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Preventive Care & Wellness

  • The Tibetan Spaniel is a lovely dog, both charming and fascinating. The Tibetan Spaniel has the intriguing quality of being a quiet dog - until, that is, he discovers someone with whom he's not familiar. This small breed's beauty lies in his full-size confidence.

  • The adaptable, affable Tibetan Terrier is a great choice for the dog owner whose idea of exercise is a walk around the block. Although the long coat can be challenging to care for, it is well worth the effort when admirers stop during a stroll to ooh and ahh over this dog.

  • Helping your pet lose weight may be challenging at first, but with a little patience and persistence, you can be successful. Research has shown that small amounts of weight loss help improve the quality of life for overweight pets: they feel better, move easier, play more often, and live healthier lives. This handout focuses on commonly asked questions and tips for owners to help their overweight pet successfully achieve some weight loss.

  • There are approximately 35 (or more) species of toucans and toucanets, including the smaller, slender aracari. Their most outstanding feature is the large, elongated, hollow beak that varies in coloration from black to multicolored. Hand-raised babies that are well-socialized make charming, affectionate pets, whereas wild toucans are very challenging to tame. They require a large horizontal cage with lots of perches, as they are very active, curious, and enjoy hopping from perch to perch. However, they can be aggressive with other birds and are known to occasionally kill and eat smaller species, such as canaries and finches. Toucans and toucanets require regular, routine veterinary health check-ups.

  • Toucans and toucanets are members of the family of birds called Rhamphastidae. They require a high-moisture diet and have a relatively short digestive tract, so food moves quickly through their digestive tract. Low-iron pellets and fruits should make up most of their daily diet. Iron storage disease, called hemosiderosis, is common in these birds when they are fed a diet high in iron.

  • Toxoplasma occurs worldwide. However, infection is uncommon in pet cats that do little or no hunting and primarily or exclusively eat commercial cat foods. Despite the high number of cats infected with T. gondii, very few show significant clinical signs. Humans are most commonly infected by eating contaminated food. Most people infected with this organism do not develop clinical disease. However, infection during pregnancy may be transmitted to the fetus and sometimes cause severe damage. Many pet cats will never be exposed to Toxoplasma and, therefore, cannot pass the infection on to humans.

  • Toy Fox Terriers love to curl up in a lap, but can be up and running when a bird flies by the window. They're curious, always wanting to know what's going on and to be part of the action.

  • Birds are highly intelligent animals and toys are an important part of their mental health, as well as their mental and physical agility. Toys encourage exercise and provide good wear for the beak and nails. Certain toys are ideal while others can be dangerous to your bird.

  • Teaching a dog to come when called is perhaps the most important behavior we ever teach. You can train a reliable recall using positive reinforcement and it can be incorporated into daily play time. Puppies should be set up to succeed by having training challenges, such as distractions, added gradually. Until a recall is reliable, puppies should be held on leash when they are not in a secure, fenced area.

  • Transdermal means the application of a medicine or drug through the skin, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Relatively few drugs are currently available for transdermal application. The biggest risk with a transdermal medication is that it could be insufficiently absorbed, resulting in inadequate drug levels and treatment. The inside of the outer ear flap (not inside the ear canal) is an excellent area to apply transdermal medications. After you have administered the medication, try to distract your pet from scratching or rubbing the ear for a few minutes by feeding your pet, taking your pet for a walk, or playing together immediately afterward. If your pet is prescribed a transdermal medication patch, your veterinarian will often shave an area to affix the patch.