Only a veterinary professional can diagnose gingivitis in your Toy Poodle. Although bad breath is usually a sign of gingivitis it can sometimes simply be a sign of teeth in need of a good cleaning. If your dog has bad breath or has trouble chewing, give your vet a call and schedule a dental exam and cleaning. Your vet can tell you if there is gingivitis present or not. Gingivitis is a gum disease that causes inflammation, irritation and redness to the gums. It can also be uncomfortable for your dog and create problem for him when it comes to chewing. Your vet can diagnose and treat gingivitis through professional cleanings and sometimes with diet change as well. For instance, feeding your dog crunchy, hard food and snacks can help breakdown tartar and plaque naturally which in turn can keep his teeth clean longer. For more information, ... Read more »

If your vet has diagnosed your Dalmatian with Hypothyroidism ask about different treatment options and long term care for your pup. Hypothyroidism is an illness to affects dogs of all breeds, but especially dogs of medium to large sizes. Some affected breeds include (but are not limited to) Dalmatians, Doberman Pinschers, Irish Setters, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, and Old English Sheepdogs. The condition develops as a result of an insufficient amount of T3 and T4 hormones in the dog’s system. This usually occurs when the thyroid gland fails to produce the needed hormone amounts necessary for maintaining the dog’s metabolism. Treatment options include the administering of medication and the administering of the missing hormones in synthetic form. Dosages are based on the dog’s needs and may need to be adjusted throughout the dog&rs ... Read more »

A dust bath is a necessity for chinchillas. Rolling around in the dust can help absorb oils from their skin and fur, thus keeping their hair coat clean and healthy. Dust baths are also opportunities for chinchillas to relax and unwind. Make sure to use only store-bought dust baths because they are specially made for chinchillas.

Dust baths are best given at night when chinchillas are most active. It’s also recommended that the dust bath should only be placed inside the enclosure during a specific time, and removed afterwards. If you won’t remove it, your pet may keep on rolling around in the dust and this can certainly dry their skin out. Also, the chinchilla may also use it as a litter box. Dust baths are offered at least twice a week for about 10-15 minutes, though you can offer more frequent baths if your pet’s ha ... Read more »

Fur mites (Cheyletiella parasitivorax) live in the fur of rabbits. They can start infesting a small area, but without any treatment, they can spread all over the rabbit’s body. They can also live in the immediate surroundings and can infest other rabbits and pets. If you have other pets in the house, measures should be undertaken to prevent spread of the mites to your other pets. Make sure to wash your hands after handling the infected rabbit, properly dispose of food and bedding from the cage; and all food and bedding that has just been purchased should be freeze before they are used. Take note that even if your rabbit is completely confined indoors, he can still get fur mites.

These microscopic mites feed on the blood of their hosts. When they bite your rabbit to feed, they cause itching.  Your ... Read more »