Category Pet health

Fish lice are not insects, as their infamous name suggests, nor are they related to the lice that infest humans and other domestic animals. Argulids are branchiuran crustaceans, related more closely to shrimp and crabs, than to the head louse. Like other crustaceans, argulids must molt or shed their shell periodically to grow and mature.

Fish pox, also known as carp pox or warts, is a chronic skin disease of carp and several related species of cyprinid (family of soft-rayed fishes) fish, including ornamental koi. The disease is caused by a virus, but contrary to its name, the causative agent is a herpesvirus, not a poxvirus. This particular agent is a cousin to the viruses that cause chickenpox and fever blisters in humans.

Proper dental care should be a regular part of your program for keeping your dog healthy and happy. It is often overlooked, but pets can suffer the same kinds of dental problems as humans, including severe pain, infection and tooth loss. You can help prevent those issues - and solve those that do arise - by learning about the basics of tooth care and working closely with your veterinarian.

Dogs and cats get most of the dental problems that we can get including dental plaque tartar, gum and tooth disease. First, lets understand the differences between plaque, tartar and periodontal disease and then we will discuss how to prevent them. Plaque Dental plaque is a sticky substance that covers the teeth consisting of bacteria, saliva, food particles and epithelial cells.

Giving a cat medication is never fun, but sometimes administering it in a liquid form can be the lesser of several evils. Follow this blow-by-blow explanation of how to do it, and you won't even need a "spoon full of sugar to help the medicine go down." Here's how: Most liquid medications come with an eyedropper attached to the lid.

Is giving your cat a pill a big pain? I think so. I should know. I am a veterinarian with 15 years of experience and can't get my cat to take a darn pill. I don't want to hold her down each time thus making it a horrible experience for her so I'm been determined to give it to her in food and make it as positive of an experience as possible.

Your cat cannot explain his symptoms, so it's the responsibility of you and your veterinarian to take care of him. You can help speed the diagnosis and recovery by having the answers to the following questions ready. Start by having the answer to some general questions. How long have you owned your cat?

Eye disease, infections and traumas are quite common ailments. Frequently, your veterinarian prescribes medication after an exam. Administering these medications can be confusing and difficult. Some cats, especially if their eyes are painful, are resistant to the administration of medication. Diligence and patience are necessary to help give the medication, which will help resolve the eye problem.

Ornamental karp, or koi, are among the most popular fish in the tank. They bring great enjoyment, but owners should be wary of a potentially fatal disease that many fall prey to. Koi ulcerative disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria called aeromonas salmoncida . It can be treated by antibiotics, although even then your fish may end up scarred.

Your cat cannot explain his symptoms, so it's the responsibility of you and your veterinarian to take care of him. You can help speed the diagnosis and recovery by having the answers to the following questions ready. Start by having the answer to some general questions. How long have you owned your cat?

Hoferellosis carassii, or kidney bloater disease, is a disease of goldfish and other members of the genus Carassius. It is also known in the pet trade by several common names, including kidney enlargement disease (KED), or polycystic kidney disease of goldfish. Recognized in Japan and Europe for many years, the disease was not reported in the United States until 1984, but is now common throughout the goldfish industry, particularly in pond-raised fish.

At some point in their life, many pets will need to take oral medication. Administering that medication can be challenging. The easiest was to give medication is to hide it in food. This way, the pet received a treat and the medication. But what do you do with the finicky pet? You can place the pill in the back of the throat and make the pet take it or you can try some other, sometimes less stressful, methods.

Updated: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 How to Give Injectable Subcutanous Fluids at Home Subcutaneous fluids are a common way to administer fluids to cats at the veterinary hospital so your cat can go home (treated as an outpatient). They can also be even at home with chronic conditions such as kidney disease.

Marine fish are a varied bunch. Each species or type has its own method of feeding - some filter feed, drawing in water and siphoning out the food from it, and some scavenge; others prefer to chase their meal or eat only greens; many just don't care what drops in - they'll eat it. Some species are aggressive eaters, chasing away their tank mates, while others shy away from conflict.

When your cat is ill, you may have to determine whether or not he has a fever. Learning how to take your cat's temperature properly can help determine if immediate veterinary care is needed. Your cat's normal rectal temperature is 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures may necessitate a trip to your veterinarian, depending on other symptoms.

Keeping an aquarium is America's Number Two hobby (gardening is Number One). Sophisticated equipment, filtration, lighting and other advances in water quality let hobbyists keep larger numbers of fish from a wide range of species. Like any pet, aquatic animals and invertebrates can contract diseases and parasites or can become injured.

Bandages are routinely applied to pets for a multitude of reasons. The primary uses are to protect, treat or support an injured area on the body. This article will outline the issues involved in general bandage care as well as problems that can occur. General care should include the following: 1. Keep it dry.

While not common in the home aquarium, supersaturation disease can occur in the presence of pump, fountain or filter failure. Increased environmental temperatures, as well as excessive aeration, can also contribute to this sometimes fatal condition. Affected fish may display acute morbidity (illness) and mortality (death).

Aeromonas hydrophila complex is probably the most commonly encountered bacterial pathogen of freshwater fishes. These bacteria are motile (capable of moving), and several different species may be responsible for Motile Aeromonad Disease (MAD). In addition to A. hydrophila , bacteria that have been implicated in MAD include A.

Hypoxia is the name of the problem in which there is too little dissolved oxygen in an aquarium or pond. The amount of oxygen dissolved in a given volume of water depends on four factors: temperature, atmospheric pressure, salinity and the number of aquatic plants in the system. As salinity increases, for example, DO decreases, and as atmospheric pressure decreases, so does the DO level; water at 40 degrees Celsius contains twice as much oxygen as water at 400 degrees Celsius.