Summer, 2003
The Emergency Vets are no longer able to take your questions at this time, but feel free to browse through some of their previous responses to your most pressing E-Vet questions.
Q: My 2 year old pet iguana has lately been acting very depressed lately. We live in Utah, so it is hard to get him out into natural sunlight during the winter — to make up for this, I bought a special light that provides the needed vitamins. He has all of his other necessary food supplements and light and heat, so his depression is puzzling. Any clues?
A: Many exotic species have very rigorous requirements (humidity, temperature, ultraviolet light, etc.) that are difficult to provide in captivity. Iguanas are notoriously difficult largely due to ultraviolet light requirements, calcium metabolism and subsequent metabolic bone disease.
Ultraviolet (UV) lights with the correct UV spectrum are available (UVB), but be careful. The bulbs themselves lose their potency after a few months even before they burn out. They need to be changed regularly.
Diet also is important, your veterinarian can direct you to a diet well-suited to these herbivorous lizards (collard greens, mustard greens, bok choy). Vitamins and supplements are available.
Also, it may be the breeding season and often males do not eat well at this time. Be careful however, and have your iguana seen. He or she may be ill, have an infection, be eggbound, have bladder stones or a variety of problems. Read all you can about iguanas and consult your veterinarian regularly.
- Kevin Fitzgerald, DVM
Q: I have a 5-month-old Guinea pig and when my family goes out of town, she always stays with people who have other pets/guinea pigs. After she comes home, she always seems sad and lonely. Do you think I should get another guinea pig to cheer her up? -Thanx!
A: Guinea pigs are social animals but do best if they are raised together. Same sex groups should be encouraged to avoid production of large numbers of offspring or males can be castrated.
To prevent fighting, males should have been raised together since weaning. Introducing new animals into the cage can cause problems. If new pigs are introduced, take the whole group to a new, novel environment (new cage) and start fresh. Still, the adult males may fight.
Guinea pigs should also not be kept in too crowded conditions.
- Kevin Fitzgerald, DVM
Q: Against my better judgment, I allowed my 9-year-old son to take his box turtle to school for show-and-tell. Some kids in his class decided to "autograph" the poor thing's shell with magic markers. I have removed some of the marker with Vaseline, but neither my vet nor the local pet store employees could tell me if the chemicals from the markers can be harmful to the turtle. Aside from the trauma of being used as a canvas, is Skippy in any danger?
A: Turtles are amazing creatures. They are the oldest reptiles, showing up 200 million years ago.
The shell is a modified rib cage providing protection and support. It is made up of bone with dermal plates and epidermis covering the outside. It has blood vessels and is a living part of the animal.
There are products like "Goop" that will take magic market stain off. Be careful, since the shell is alive and too vigorous scrubbing or too caustic a material will hurt the shell. Ask your veterinarian before you use anything.
Often gently handsoap and a little Vaseline will help lift things off the shell.
- Kevin Fitzgerald, DVM
Q: We have a male ferret about three years old that's losing hair on his body. At first we found little bite marks on him and thought it might be mites so we thoroughly cleaned out his cage and for a couple of weeks we rubbed alcohol pads on his back and peroxide. The bite marks went away and it seemed like he was getting some of his hair back, but now he is losing more of his hair again and there are no bite marks to speak of. His middle section is almost completely bald, he has plenty of energy, so we don't think that it's stress. What is wrong with him and what should we do?
A: Hair loss in ferrets can signal very serious underlying diseases. It can be something as simple as a hormonal response and the hair loss may improve on its own.
But the main problem causing hair loss in ferrets is functionally secreting tumors of the adrenal glands. I would have a veterinarian well versed in caring for ferrets look at your little guy and consider bloodwork and abdominal ultrasound.
- Kevin Fitzgerald, DVM
Q: How do you know if you dog or cat has heart worms?
A: Cats and dogs infected with heart worms commonly have signs of coughing and difficulty breathing.
Cats additionally can commonly vomit, while dogs may also exhibit signs of exercise intolerance, weight loss, collapse and ascites (fluid in the abdomen).
If you are concerned that your pet has heart worms I recommend visiting your veterinarian to have your pet tested.
- Holly Knor, DVM
Q: Hi! I am thinking about adopting a deaf dog. Are there any special considerations I should know about? I would like to know what I am getting into before I make a decision either way. I don't want to end up with a dog I can't handle.
A: Deaf dogs need special consideration with training. I would strongly recommend speaking with a local dog trainer about training a dog with hand signals. I have several clients who have been very happy with the deaf dogs that they have.
- Holly Knor, DVM
Q: I have two siamese/himalayan cats — big fur balls. They constantly throw up hair balls. I have been feeding them only dry food with hairball formula. They are indoor cats. I am looking for some advice to curb their hairball throwing saga.
A: I would suggest supplementing their food with a hairball preventative such as Laxatone or Cat-a-lax.
Most pet stores should carry these or similar products. Also increasing their water consumption — many of my clients have found that "pet fountains" are very helpful in increasing their cat's water consumption.
- Holly Knor, DVM
Q: I have an 11 yr-old neutered black and gold tabby named Willie, and I inherited him a little over two years ago. Willie is an enormous 26 pounds! I have slowly cut back his food (Science Diet Light and Light Hairball control) to 1/2 a cup every day which he eats over a course of 9 hours. Although he begs, I give him no treats or table scraps. He sleeps a lot, but comes whenever I call him and will play with his toys, albeit very seldomly. I hate starving him like this, but is that weight normal?
A: No this weight is not normal, your cat is severely overweight.
Willie needs a physical and blood work, and needs to see a dietary specialist. Exercise should be encouraged.
- Robert A. Taylor, DVM
Q: How do you know when its time to put a dog to sleep? My dog is a small breed and is about 16-years-old but we're not sure. About six months ago he started having problems peeing on the carpet. Now he's not eating very much and is having problems peeing again. I thought it might be because of his allergy shot of Depomedren. - Sara Wells
A: Sara, always ask yourself about your companion animal's quality of life and let that guide you to the timing of putting him/her to sleep.
The urination might be something that can be controlled — consulting with your veterinarian is advisable.
- Robert A. Taylor, DVM
