Most dog owners regard their dog as one of the family. We want to do everything possible to keep our dogs healthy and happy. Learning about dog health is important for all dog owners - a healthy dog is a better canine companion and provides more enjoyment. Here are a few tips about dog health that can help keep your dog in top shape.

Proper Nutrition

Good health starts with dog nutrition. Giving your dog high quality food that has the proper nutrients is the best way to maintain the health of your dog. Poor quality food, on the other hand, can actually contribute to the deterioration of your pet's health. Cheap dog food is loaded with grains which have been overcooked so that your dog can digest them. This kind of food is not very nutritious so it has to be supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

Dogs are carnivores, so they need lots of meat. You can also give them vegetables and a certain amount of grain based dog food, but the bulk of their diet should be meat - high-quality meat. Pet food manufacturers are allowed to use meat from sick or disabled animals - all the meat that is "unfit for human consumption." This type of meat is used in the cheapest dog food, so it's worth it to buy the best food you can afford.

Getting Enough Exercise

The next step in maintaining dog health is exercise. Just like humans, dogs need plenty of exercise to stay in top shape. One of the great benefits of dog ownership is you can take your exercise together - going for a walk twice a day with Rover is a great way to keep in shape and get some fresh air.

One of the best things you can do for dog health is to keep him from becoming overweight. Many owners give their dogs too much food and not enough exercise. Overweight dogs are susceptible to all sorts of health problems and live shorter lives than slim dogs.

Preventing obesity in your dog is simple - don't give him too much food and give him plenty of exercise. Your veterinarian bills will go down and your pooch will be happier.

Prevention of Common Diseases

Even with the best of care, your dog may still get sick. Here are four of the most common canine diseases and what you can do to treat them.

Distemper is a deadly viral disease. Dogs can catch it from other dogs through contact with saliva, urine and feces. Symptoms include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, diarrhea and lack of appetite. If you notice any of theses symptoms, especially in puppies, take your dog to the vet immediately. The longer you wait for treatment the less likely it is that your dog will survive. There is a vaccine for distemper that will protect your dog and is given once year.

Rabies is a serious disease that affects the central nervous system. It is usually transmitted through bites from infected animals with symptoms appearing anywhere from 30 to 60 days after exposure. Rabid dogs can be hostile and are dangerous to handle. Dogs can be protected from rabies with an annual vaccination.

Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria and affects the kidneys and liver. The symptoms are vomiting, loss of appetite, runny nose, stiffness and a change in bowel and urinary habits. Dogs with leptospirosis can infect humans. There is a vaccine against this disease, and if your dog shows these symptoms take him to the vet immediately.

Canine hepatitis is another common disease that affects dog health. It is a viral disease that is spread through contact with saliva or urine of an infected dog. Hepatitis has similar symptoms to distemper with the addition of a high temperature and bloody stools. Take your dog to the vet if he shows as of these symptoms.

Canine hepatitis as well as all the diseases mentioned here can be prevented by annual vaccinations. It is important for dog health to visit your vet on a regular basis and keep up with vaccines.

Internal Parasites

Many dogs get infected with internal parasites at some point in their life. Internal parasites are commonly known as worms and come in many types. Roundworms can live in your dog's liver, heart, and lungs. They eventually find their way to the intestine where they eat the dog's food. Your dog will be show persistent hunger, have diarrhea and be bloated with gas.

Hookworm is another common parasite. These are very small but are usually found in great numbers. They can consume your dog's blood and cause anemia. Symptoms of hookworm infection are diarrhea, gas, and weight loss.

Worm infection is treatable and can be cleared up relatively easily. As with all matters of dog health, if your dog looks sick or uncomfortable, take him to the vet as soon as possible.

By addressing these areas of dog health you can pretty much ensure you will have a healthy dog for many years to come.

Jane K is a lifelong dog enthusiast with a family of four beloved dogs of her own which provide the inspiration for this site. To learn more about how to care for your own beloved dog ? visit her at http://www.simply-dog-care-and-more.com Or sign up for K9 Care News at http://www.simply-dog-care-and-more.com/news-letter.html to receive more tips and info on caring for your dog delivered right to your inbox.

Americans love their pets, no question about it. We've got gerbils, we've got snakes, we've got ferrets, rabbits, fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, and of course, dogs and cats. Although we care deeply for our furry friends, they often cause us some grief in the way of allergies. Can pets be a part of an allergy sufferer's world? In this article, we will tell you the truth about pets and allergies and we'll give you helpful advice just in case you're making the tough decision to give away your pet in order to save your health. Let's get started with some basic information about pet allergies.

About 40% of American households are home to "Fido," and a large percentage of those pet owners test positive for dog allergy; almost 30%. With regard to cats, almost 10 million people in the U.S. have allergic reactions to cats. Allergies to pets can occur at any age, thus they affect children and adults alike. Pet allergen is physically very tiny and light. Originating in your pet's saliva and skin, this allergen floats about within your home and attaches itself to everything, especially carpeting and furniture.

Pet allergy can cause nasal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, as well as symptoms in the eyes and skin. When the symptoms of pet allergy are respiratory, they can occur relatively quickly; with forty minutes after being exposed to a given animal and they can involve wheezing, coughing, sneezing, and hoarseness of the throat. Frequent bouts of bronchitis are often common.

Allergy medications as well as allergy shots (immunotherapy) may help control pet allergy symptoms. If an owner does not want to find a new home for their pet, here are a few ways to decrease exposure to pet allergen:

For dogs, bathe the animal as frequently as you can
Wipe your pet with a damp cloth or wet towel every day
Do not let your pet the bedroom sleep in the bedroom
Close the bedroom door and shut the air vents to your bedroom
Keep your pet outside as much as possible
Vacuum frequently and invest in a HEPA quality machine
Purchase a HEPA air cleaner for use in the bedroom and additional areas of your home
Improve your home's ventilation. Remember, pet allergen floats about in the air, so try to have a source of fresh air whenever possible
Make sure your pet is not infected with fleas as this would cause scratching and a consequent spreading of allergen

Regarding canines, while all dogs have the capability of carrying allergens, there are 10 breeds that are known to cause the fewest allergic reactions. They are as follows: Poodles, schnauzers, Portuguese water dog, soft-coated wheaten terrier, Lhasa apso, Yorkshire terrier, shih tzu, Irish water spaniel, and the Kerry blue terrier.

With regard to felines, the allergen that causes symptoms in pet owners is called Fel D 1, and it is found in the cat's saliva. Since all cats have saliva, there is no such thing as an allergy free cat, but there are some breeds that are best tolerated by allergy sufferers, and they include: Balinese or the long-haired Siamese, the oriental short hair, the Javanese, the Devon Rex, the Cornish Rex, the hairless sphinx, and the Siberian.

About The Author: Bob Fioravante is an educator and author who is passionate about health and natural healing. You can learn more about allergies by visiting AllergyEscape.com, a complete online resource for the prevention and treatment of food and environmental allergies.

It can be said that a pet's health is directly related to the pet's weight. Every animal, from dogs, cats, rabbits or even your hamster should have their weight checked. Just like humans, when an animal is overweight, the chance of disease and illness striking is highly increased. Overweight pets are much more likely to contract diseases and illnesses and remain sick longer. They are more likely to have the symptoms of old age in their youth. Worst of all, they are much more likely to have a shorter life span. We don't want your pet to die when he could've served as your trusty companion years longer!

Step One:

One of the first things that you should do for your pet is to actually have them examined for their physical fitness. Now, I know this sounds pretty obvious, but when was the last time you actually did it...

Even if you know that your pet is overweight and needs to lose the weight, an exam should be one of the first things that you do for them. Meet with a veterinarian that you trust and know is committed to helping your pet. It may sound a little strange, but interview them! Get to know them so that you can trust them with your pet's care.

Although this is not a specific tool to help your pet to lose weight, it is a crucial first step. Most people do not realize that a just few pounds overweight can be detrimental to a pet's health. A doctor can help to point out specifically what needs to be done for your pet. Your doctor should also be able to monitor your pet's progression from their current level, to a healthier stage. They should be your ally in fighting your pet's overweight problem!

The good news is that pets are going to be healthy if you help them to be! It all comes down to you! A pet cannot feed himself while in captivity. While many pets do not need to have constant attention, they do need you to monitor their health and what they eat and how they exercise. Easy!

Want more tips on how to give your loved companion the gift of health, happiness and a long life? Check out My Pet Is Fat.com

If you think your pets don't need to be subjected to regular exercise in order to have normal lives, you might want to think again. Exercise plays a huge part in keeping your pets strong, happy and able to reach their maximum life expectancy. As with humans, pets that lead active lifestyles usually turn out to have a better quality of life. If you encourage your pet to become lazy and cooped up in a cage, you're essentially making your pet much more susceptible to disease and even worse, cutting your pet's life expectancy in half. Here are a few simple tips on how you can help your pet become more active.

Dogs

Since dogs love the outdoors, one of the things you can do to help them get more exercise is by establishing a regular walk routine. Make it a habit to take your dog out for at least 30 minutes every day. Not only will it allow them to get the exercise they need, but it will also help them become acquainted with their surroundings. It's a great way for you to help them to socialize with humans and other dogs. You can also give you dog the added advantage by enrolling your pet at a training camp. This way, they'll be able to learn new tricks and at the same time develop discipline.

Cats

Cats on the other hand require a different approach. As they are not easily motivated as dogs are, you'll need to invest in toys in order to get a cat moving. A simple ball can make a wonderful exercise tool for a cat. A ball of string can also give a cat hours of fun. If you have some extra space in your home, why not try making an obstacle course for your pet? Cats just love climbing on top of ledges and going through tunnels and this is a perfect way that they'll be able to become more limber. There are tiered cat trees that you can buy online or from your pet store that will surely encourage your pet cat to become more active around the house so make sure to invest in one.

Gerbils and Rodents

If you're more concerned about meeting your smaller pets' exercise requirements, then an exercise wheel is just what your pet hamster or guinea pig needs. As letting your smaller pets run loose around the house can result to disastrous consequences, it's important that you give them toys that they'll be able to play with while they're inside their cages. Gerbils and rodents are quite active so make sure that you equip them with things that will not just entertain them, but keep them moving as well.

Remember that your pet needs to have that opportunity to exercise just as humans do, so if you want your furry creatures to have an active lifestyle, it might make the transition easier if you also develop one yourself. There are many things that can keep you and your pet healthy so don't hesitate to look up other tips on how you and your pet can get exercise at the same time.

Vanessa has written informative articles online for many years. Her passions in life are centered around animals and healthy living. You can check out her latest website here http://evenfloboosterseat.org where she recommends her choice for a great car seat. If you're looking for the right booster car seat for your child, you'll want to check out this website for her review.

Many dogs suffer from dental problems and if yours is amongst them, pet insurance may cover the cost of treatment. The condition of your dog’s gums plays a major role in their oral health. Hard food, rubber toys and a toothbrush can all help to improve the condition of your dog’s gums.

There are so many pet insurance policies to choose from,  but when making a comparison between your different pet insurance options, bear in mind that some of the more inexpensive policies may not always offer the best cover.

Although many policies may offer some cover for the treatment of dental problems, more comprehensive policies tend to offer more extensive cover.

Dogs, like humans, have two sets of teeth. As they move into adulthood, their first set of teeth are replaced by 42 permanent teeth.¹ Although dogs don’t generally need fillings, they do have other dental problems. In fact, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80 percent of dogs show signs of gum disease by age three.²

Symptoms

Symptoms of gum disease include the build up of tartar along the dog’s gum line. If you take a good look at your dog’s teeth you may be able to spot the yellow and brown deposits. The gums themselves may also be red and inflamed. The real telltale sign of gum disease is bad breath, so if your dog’s breath makes your stomach turn, it might be time to start thinking about your dog’s oral health.³

Causes

The food dogs eat can leave debris in the gum pockets at the base of the teeth. This can lead to infections, which soften the gums and cause them to recede. Initially, this causes bad breath but if you don’t treat it, it can lead to tooth loss.⁴

 Treatment

Kibbled foods and hard biscuits help to scrub the teeth. If you try to keep soft food to a minimum and give your dog hard rubber or nylon chew toys to play with, their dental health may improve.

You can also brush your dog’s teeth twice a week – but don’t be tempted to use any products that are designed for humans. These can make your dog extremely sick. Instead, brush their teeth with baking soda or look out for toothpaste that is specially formulated for dogs.⁵

Source: [1] - www.a-z-animals.com/animals/dog/
Source: [2] - www.vetinfo.com/dog-dental.html
Source: [3] - www.medicinenet.com/pets/dog-health/gum_diseases_in_dogs.htm
Source: [4] - www.pethealthandcare.com/dog-health/dog-gum-disease.html
Source: [5] - mybreathcure.com/using-human-toothbrush-toothpaste-for-dogs/

Company Profile:
John Lewis Insurance offers a range of insurance services selected by the John Lewis Partnership. These include car, home, life, travel, wedding, event and pet insurance products.

For more information about John Lewis Pet Insurance please visit the website here - http://www.johnlewis-insurance.com.

I have been a cat or dog owner since a very young age, so I've seen my fair share of fleas. A few months ago we introduced a months old Chihuahua pup to our home, which already had two dogs in it. Latte, the new pup, obviously brought the blood sucking baggage along because our two dogs now have them. So how does one rid fleas?

You may be tempted to rush out to your veterinarian for some prescribed repellant. Or, if you're one of the many misinformed, you scrambled to your local Walmart for an over-the-counter fix. How many of you know that you can't really rely on a retail store to help you rid fleas? I could remember years ago, like 12 or so, when those green shampoos actually did work! I used them so often that I even got used to, and began to like the smell of the Pyrethrin. This is the main ingredient found in most insect repellant. Derived from the Pyrethrum plant, this chemical is considered to be eco-friendly and non-toxic(to an extent). Like all things, an over dosage can be just that...and over dose, and lead to illness or even death.

Its considered to be so effective, that when I was in the Army our camouflage uniforms had to be treated with them prior to getting deployed to nations ridden by Malaria. Sounds a little scary if you ask me, particularly to those pet owners that pamper their little ones. Well if those retail remedies just aren't enough for your needs to rid fleas, one option you should try is garlic. Like in the vampire movies of the 1950's and 60's, garlic can be used to thwart off attacks from these microscopic blood suckers. Garlic, along with another popular member of the Alliaceae family, onion, can also be used to rid fleas from your pet. Considered pungent by most, these two vegetables are extremely beneficial not only for culinary purposes, but for medicinal uses.

Both contain a powerful chemical called Allicin, which is actually anti-fungal, anti-cancer, and has antibiotic characteristics. The Allicin attacks the parasite's nervous system, rendering it paralyzed. What we like to do is keep a bottle of minced garlic in our refrigerator. And everytime we treat our dogs to what we call a cocktail(a mixture of dry and canned food), we make sure to sprinkle some on top. Our Boxer has no problem with eating raw garlic. For our picky adult Chihuahua, however, we mix it all in with the cocktail. This way if he wants the meat chunks he has no choice but to ingest the garlic. This method takes a little time for the Allicin to accumulate in their bloodstreams. Mister flea, I wish you would!

For a more direct and hasty method, get yourself an actual clove and cut it. After a good squeeze, rub the cut clove all over your pet. Don't be shy. Rub its belly, rub in its armpits, and when you're done simply toss it in the pet's sleeping area. Speaking of sleeping area, we recommend investing in some moth balls from your local dollar store. Camphor, the main ingredient in those balls, is also a good way to rid fleas. They cannot stand the odor! Of course, you have to be careful to not allow your dog to consume the moth balls. Find a jar, not quite a Mason, but a Gerber food jar and poke some holes in the lid. Eventually the moth balls will evaporate, but its a two for one as it deodorizes the pet's area.

Lastly, try using bedding that's sold for Guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, etc. Note: the bedding has to be pre-treated with Cedar. If you keep your dogs in a crate, give them a layer of it. After a few days of sleeping on the Cedar bedding the fleas will get fed up and flee! Get it? Ok, ok, there's nothing funny about microscopic parasites in your home, but it could be worse. You could have ticks, bed bugs, leeches, or Vampires themselves hiding out in your attic. We hope that we were of assistance to you and your pet. Keep in mind, that these remedies are all conditional. Of course you can't try these methods and expect them to work when you live next door to an irresponsible dog owner. In order to rid fleas you have to limit the possibilities of them returning.

Kevin Timothy is a father, husband, dog owner, and entrepreneur. As a knowledge nut, he likes to read inspirational books and maintain his blog to share his insight with the world. He encourages comments and intellectual debates so feel free to drop by.

As pet owners, we are all concerned about the risks associated with anesthesia and surgery. Anesthesia and surgery is a more exact science than you might expect. The safety of general anesthesia is dependent upon the anesthetic agent, the equipment used, the methods of patient monitoring, patient status, and the expertise of the people involved. In fact, the safety of general anesthesia is dramatically improved by giving adequate attention to each of these areas.

To the doctors and staff of Research Pet and Bird Hospital, nothing is more important than taking steps to maximize the safety of a procedure. In fact, our core values demand that we use only the safest anesthetic agents, precise delivery systems, intense patient monitoring, and all measures available to improve the patient's status to make the procedure a success. For us, it is a mission. Our focus and intensity does not wane until the patient is fully recovered and ready to go home. Anything else is a complete failure in our minds and hearts.

If you are planning to have your dog spayed, cat neutered, your bird's broken leg fixed, the mass in your ferret biopsied, or the teeth in your rabbit floated, these procedures are performed under general anesthesia. Your pet's safety is our greatest concern.

Our goal is to minimize the risks associated with anesthesia. In order to make anesthesia as safe as possible, we use some of the safest anesthetic agents available. The use of precision vaporizers allows a constant and exact amount of anesthetic to enter the patient and allow rapid adjustments of anesthetic depth and rapid elimination of the anesthetic agent permitting quick recoveries. Our anesthetic machines also deliver 100% oxygen to provide adequate oxygen delivery to the tissues.

Our surgical nurses are the best in the business. They are hand picked to take on this profound responsibility. They understand this tremendous responsibility and they take it very seriously. We charge them with caring for the most important animals on the planet, your pet. To them, guiding your pet through the procedure to a successful conclusion is their single most important task. We train them to be the best. They are so good, our doctors ask for their assistance on their own pets. Our surgical nurses are intensely trained and care so much that often it may seem they are making too many recommendations. The reason is simple, your pet's safety is their responsibility and they want every advantage.

If you have ever seen us working on your pet under anesthesia, you would notice all the devices connected to your pet. We use state of the art monitoring equipment to provide up to the second information about patient status. Continuous cardiac and respiratory monitoring is performed and adjustments in anesthetic depth are based on objective measurements such as pulse rate, respiratory rate, % saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen (pulse oximetry), blood pressure, and electrocardiographic tracings. These measurements are balanced along with our assessments of patient status.

We take into account variables such as patient age, size, weight, and health as well as the nature and expected duration of the procedure and make adjustments according to changing observations or expectations during the anesthetic period. Without a doubt, one of the most important keys to the safe conclusion of an anesthetic event is understanding patient status. What we learn during your pet's history and physical help us identify the three greatest risk factors: the presence of pre-existing illness, organ dysfunction, or sensitivity on the part of an individual to a particular anesthetic agent. In addition, we strongly recommend pre-surgical blood screens or profiles for all patients for all anesthetic procedures. In some cases, we are already aware of a pre-existing condition that should be monitored by these tests. In other cases, these tests may reveal a hidden illness or problem that could increase the patient's anesthetic risk. Complications to anesthesia are rare, but some are serious and may result in patient death. Under no circumstances do we want to jeopardize your pet's health if we feel the risk is too high.

Pre-surgical testing decreases the overall risk of anesthesia and helps prevent unexpected complications to anesthesia and surgery. This helps to decrease the risk of anesthesia by identifying problems before the procedure, instead of finding out about them afterwards. Typical tests are a complete blood count (CBC) to identify hidden infection, anemia, potential bleeding problem, or immune suppression. It also includes chemistry tests to avoid stumbling into situations where inadequate organ function impairs anesthetic elimination or increases the likelihood of complications. An EKG is a simple way to screen patients for heart disease and potentially life threatening heart rhythm abnormalities. The testing is designed to complement the doctor's assessment of patient status and risk of the anesthetic procedure. It is used to uncover undetected illness or to monitor known problems. It provides valuable information that may prevent us from unnecessarily endangering our patient. The likelihood that the findings will impact our decision to perform a procedure in healthy adults is small, but this does happen and there is no question those patients will be better off in the long run with that information. In some cases, a decision is made to postpone the procedure and try to resolve the problem first. In other words the pre-surgical testing decreases the overall risk of anesthesia and helps prevent unexpected complications to anesthesia and surgery. This type of testing is needed and is extremely important for any patient that will be anesthetized.

Intravenous catheters are always recommended to provide immediate access should emergency measures or other medications become suddenly necessary during the procedure. The administration of intravenous fluids during anesthesia is known to improve patient recovery and is a wonderful way to improve patient status.

If we made the recommendation for your pet to have something done with general anesthesia, you can be sure the benefits outweigh the risks and that we will do everything possible to bring about an uneventful recovery.

Some of the agents we use for anesthesia are Sevoflurane and Isoflurane (anesthetic gases) and Propofol (an intravenous induction agent to take the patient from awake to anesthesia).

Some of the other medications we use before and during surgery are sedatives, tranquilizers, and pain medications may be given alone or in combination. We use tranquilizers such as valium or acepromazine; pain medications such as buprenorphine, morphine, butorphanol; and non steroid anti inflammatory drugs such as Rimadyl or Metacam. Patients are maintained on anesthesia by driving the anesthetic agent with oxygen through an airway tube known as an endotracheal tube.

Species of animals we perform anesthesia and surgery on include dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, and chinchillas, lizards, snakes, and turtles.

Common procedures include spay, neuter, endoscopy, lump removal, tumor biopsy, intestinal biopsy, liver biopsy, pancreatic biopsy, intestinal obstruction, foreign body removal, mass removal, tumor removal, fracture repair, bone plating, knee surgery, ACL repair, tracheoscopy, esophagoscopy, rhinoscopy, nasal biopsy, lymph nod biopsy, radiography, contrast studies, dewclaw removal, abscess surgery, urethral obstruction, bladder stone removal, fustula removal, resection and anastamosis, intussusception, perineal adenoma, perineal urethrostomy, perineal hernia, abdominal hernia, diaphragmatiac hernia, inguinal hernia, dentistry, dental cleaning, dental prophy, tooth extraction, oral surgery, periodontal therapy, root planing, gingivoplasy, external fixation, vaginoscopy, urethroscopy, cystoscopy, cysotomy, gastropexy, gastrotomy, feeding tube placement, jejunostomy, mast cell tumor removal, bile duct surgery, gall bladder surgery, corneal and eyelid surgery, enucleation, bulla osteotomy, lateral ear resection, total ear canal ablation, pelvic surgery, correctional osteotomy, and surgical sexing of birds.

Dr Paul Skellenger is the Veterinarian for Veterinarian Care us and has over 20 years in Veterinarian medicine and experience with Anesthesia, Surgery and small animals. For additional information you can contact one of our Veterinarians in your area.

At our Practice we see a large number of small mammals with symptoms of dental disease both as first opinion cases and as referrals from other practices. This article deals specifically with dental disease in Chinchillas (Chinchilla Langier). Degus (Octodon degus) and Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus).

The most common presentations include weight loss, anorexia, cachexia (chronic wasting), excess salivation (slobbers), small faeces or absence of faeces. An ocular (eye) discharge or a discharge from the nose may also be evident. The incisions (front teeth) are commonly overgrown and there may be a history of repeated burring or clipping of these teeth as an attempted treatment for the anorexia. On careful palpation the jaw of these presenting animals may be irregular and painful. Sometimes the animal will grind its teeth, a sign of pain in these species. There is often a poor dietary history which will be addressed later.

One of the most important points to stress is that a detailed oral examination of a conscious small mammal is nigh on impossible. This is especially true of the species dealt with in this article. Guinea pigs often have food in their mouths at the time of examination (in fact if they don't it is a worrying sign), chins and degus resent oral examination vigorously. Anaesthesia is often required to thoroughly examine the oral cavity and this allows the clinician to perform skull radiography, arguably the most informative diagnostic tool in small mammal dentistry. This is because most dental disease processes in exotic small mammals are concerned with the tooth "roots" which are encased in bone and therefore not visible on a dental examination. In fact, many animals with severe dental disease have mouths that look essentially normal on casual examination of the anaesthetised patient.

Dental Anatomy

Guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus have the dental formula of 2 x I 1/1 C 0/0

P 1/1 M 3/3 (where I = incisors, C = canines, P = premolars and M = molars). The premolars and molars act as a functional unit to grind food and the incisors are used for prehension and cutting of fibrous foodstuffs. All teeth grow continuously. There is no true anatomical root. The lower (mandibular) cheek teeth are arched toward the tongue and overgrowth can lead to tongue entrapment. The upper (maxillary) cheek teeth are angled outward (laterally). Angulation of the teeth provides an effective surface for grinding thin fibrous food material and when eating this high silicate foodstuff, rapid tooth wear occurs and new growing tooth replaces the wear caused by grinding. In the wild these animals spend a long time eating low quality grasses which are high in silicates (the precursors of glass). This continual grinding prevents overgrowth of the teeth.

Diet and dental disease

Captive bred specimens are larger than their wild counterparts and it is established that a proportion of cases of dental disease can be attributed to genetic causes. However, by far the most cases of dental disease in Guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus results wholly or in large part from inappropriate diets. Specifically a lack of dietary fibre is implicated. Most modern "complete" diets are complete in that they contain adequate protein, carbohydrates, fats and trace elements. However, their sole use leads not only to problems with obesity but also does not allow these animals to spend the large amount of time chewing and wearing their molar teeth that they require to grind down their continually growing back teeth. This can lead to spur formation and entrapment of the tongue by the diagonally growing lower molars. This can be picked up and treated by a detailed examination of the mouth. All the time however, a more sinister development is occurring which is all together more difficult to treat.

If less time is spent chewing, the exposed parts of the teeth elongate. This puts pressure on the teeth which slows eruption, but tooth growth continues at a slow rate. Essentially what happens next is that the cheek teeth grow backwards, invading the structures of the skull. The teeth can grow into the nasal sinuses causing respiratory infections or towards the eyes causing weepiness. The lower teeth invade the jawbone causing bony changes and sometimes abscess formation (common in rabbits). The net result of this growth is that the mouth is progressively forced open. The front teeth elongate as they do not meet any more and becomes progressively more difficult for these animals to eat (try swallowing with your mouth open!). This leads to the condition known as slobbers where saliva spills onto the skin often causing a fetid smell. Clients often notice this and the fact that the incisors are growing and present these animals for incisor trimming. In fact the incisors are growing because they are not meeting as a result of the mouth being forced open by the overgrown back teeth. Skull radiography is the only way to accurately quantify if this has occurred and to what extent. All too often, animals are referred to this practice with histories of repeated anaesthetics with no radiography performed.

Treatment

To sum up, difficult at best. Most presented cases have advanced disease. Aggressive burring of the cheek teeth may be attempted. If abscesses have formed, these need specific treatment. Eye infections require antibiotics. Otherwise force-feeding and anti-inflammatory drugs are required. Quality of life needs to be assessed on a regular basis and weight monitoring with faecal output are useful indicators of appetite. The liquid anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam (Metacam: Boehringer Ingleheim) is well tolerated in these species. It has the advantage of being very palatable (it tastes like honey) so is well accepted also. Often patients require life long treatment. Secondary problems associated with anorexia (e.g. intestinal stasis where the guts shut down and stops moving) also need to be addressed. Often euthanasia is required in patients that fail to respond.

Prevention

As always, better than cure. The diet of these animals needs to resemble their diet in the wild. They are not like dogs and cats that get a bowl of food twice daily and that's it. Their anatomy and physiology is specifically set up to deal with ingestion of large quantities of lower quality foodstuffs in order to meet their nutritional requirements. This means lots of good quality hay. Timothy hay is usually the beat. The fibre requires lots of chewing and keeps the intestines moving which is essential for health. 1 to 2 tablespoonfuls maximum of concentrate mix is the recommended daily allowance; the rest should be good quality hay with occasional treats. Offer the hay in a hayrack to prevent contamination with faeces. This also provides environmental enrichment, as the animals have to work a little harder for their food. Twice yearly veterinary checkups allow careful palpation of the cheek teeth. Also monitor weight and faecal output on a regular basis so that any symptoms can be managed early in the course of disease.

References

BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets 4th edition

Hillyer, Quesenberry: Diseases of Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents 2nd edition

O Malley: Clinical Anatomy and Physiology of Exotic Species

Carpenter: Exotic Animal Formulary 3rd edition

Mark Rowland BVSc cert Zoomed MRCVS is in practice at: Sandhole Veterinary Centre, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5LG. He is an Exotics specialist with a soft spot for chinchillas.

When it comes to writing how-to articles, this is not normally my area that I commonly working on, but I do know and would like to share with you my expertise on one particular how to area. That is how to love your pet more.

Reading this article takes a lot of courage on your part, because most people do not even understand that they need to learn how to love your pet more in their life. This is actually an area that people need to tap into. So how do you think you can begin?

Every single person is going to approach this in a different manner to have this accomplished in their own life.

Understanding that we are all individuals, means that we all have our own unique energetic vibrational frequencies. Because of this, what may work for one person sometimes will work for another but not always.

Learning to love your pet more is something that you have to book with in first and find what you are drawn to, or attracted to, that will resonate within your own energy fields.

Do not get confused or overwhelmed by this concept because this is one of the things that trips most people up when starting on a complementary and alternative therapy approach to learning how to love your pet. Don't let the stumbling block in your way.

Do you want to get started? I'm here to show you how in this article.

I would like to share with you one of my favorite ways to working on learning to love your pet more with some complementary and alternative therapy techniques.

I would like to share with you for some of the other types of therapies you can connect into. Working with Reiki healing, energy healing techniques, crystal healing, purging and releasing techniques, sound healing, affirmations, goal setting, soul connections from within, enter so work, and many others are ones that you can get started with today and some simple ways.

No my favorite type of work is dealing with crystal healing. For crystal healing this issue, you will want to make sure to have a rose quartz readily available for you. It is important to make sure that this is thoroughly cleansed and programmed before any type of self-healing session.

I know it sounds simple, but this technique really does have a lot of impact on a day-to-day life.

Each and every person that reads this article can work with this technique right now on learning to love your pet, so what are you waiting for, get started right now.

Nicole Lanning, expert healer in holistic healing, spiritual healing and holistic therapy, is the founder of Holistic Healing Minute and Healing Art Forms. Contact her today about healing sessions & many other customized services.

Pet owners are thinking about natural pet products almost as much as they're thinking about more whole foods for themselves. This can mean growing a kitchen garden of aloe vera, catnip, rosemary and parsley for both themselves and their companion animals; making doggie treats at home; buying herbal treatments online; or going to holistic vets and stores.

Among the health benefits of using these treatments are avoiding fillers and artificial ingredients, and ensuring a more nutritious meal. The next time you reach for the rosemary while preparing dinner, think about using it as an effective herbal treatment for what might ail your furry family members as well. That's right - rosemary is not just for remembrance these days. It can also be used for your pet's bad breath.

Let's take a trip through the garden of organic remedies for pets:

* Ginger root calms upset tummies and can ease car sickness for dogs and puppies

* Garlic helps combat worms and parasites

* We know about cats and catnip!

* Aloe vera is a fine natural remedy for cuts and abrasions

* Eucalyptus, fennel, rosemary, rue, wormwood and yellow dock are good ingredients for a do-it-yourself flea powder

Of course, it is essential to do your homework before searching the backyard for a homegrown treatment. What is safe for humans may not be safe for animals. Be sure to consult your veterinarian and follow dosing instructions. Smaller doses several times during the day, as opposed to one large daily dose, have been found to be most effective with many herbal remedies. Also, give your pets' immune system a chance to kick in by using a two-weeks-on/one-week-off schedule.

Stay alert for any allergic reactions or side effects, just as you would for your child; and again, keep in touch with your vet. He or she should also be advising you whether any other medications your dog or cat may be taking will cause a bad interaction.

It is also interesting to note that your pets' digestive systems are much shorter than ours, so they have a harder time digesting fresh herbs. That's why they are better administered in the form of tinctures, powders and essential oils.

Whether taking a more organic path for your pet's health means making your own dog food, shopping for natural products or finding a holistic vet, a little bit of caution can ensure the health and safety of your beloved pet.

Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.

Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you are seeking herbal, organic and natural pet products to treat your pet, he highly recommends Peaceable Kingdom Essentials. They use only the highest quality organic herbs for their tinctures and teas, all handcrafted with care and years of experience.