DIARRHEA IN GUINEA PIGS

Diarrhea in guinea pigs is an increase in the water content of faeces and an increase in the frequency or volume of the bowel movements. Any changes in the normal appearance of a guinea pig’s fecal pellets should be taken seriously.

There are many causes of diarrhea - Drugs especially antibiotics, Inadequate amounts of roughage in the diet,
Stress, Infectious agents, Metabolic diseases, Intestinal parasites.

your guinea pig need emergency treatment as this can lead to serious health hazards.

GUINEA PIG FOOD

Guinea pigs are extremely cute animals and they also pretty smart. Veterinarians recommend that guinea pig treats should only equal out to 20% of the overall diet. This means that most of the time the guinea pig should only receive the pellets as food. Treats should only be given on special occasions around 2 to 3 times a week.
Carrots are known to be one of the guinea pigs favorite treats. They should be cut in very small sections because of the risk of the animal choking on them. Only place a few of the pieces in the cage at a time and wait for the guinea pig to eat all of them before you give them more. They also love green, leafy vegetables. You can tear them into small pieces and feed them to the guinea pig. Always remember to wash all the vegetables thoroughly before you feed them to the animal.
Any kind of fruit can be given as guinea pig treats. Apples, cherries, blueberries and grapes are some of the most commonly liked favorites and they are also healthy for the guinea pig.

RABBIT - CAUSES OF RED COLOURED URINE

In rabbit's the normal colour of urine is yellow but in sick animals it may be red, brown, or orange and this condition is simply called "red urine".

Causes of red urine
1. Plant pigments: The red color of urine can be due to porphyrins present in plants. Sometimes diets with large amounts of plants high in beta-carotene, such as carrots and spinach, can cause the reddish discoloration. Generally, the changes in urine color caused by diet are intermittent and only last 2-3 days.
2. Antibiotics: The administration of some antibiotics may increase the levels of pigments in the urine.
3. Stress: Stress or even a change of season may result in reddish discolored urine.

4. Dehydration: Dehydration will concentrate the urine to give it different colour.
5. Blood: If the red coloration is due to hematuria, it is a sign of disease in the urinary tract i.e. Kidney or bladder infection, Kidney or bladder stones, Kidney or bladder cancer
6. Blood in secretions from the uterus or vagina normally appear as a bloody discharge on the vulva, or as several bloody drops before or after urination.

7. Bilirubin and urobilinogen: The discoloration of the urine may be due to the presence of chemicals called bilirubin and urobilinogen.

GUINEA PIG - VITAMIN C

Guinea pigs do not produce their own vitamin C, but require a good amount need to be supplemented. some vegetables high in Vitamin C can be given on weekly basis.

vegetables high in vitamin C - peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, spinach, kale

vegetables low in vitamin C - beetroot, cucumber, lettuce, radish, sweet potato

vitamin C - Guinea pig diet

Why vitamin c is important - Vitamin c is especially important in a guinea pigs diet. Unlike many animals, guinea pigs can't produce their own vitamin c. A deficiency of vitamin c, could lead to scurvy and also loss of resistance to other diseases. Although good quality pellets contain vitamin c, its not an adequate amount for a guinea pig, their diet needs to be supplemented with vitamin c vegetables. They can be halved into 25 mg daily. Don't dissolve it into their drinking water, but add it to a little water, using a 1-ml syringe to administer the vitamin c.

Laire (guinea pig) with broken teeth

Laire is 2 years old, female guinea pig and suddenly had chewing problem and lost weight. she was not able to chew the food and slowly food intake was reduced. concerned owners brought her to my clinic and on examination i found the upper teeth were soft and broken. due to this reason she was not able to eat properly. she was not getting any supplement, necessary for a guinea pig to have. finally the broken teeth were trimmed and she was put on supplements and some medication. she has started eating better than before but will take time to recover completely.

vomiting in dogs

Dog vomiting is a common experience for dogs. Vomiting is the discharge of contents from the stomach through the mouth and could be accompanied by nausea, strong abdominal contractions, and uneasiness on the part of the dog.
It is necessary to determine the cause of vomiting because it can suggest a severe, life-threatening disease. It can happen because of many causes which may include something as simple as gastritis, to other complex and even dangerous diseases. The most common causes of dog vomiting are dietary-related which could involve overeating or eating overly rich or spoiled food that triggers acute or sudden vomiting as well as undesirable food reactions like allergies that can cause chronic vomiting. There are also other causes triggered by the gastrointestinal system itself or from secondary causes due to a disease somewhere else in the body such as liver or kidney disease. Within the stomach, find out if your dog has stomach cancer, stomach ulceration, or obstructed foreign bodies. It is also possible that your dog has worms or an inflammatory bowel disease.

types of food for your cat

Types of Cat Foods
The three main types of cat foods are dry, soft-moist and canned products
1. Dry food
Dry products consist of crunchy kibbles, which help reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar on a cat’s teeth. Dry foods also have the advantage of staying fresh longer than soft-moist and canned products once the package is opened.
2. Soft-Moist food
Soft-moist cat foods generally offer higher palatability as compared to dry diets, are convenient to serve and store easily.
3. Canned Diets
These diets have the highest palatability when compared to the dry and soft-moist products.

Guinea pig - Need vitamin C everyday

Guinea pigs need a daily source of vitamin C. A lack of vitamin C causes a disease called scurvy. Scurvy in guinea pigs causes eye infections, hair loss and pneumonia. Guinea pigs need about 25-35 mg of vitamin C a day. You can break up 250 - 500 mg ascorbic acid tablets and sprinkle a portion on their food daily.
Guinea pigs can be maintained on commercial guinea pig pellets alone. Alfalfa hay and cubes can be feed if other hay is also fed. Many sources of alfalfa are too rich to be a major component of guinea pig diets. Fruits, starchy vegetables and sweet items are best not fed because they can destroy the normal intestinal flora or bacteria.

Dermatitis in dogs

Itching and scratching are the important symptoms of skin problems in dogs. The dog goes through the scratching to rid their body of an itch and this disturbs you and the dog as the itching continues until proper treatments relieve the underlying problem. Now you must find out the cause of the dog health skin problems. It can be either environmental dermatitis or nutritional dermatitis.
Environmental dermatitis, your vet may ask questions about where the dog sleeps or plays and urinates, what the dog likes to do like dig holes, swim in the pool or roll in the grass. After taking a full history of the dog, vet will start eliminating one thing at a time.The skin disease may have come from dirt, grass or swimming pool. Dogs with thick hair usually lack proper grooming and become a good ground for bacterial growth. Moist eczema or hot spot is the most common form of dermatitis in dogs. It takes time to pinpoint the exact cause because there are so many reasons for the reaction.
Nutritional Dermatitis - Improper and imbalanced nutrition results in nutritional dermatitis in your dog. Poor skin condition and dull coats can come from an improper diet. If you do buy cheap dog food, you may need to supplement the diet with vitamins for prevention of nutritional dermatitis.
Dogs are a part of the family and will be faithful and loving if properly cared. so you should take care of your pet for the sake of its health and your relief as well.

6 essential elements necessary for your dog

Feeding your dog the wrong diet will affect their health and behavior, and may make them more susceptible to diseases or infection.
All dog foods have certain things in common and they require the following elements:
1. Protein
Excess protein is not better. High protein diets are used for show or working dogs and a normal dog could become hyper on this diet.
Price is not any criteria about protein content, you must read the label. Many dog foods use vegetable proteins which are harder to digest than animal proteins. Find a dog food that uses more animal protein and requires smaller portions to meet the minimum daily requirements.
Many dogs are allergic to grains like corn, wheat and soy. If your dog refuses to eat their food or their digestion seems abnormal, consult your vet to identify the problem.
2. Carbohydrate
Vegetable sources of protein also contain high levels of carbohydrates which can be a problem for your dog to digest. This causes digestive problems such as bloating, upset stomach, constipation, and too much stool. You can select a food that has two or more animal sources of protein listed in the first five ingredients to overcome this problem.
3. Fats
Dogs need fat to keep their skin and coat healthy and it gives your dog energy and keeps him cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. If you feed your dog a natural diet, make sure to watch the expiration date.
4. Vitamins
There are two types of vitamins, fat soluble (Vitamins A, D, E and K) and water soluble (Vitamins B and C). The need for vitamins depends on your dog and his lifestyle.
The minimum daily requirements for vitamins is averaged for all dogs, because vitamin deficiencies can lead to poor growth, digestive disorders, weak immune system, thyroid malfunction.
5. Minerals
Minerals help the body in its normal daily activities like circulation and energy production. Though mineral deficiencies are more common than vitamin deficiencies, do not supplement your dogs diet unless directed by your vet as adding minerals to your dog’s diet can cause an imbalance that can harmful to his health.
6. Water
Water requirement of your dog needs depends on the level of physical activity and type of food he eats. Dry food encourages thirst because it only contains 10 percent moisture. Canned dog foods or home-cooked diets will require less rinse to wash down.