COVID-19
Coronavirus: Is my pet at risk? Much of the news has been dominated by one story for the last couple of weeks: COVID-19. We have started receiving calls to our veterinary clinic from worried pet owners, including an ER nurse worried about whether or not she could transmit the virus to her cockatoo. This article […]
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Information
What is Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease? Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is a highly contagious and highly lethal viral disease of rabbits. The first reported outbreak of this disease was in China in 1984 within a group of commercially-bred Angora rabbits imported from Germany. In less than a year, RHD killed millions of domestic rabbits in China […]
Avian Influenza
Avian flu is something that all bird owners should be aware of given the seriousness of the disease. There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease in people (i.e., flu season) almost every winter in Canada. Influenza A viruses are […]
Water Turtle Care
Aquatic turtles spend their lives in and around water sources and are recognized by their webbed feet. Many have long necks that allow their head to reach half way around their body. The upper shell is called the carapace, the lower shell the plastron and the sections of the shell are called scutes. Various aquatic […]
Tortoise Care
The prehistoric nature and deliberate movements of a tortoise has made this gentle and interesting creature a desired pet, but care must be taken to invest in the proper housing, nutrition and care of these long-lived animals. All tortoises and turtles have basic common needs that include supplemental heat and lighting, proper substrate and specialized […]
Snake Care
Snakes are elongated, legless reptiles with dry, scale-covered skin. They lack movable eyelids and external ear openings. There are approximately 2700 species of snakes known to humans. In the wild, they inhabit a wide range of habitats: land, trees, under ground, fresh and salt water. Snakes are exclusively carnivorous (meat eating), although the type of […]
Salmonella Information
Salmonella is a bacterium with over 200 serotypes isolated from reptiles alone. It is a bacterium that has the potential of causing mild to serious disease in any species, but is considered more likely in all pet species of reptiles, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and prairie dogs. Salmonella is a zoonoses; that is, a disease that […]
Lizard Care
Common lizards kept in captivity include the Bearded Dragon, Leopard Gecko, Fat-tailed Gecko, Anole, Water Dragon, Common Green Iguana, Chameleon, Blue Tongued Skink, Savannah Monitor and Uromastyx. Care of any lizard is specialized. Reptiles are ectotherms (cold blooded), dependent on environmental temperature to regulate their body temperature. It is important to research a species in […]
Gerbil Care
Gerbils are busy and intelligent animals originating from the Mongolian desert. Gerbils naturally live in colonies and because of their highly social nature, it is recommended to have at least two gerbils living together to help maintain their physical and mental health. To safely house gerbils together, they should be introduced before puberty or kept […]
Degu Care
Degus are highly social, long-lived rodents native to Chile. Also called the brush-tailed rat or trumpet-tailed rat, degus resemble giant gerbils. Degus are elaborate burrowers, and communicate with a variety of vocalizations and postures. Without social interaction and physical stimuli, degus may become aggressive or self mutilate. DIET: In the wild, degus eat a variety […]