If you’ve been around horses then you may have heard about thrush. Thrush is a type of fungus that can develop in a horse’s hoof due to the horse standing for long amounts of time in a wet paddock. Thrush can also happen in cows that stand for long periods of time in the same area. For instance, dairy cows tend to stand in close quarters in wet and moist conditions due to urine soaked ground. When these areas aren’t cleaned frequently, bacteria and fungus can spread causing hoof rot or thrush to develop in the cow’s hoof. Signs of thrush in cows may include lameness, inflammation of the area above the hoof, foul smelling discharge, and possible swelling of the hoof with separation of the toes. Treatments include antibiotics, time off of the infected hoof and being moved to a dryer area. For more informatio ... Read more »

Your guinea pig needs a variety of foods to stay healthy and happy. Start with a high-quality guinea pig pellet as the mainstay of his diet. Purchase pellets from a store with high volume so you are sure they are fresh. Give him fresh green vegetables such as romaine lettuce, spinach or kale and other crunchy vegetables such as carrots and squash for added nutrition. Small pieces of fruit such as strawberry or apple slices make a great treat. Your guinea pig’s body cannot manufacture vitamin C so ensure that some of the fruits and vegetables you offer him are high in this important vitamin. Your pig will also need lots of timothy hay. This hay helps keep your pig’s digestive system working properly and all that nibbling helps keep his teeth trim. And ensure your pig has access to fresh, clean water at all times. Contact your Glen Ellyn, IL vet to learn more.

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Your cat is a fairly independent creature, or at least she would like to think of herself that way. This means that she wants to be able to enjoy her time in your care but also feel that she is able to hold her own when necessary. This is a part of the reason why she may hide some of the symptoms she is experiencing when she falls ill.

Your pet may trust you to care for her, but she still has an instinctual need to appear strong in case predators are watching her. Showing that she isn’t feeling well can make her a target, as predators may understand that she is in a weakened state. Since she doesn’t know when a predator may be lurking nearby unseen, she will try to hide symptoms at all times, which can make it difficult for you to recognize them too. For more information, please contact your Rockaway, NJ veterinarian.

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