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Liz Phipps, Vet Tech, Fitchburg Animal Hospital
Small Animal Veterinary Needs
March 3, 2006

PHFaust: Howdy Welcome to ask the Vet Tech and Vet. Tonight we have Dr. Hook and Liz who work at Fitchburg Animal Hospital

PHFaust: Jeff go ahead

APBTx3_nr: what type of bedding do you use for a guinea pig?

Dr_Hook_nr: I would recommend Care Fresh or some type of paper bedding Yesterdays news is okay too.

jeffb: What causes pyramiding in sulcata tortoises

pitdorks: Diet among other things

pitdorks: lack of proper UV lighting as well

pitdorks: GA

PHFaust: Nevaeh

Nevaeh: I have a 5 month old male cat that is showing a great deal of interest in females and trying to breed them, is it possible that he can impregnate them? This male is eventually going to be used as a breeder, but I was told that it usually takes them until they are 8 months MIN.

Dr_Hook_nr: well it is possible, they usually reach sexual maturity at 6 months, but they can at 5 months, I would be carefull about exposure to females with this male ga

Gailyn: Hi, just wondering how often a juvenile female bp (less than 1 yr.) should eat and shed... I want them to grow well, but not get obese! Should females be kept together or separate?

Nevaeh: Thanks!

Dr_Hook_nr: sure

Dr_Hook_nr: It depends on their diet and their growth rate, reptiles grow depending on how good the environmental conditions are and how good the diet is..

Gailyn: Is two mice a week for a 26" ball python good?

Dr_Hook_nr: If your BP is doing well and growing fast then it will shed more often

Gailyn: Every 3 weeks she is shedding, is that ok?

Dr_Hook_nr: signs to watch for obesity is look at tail width vs the rest of the body if the tail tapers quite dramatically from the body then the snake is likely overweight

Dr_Hook_nr: it should be

Dr_Hook_nr: how does the skin condition look?

Dr_Hook_nr: are her scales shiney, not streched?

Gailyn: She is smooth and shiny for about 1 1/2 weeks, then goes blue for about a week... Even wants to eat while blue

Gailyn: Not stretched at all!

Dr_Hook_nr: she will go blue for a week before she sheds. It her shed complete and quick?

Gailyn: Yep...

Dr_Hook_nr: then everything sounds good

Gailyn: Usually followed by a large dump..

Gailyn: Ok, thanks!

Dr_Hook_nr: lol that is typical too

soderstrum: Hello Dr. i have a baby leopard gecko and he has not eaten for one week Also his eyes are always half open and his tail is very thin any suggestion to help

Dr_Hook_nr: ga sorry

Dr_Hook_nr: I would recommend taking it in to be seen by a veterinarian in addition if possible take in a fresh stool sample so the vet can check it for parasites..

soderstrum: ok thanx

Dr_Hook_nr: There can be a lot of things that cause a gecko not to eat

Dr_Hook_nr: husbandry, infection, etc. that fat leaving the tail is a sign that the gecko is using all of its fat resources and is in in critical shape

Dr_Hook_nr: Getting it to eat or syringe feeding it, diagnosing the problem and proper cage care are critical to its survival

PHFaust: Gailyn

PHFaust: Gailyn going twice

Gailyn: You already called on me Faust! But, how can you tell if a cat is sick?

PHFaust: ahhh finally loosing my mind...

PHFaust: sick with what?

Gailyn: She is getting thinner as she is getting older 9 yrs thus far, but still grooming herself and very active...

pitdorks: Have you taken the cat into the vet and done a blood workup?

Gailyn: Tested for parasites, was negative... Should I blood test for hyper thyroid?

pitdorks: checking blood - not just the thyroid - is a good idea

Dr_Hook_nr: If you think that your kitty is getting really thin an exam would be a good idea as well as if your vet is concerned checking some blood work to look for diseases like hyperthyroidism, renal disease, cancer are a problem

Dr_Hook_nr: sorry

Gailyn: Haven't done blood work-up... Thought maybe she had IBD... but still isn't gaining weight after a week of prednisolone...

pitdorks: I would definitely do more workup then

Dr_Hook_nr: x-rays and urinalysis may also be in order if your vet thinks it is good to check

Gailyn: Thanks, I'll take her back again... Soon to be my new car kitty...

Dr_Hook_nr: IBD is a possibility if she is vomiting and or diarrhea, may need blood work and endoscopy to diagnose

Gailyn: Had diarrhea, but now mostly vomitting... will go spend my bonus at the vets (again!)

Dr_Hook_nr: the blood is a good idea although may be slightly affected by previous pred use.

Dr_Hook_nr: ga

lil_animal_gurl: okay, I already know that cedar bedding is bad for animals... but what about pine or aspen? and what kinds of checkeups should I be doing on a male young hedgehog?

Dr_Hook_nr: ideally semi or anual checkups

lil_animal_gurl: also, how difficult is a spay surgery on a female hedgehog?

Dr_Hook_nr: bedding - I would use carefresh or yesterdays news or some type of newspaper equivelent

Dr_Hook_nr: I really do not think wood shavings are good

geckogod2: ?

Dr_Hook_nr: Spaying can be done, there is some anesthetic risk, but no more than a rabbit

Tsuky_nr: ok i have a 8 month female veiled chameleon and 4 the past few days shes not wanting to eat what can i do to make her eat again?

Tsuky_nr: and shes also starting to have sunken eyes, and I've been giving her water from a dropper with supplement cause the sunken eyes are from dehydration

Dr_Hook_nr: you can try to vary the insects you offer her, you can syringe feed her a mash or supplement short term on baby food and vitamins or Euk Max Calorie and Vit

Dr_Hook_nr: I would recommend taking her in to be examined by a vet though

Dr_Hook_nr: it sounds like she is pretty sick

Dr_Hook_nr: It would be good to get a diagnosis of what is ailing her and treat that as well as getting her to eat

Dr_Hook_nr: be careful on syringe feeding not to have her aspirate on her food

Dr_Hook_nr: ie place the syringe caudal to the larynx

PHFaust: Gecko your question

Tsuky_nr: and what do u mean by aspirate on her foood?

geckogod2: do you work in conjunction with any pet shops and if so what are the most common stuff you see coming into your practice?

PHLdyPayne: Tsuky: inhale the food

Tsuky_nr: and also 'place the syringe caudal to the larynx?

Dr_Hook_nr: place the syringe behind the airway

Tsuky_nr: whats syringe?

PHFaust: Tsuky, you need a vet... Dr. Shawn and the Kammers both feel the same way

Tsuky_nr: oh ok

Dr_Hook_nr: i would recommend going to a vet before you try to do this and have him or her show you how to do this

Dr_Hook_nr: ga

PHFaust: Dr. Shawn, Liz Here is a missed question

Tsuky_nr: its just that im very worried, cause the male died the same way and I tried to force feed

PHFaust: geckogod2: do you work in conjunction with any pet shops and if so what are the most common stuff you see coming into your practice?

PHFaust: that is why you need a vet

Dr_Hook_nr: sorry about that.. I do not directly work for a pet store..

Dr_Hook_nr: as far as what I see in practice that depends on the animal we are talking about

geckogod2: say mainly reptiles

Dr_Hook_nr: each one and each breed have their own problems that are common

Dr_Hook_nr: mainly poor husbandry problems

Dr_Hook_nr: improper care, cage cleaning, diet, no uv light that sort of thing

geckogod2: thanks

Dr_Hook_nr: if you have a question about a specific reptile I could give you an example

Dr_Hook_nr: no problem

Dr_Hook_nr: ga

geckogod2: it was just a generalized question

Geckosgirl: i have kept toco toucans, and with out success tried to breed them, do you have any suggestions on breeding them for me?

Geckosgirl: i have tried privacy, specialized boxes including hollowed out tree, and no luck

Dr_Hook_nr: well proper nutrition, a clean environment, a stress free or as stress free as you can environment is a good start

Midask9: ?

Dr_Hook_nr: also blood sex them and have a male and female important too

Geckosgirl: thats not a problem, have tried everything my vet scott mcdonald could think of and nothing surgical sexed of age pair

PHFaust: have you tried barry white?

Dr_Hook_nr: if they seem in relative good health and the birds seem to like each other that is a good start

Geckosgirl: rainforest sounds no barry though

Dr_Hook_nr: it is hard and breeding these in captivity is hard to do

Dr_Hook_nr: make sure they have a proper nest box too

PHFaust: try barry

Geckosgirl: thank you

PHFaust: Midas you get the last question

Midask9: Sorry I came in so late...I am wondering if having a sugar glider neutered would have any effect on his relationship with his "harem"?? They all get along so well, but I don't want any breeding going on.... ty and ga

jeffb: (wouldn't you need special really tiny equipment for that?)

jeffb: (sorry)

Dr_Hook_nr: if they get along now they still should once he is neutered, now when he first comes home from the vet he may smell weird to them and so they may fight for a few days, but after that, things should go back to the way they were

Dr_Hook_nr: I think it is a good idea if you want to avoid new additions and keep them together

Midask9: awesome, thanks so much! You may be seeing a new client then hehe

PHFaust: How much more involved is a sugar glider neuter compared to say a rabbit (which I am familiar with having seen them)

Dr_Hook_nr: okay take care have a good weekend

Dr_Hook_nr: it is a little bit more of a hunt the testicles than say a rabbit

Dr_Hook_nr: or even a rat or a g. pig

PHFaust: worse than a dog cryptorchid?

Dr_Hook_nr: no

Gailyn: I hear pot bellied pigs are a nice challenge too....

PHFaust: Are there any more questions for Dr. Shawn or Liz before I let them go to bed?

Gailyn: One at a local pet store was sent to be nuetered, they got what they thought were all the testies... Turns out he had 5...

Dr_Hook_nr: they are not quite so buried as a dogs, they are in the scrottum near where the navel area is

Dr_Hook_nr: so last statement in regards to sugar glider

Dr_Hook_nr: usually mammals only have 2 testes

Dr_Hook_nr: actually most animals only have 2

PHFaust: Well alrighty then, since we are at the hour, and I *KNOW* Both Dr. Hook and Liz work in the morning... I would like to thank them on behalf of all of us here at Exotichobbyist.com as well as Jeff B. for coming this evening! Thank you very much!