Volunteer Veterinary Dentists, Techs, Provide Dental Care to Big CatsApril 18, 2016If you have dreams of being a veterinary dentist for the big cats, keep an eye on the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Center Point, Ind., and the Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental Foundation for opportunities. You could take part in volunteer events, such as one that was held this past weekend, where more than 15 volunteers headed over to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center to spend two days doing dentistry work for eight big cats. The volunteers consisted of veterinary dentists, technicians and other professionals from around the United States, according to Fox 59. The animals treated included a lion, a puma and several tigers. brightcove.createExperiences(); This was thanks to the Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental Foundation (PEIVDF). According to their ‘About Us’ page: “Our mission is to provide life improving advanced veterinary dental care and treatment to exotic animals located in US (and in the future, overseas) captive animal facilities and animal sanctuaries, which are under funded and/or understaffed from a veterinary perspective. Through these missions, we are also increasing …
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Cheetah Cubs Born Via C-Section Receiving Critical Care at ZooMarch 18, 2016A 5-year-old cheetah named Willow had to have a rare C-section last week at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The birth took place on March 8 at the zoo’s regional cheetah breeding facility. Following the birth, the cubs — which consisted of three boys and two girls — were taken to the Cincinnati Zoo Nursery where they have been receiving around-the-clock veterinary care and bottle feeding. They will remain in the nursery for a minimum of eight to 12 weeks. “The cubs were born under difficult circumstances,” said Dr. Mark Campbell, Director of Animal Health at the Cincinnati Zoo in a press release. “For puppies and kittens the vast majority of their passive immunity comes from their mom’s milk especially the colostrum. Their immune systems are not developed very well at all at this time so they are unable to actively ward off infections. We are doing all we can to keep them healthy and strong, but it will be a challenge for these cubs moving forward.” Campbell, who has been with the zoo for 25 years, said that this is only the third C-section he’s been involved with. A true …
Check Out This Red Panda’s Visit to the VeterinarianMarch 2, 2016When you’re a red panda living at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo in Canada, you have to get a veterinary checkup. Staff from the zoo took the male red panda, named Phoenix, to Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada for his exam. His eyes were checked, as were his teeth (there was a small fracture) and bones. X-rays, ultrasounds and blood tests were conducted, as well as a small art project of sorts at the end (Phoenix’s paws were painted and placed on canvas for study and fundraising purposes). Phoenix was not awake during the visit to reduce the risk to the veterinarians conducting the exam. Luckily, Phoenix’s trip to the vet was filmed: </center> According to the YouTube description, the exam was filmed for educational purposes and provides benefits “from teaching skills to veterinary students for their future careers to showing school students how in-depth an annual physical examination for a wild animal is.” As Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo manager John Moran says in the video, the visit was also a learning experience for the veterinarians. “It contributes …
Ins and Outs of Bunny Rabbit Treatment and CareAugust 3, 2015Originally published in the July 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Love this article? Then subscribe today! If a rabbit hasn’t had something going in one end and out the other in as little as half a day, it’s time to get the patient in for a visit right away, said Nicole Wyre, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (avian). “They should be eating and pooping all the day,” said Dr. Wyre, who specializes in exotics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital. “If it’s been more than six to eight hours, it’s an emergency.” This may be a sign of gastrointestinal stasis and a signal that treatment is urgently needed, Wyre added. She and other veterinarians who specialize in treating rabbits said “eating and pooping” are easy and critical signs that general practitioners can cue in on. Sari Kanfer, DVM, owner of Exotic Animal Care Center in Pasadena, Calif., noted that GI stasis can range from mild cases, in which the GI tract slows down, to severe, when there is an intestinal blockage and the rabbit is hypothermic and in shock. “The cause may be stress, any …
What You Need to Know About RatsJune 5, 2015Originally published in the June 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News Exotics veterinarians who regularly handle rats say there are a few common ailments that general practitioners should be on the lookout for. Skin ectoparasites (mites and lice), mammary tumors, pneumonia and upper respiratory infections are the four most common issues that Matthew S. Johnston, VMD, Dipl. ABVP (Avian), has come across in his rat patients. Specialists like Dr. Johnston, an associate professor of avian, exotic, and zoological medicine at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, say general practitioners who have rat patients should get used to seeing and dealing with these common problems. La'Toya Latney, DVM, head of exotics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital, warned that aggressive diseases seem to be commonplace among rats of all ages. “It’s pretty common for us to see respiratory diseases in them across all ages,” Dr. Latney said, adding that the bacteria Mycoplasma pulmonis is often the cause of serious secondary respiratory infections in rats. Latney, a consultant at the Brandywine Zoo in Delaware, also said rat owners tend to complain of ocular discharge, nasal discharge and sneezing. Often these pet owners indicate that their rat’s eyes or nose are bleeding. …
Why You Should Add Guinea Pigs to Your PracticeMay 1, 2015Tia Greenberg, DVM, chief of medicine at Westminster Veterinary Group in Westminster, Calif., said there are a few must-knows and telltale signs she recommends that practitioners keep in mind. Dr. Greenberg said most people take their guinea pigs to the veterinarian for things like appetite loss, diarrhea, scratching, hair loss or a general wellness exam. “Most veterinarians should be familiar with the basic husbandry of these animals and their common conditions, such as dental disease, skin problems, vitamin-C deficiency, gastrointestinal problems and respiratory problems,” Greenberg said. Many practitioners who specialize in treating guinea pigs keyed in on vitamin C as something to keep an eye on. Guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C and require 10 to 30 mg/kg daily to prevent scurvy, according to Guinea Lynx, an online medical care guide for guinea pigs. Neurologic signs secondary to vitamin-C deficiency are a list-topper for Susan Kelleher, DVM, star of “Dr. K’s Animal ER” on the Nat Geo Wild cable channel. Also on her list: decreased appetite, skin problems and respiratory tract infections. Decreased appetite, or not eating at all, can be due to dental problems or systemic illness, said Kelleher, who owns Broward Avian and Exotic Animal …
Why You Should Bring in FerretsMarch 4, 2015Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News The males are known as hobs, females are jills and a group of them is known as a business. Did you also know they love to perform the “weasel war dance”? These are just a few factoids exotic veterinary practitioners wish general practitioners knew about ferrets. Estimates of the number of ferrets owned in the U.S. vary widely. But as of a 2011 survey, the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 748,000 are owned. Only a handful of veterinarians have experience in treating them medically. Exotics experts said that most veterinary students get minimal instruction on ferrets, specifically, but practitioners shouldn’t shy away from taking an interest in accepting these playful, curious creatures as patients. Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal and Feline Practices), in Saco, Maine, has been treating ferrets for 20 years. “I love their ‘can’t get me down’ attitudes. There is nothing in the world that can make me smile faster than a 'war-dancing’ ferret,” she said, referring to the frenzied series of sideways hops they perform when excited and playful. “They are also interesting challenges from a medical perspective, and really make …
For Kangaroo Health, WesternU Springs Into ActionOctober 17, 2014It’s not every day that a kangaroo shows up at a Southern California veterinary clinic. Western University of Health Sciences admitted two marsupials Oct. 8 upon the request of alumnus Brad Ahrens, DVM, who works part time for an animal talent agency. The two red kangaroos, named Lenny and Captain, required neuter surgery for safety reasons. Male red kangaroos can reach 200 pounds in the wild. “You need to neuter them while they’re still young,” Dr. Ahrens said. “Otherwise they grow up to be really big and can become aggressive.” Lenny and Captain, ages 2 and 3, came from Birds & Animals Unlimited, an Acton, Calif., company that supplies animals for film and television work and for shows at Universal Studios Hollywood. The company lacks a surgery suite, so Ahrens used his connections to get Lenny and Captain into the WesternU Pet Wellness Center in Pomona. The surgeries were conducted by Professor Maria Fahie, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, with help from Ahrens and associate professor David Clark, DVM. Veterinary students used to handling dogs and cats were introduced to a totally different animal. “Getting faculty and students engaged in learning on species they wouldn’t normally see while providing …
U.K. Vets Remove Cataracts in Asian BearSeptember 22, 2014 The veterinary charity Animal Health Trust successfully performed cataract surgery on a moon bear that was rescued from the wild in Vietnam’s Thanh Hoa province. The juvenile bear, named James, had learned to live and play in virtual darkness, according to Animals Asia, which hosted the surgery at its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre. Animals Asia is a group dedicated to fighting the harvesting of bear bile, an ingredient used in traditional Chinese medicine, and to other animal welfare causes. Ophthalmologists from the U.K.-based Animal Health Trust found a cataract in James’ left eye and a hypermature cataract in the right eye, which the veterinarians feared was permanently useless because it showed little to no reaction to light. The recent surgery should completely restore vision in the left eye and partially in the right, the veterinarians said. “It is very difficult for us to estimate how much James can see with his right eye, because blind bears will use their keen sense of smell and hearing to move around,” said Animals Asia senior veterinarian Joost Philippa, DVM, Ph.D. “Even with cataracts in both eyes it was sometimes difficult to notice that James could …
Hooked On Bunnies: An Exotics Business PlanJanuary 22, 2014 When it comes to opening a practice, many veterinarians opt either to buy an existing one or start fresh, building from the ground up. Each requires significant funds and each can lead straight to the bank to discuss financing options. Sari Kanfer, DVM, took a different approach. Two years ago she launched Exotic Animal Care Center by renting space in an existing Exotic Animal Care Center is nestled in Animal Emergency Clinic of Pasadena, giving Dr. Kanfer access to two exam rooms, cages, an X-ray machine, washer and dryer, anesthesia and other equipment. The veterinarian who owns the facility had previously rented the space to a veterinary ophthalmologist. Before opening her practice in March 2010, Dr. Kanfer worked at a veterinary hospital that cared for dogs, cats and exotics. She focused most of her time on exotics and when her clientele continued to increase—reaching nearly 90 percent of her work load—she knew it was time to move on. Kanfer’s case load at Exotic Animal Care Center comprises mostly rabbits, but she also treats guinea pigs, chinchillas, lizards, turtles, goats, pot-bellied pigs, raccoons and foxes. Kanfer’s associate, Tiffany Margolin, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, is a bird specialist, …
