the chinchillas will shed more fur as a way to have better ventilation and air circulation within their coat. A combination of high humidity and temperatures in the 80s-Fahrenheit may cause heatstroke, so temperature regulation is very important. In some chinchillas when fur is not shed it forms mats close to the skin. This prevents air circulation within the fur and can lead to overheating. Shedding will help them stay a bit cooler. By fall when the temperatures begin to drop, chinchillas are in various stages of shedding their summer coats and replacing them with denser winter coats to provide more warmth. Combing your chinchilla with grooming combs will help remove some of the shedding fur. After combing and mat removal, more dead fur may rise to the surface and can either be combed out during the next few days or left for the chinchilla to shed. Clean fur and repeated coat renewal contribute to overall chinchilla health. Chinchillas can slough fur trying to avoid capture. When fur is sloughed, large chunks of fur suddenly come loose. If a chinchilla is grabbed by anything or anyone, clumps of fur may stay behind as the chinchilla escapes. Research has shown that there are about 60 hair strands per hair follicle on chinchillas. Each hair strand has colored bands from top to bottom. The bottom band closest to the skin is called the “underfur.” The middle band, which may be a lighter shade (and even white in many mutations), is called the “bar.” The top band is called the “veiling.” Chinchillas also produce single, longer guard hairs. You can see them if you hold your chinchilla at eye level and look across the fur. If you want to determine the fur density, hold your chinchilla and gently blow into its fur. If the fur blows down and does not bounce back up and you see quite a bit of skin, the chinchilla’s fur is considered less dense. A chinchilla with a less dense coat will not shed as much as one with denser fur. Because chinchillas shed all year long, it is normal to find hairs in and around the cage every day. It is abnormal to have patches of fur missing from your chinchilla. Usually bald spots can be attributed to fur chewing, a fungus infection or bickering among cagemates where fur is pulled out or sloughed.,Q.

Worms and Protozoa in Rats Worms, or helminths, are parasites that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract in rats. Intestinal parasites in rats are of two types: helminths and protozoa. Helminths are multicellular worms, like tapeworms, pinworms, and roundworms. Protozoa have one cell and can multiply at a rapid rate. These intestinal parasites infect the digestive system of the rat and sometimes more than one worm type can be seen infecting the same rat. These worms are mainly spread as a result of poor hygiene, and when rats come into contact with feces from an infected rat, as the eggs are released from the intestinal system through the fecal matter. Intestinal protozoa are known to spread through contaminated feces, but pinworms can also infect rats by way of the respiratory tract, as their eggs are capable of becoming airborne and inhaled. Unhygienic living conditions are the main culprit, when feces is left in the rat’s living environment, as is the absence of routine healthcare with regular visits to the veterinarian. Symptoms and Types Infection with helminths (worms) Diarrhea Changes in appetite (loss or increase) Weight loss Excessive licking and chewing of rectal area and base of tail Bits of worm or whole worms in feces Severe infection can lead to blockage or perforation of the intestines Tapeworm infections can cause liver enlargement by forming cysts in the liver Infection with protozoa Change in appearance of feces Diarrhea Vomiting Weight loss Causes Worms, eggs, or protozoa are often transmited through the feces of infected rats and/or infected bedding or litter. Pinworm eggs, meanwhile, are so small that they can be inhaled while floating in the air. Contact with carrier insects like cockroaches, fleas, and beetles can also lead to parasitic infection. Cats are also carriers of tapeworms and can transmit the parasites to rats. Diagnosis Pinworms can often be seen near the anal area of the infected rat. Diagnosis is verified by identifying the worms or their eggs through a fecal examination. In case of infection by protozoa, the presence of these single-celled organisms is also verified by analyzing a sample of feces. Treatment Your veterinarian will prescribe anti-parasitic drugs depending on the type of intestinal infection your rat is suffering from. Keep in mind that it is possible for a rat to be infected with more than one type of parasite. The drugs your doctor prescribes may be anti-protozoals or anti-helminthic, or both, based on the final findings. The pinworm infection is one of the most difficult intestinal parasites to treat. In addition, it is not easy to detect the pinworm eggs because they are light and may float in air. Follow your veterinarian’s dosage instruction correctly to completely rid your rat of the intestinal parasites, and take steps to sanitize your rat’s living environment so that there is not a recurrence of the infection. Prevention It is best advised to disinfect your rat’s cage on regular basis so the rat is more secure from intestinal parasites. Some parasites can be passed between species, and in some cases, even to their human caretakers. Familiarizing yourself on parasites that are known to infect domestic animals, along with routine health examinations for all of your household animals, is an important part of protecting your pets from the more severe complications that can result from a parasitic infection.

Considering adopting a rabbit? Rabbits are intelligent and affectionate animals with their own unique personalities—and just like with dogs and cats, some breeds are more beginner-friendly than others. Here, we’ll dive (or hop) right in and explain which rabbit breeds are ideal for first-time pet parents and why.