Article  Client Education Handout  Video  Webinar 

Reptile and Amphibian Nutrition

Dr. Thomas Boyer presented this live, interactive webinar. The RACE-approved recording discusses nutrition, the leading cause of disease in reptiles and amphibians. Chronic nutritional diseases remain common, including nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, hepatic lipidosis, protein deficiency, hypovitaminosis A, hypervitaminosis A, pyramidal shell growth, renal disease, urocystoliths, thiamine deficiency, vitamin E/selenium deficiency, steatitis, corneal lipidosis, and obesity. The goal of this web-based seminar is to educate veterinary health professionals such that they can provide sound nutritional advice to reptile and amphibian keepers. Dr. Boyer has also shared his client education handout on growing mealworms and superworms.

Client Education Handout 

Nutrition: The Key to Your Chinchilla’s Health

Your chinchilla’s diet plays a key role in maintaining optimal condition. A healthy diet prevents two common health problems: dental disease and gastrointestinal problems. Specifically, your chinchilla requires a high-fiber, low-fat diet consisting primarily of grass hay and a small portion of pellets formulated specifically for chinchillas. This client education handout reviews the foods eaten by chinchillas in the wild, recommendations for a healthy pet chinchilla diet, as well as why a high-fiber diet is essential to your chinchilla’s health.

Article  Information sheet 

Basic Information Sheet: Axolotl

Native to Lake Xochimilco, its canal systems, and a few neighboring waterways of Mexico City, the axolotl is a neotenic amphibian species closely related to the tiger salamander. This Basic Information Sheet reviews natural history, conservation status, and taxonomy, as well as a number of clinically relevant topics including diet, housing, behavior, restraint, and important medical conditions seen in the axolotl. Login to view references.

Client Education Handout 

Care of the Axolotl

This client education handout reviews basic care of the axolotl. Topics covered in detail include housing, such as habitat, water quality, filtration, and lighting, as well as well as diet and common health problems.

Article  Video  Webinar 

Clinical Avian Nutrition for Veterinary Health Professionals

Dr. Susan Orosz presented this live, interactive webinar event on the clinical perspectives of avian nutrition. How can veterinary health professionals best address the nutritional needs of the companion bird in the exam room? View the RACE-approved, non-interactive webinar recording, the pass the brief post-test to earn 1 hour of continuing education credit.

Article  Slideshow  Video  Webinar 

Avian Nutrition Basics

This 1-hour, R.A.C.E.-approved webinar recording is designed to impart a basic understanding of avian nutrition for the veterinary health professional as well as students in these fields. Viewing of this recorded is strongly recommended before viewing the recording of the live webinar event Clinical Avian Nutrition for Veterinary Health Professionals by Susan Orosz, PhD, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), DECZM.

Article  Information sheet 

Basic Information Sheet: Miniature Pig

The term “miniature pig” is used to describe a variety of smaller pig breeds as well as crossbreeds. There are at least 14 recognized breeds of miniature pigs, including the Vietnamese potbellied pig, the Juliana pig, the KuneKune, and others. This information sheet reviews natural history and taxonomy, as well as a number of clinically relevant information including (but not limited to) diet, housing, behavior, normal physiologic data and anatomy, restraint, preventive medicine, zoonoses, and important medical conditions seen in the mini pig.

Article 

Body Condition Scoring the Miniature Pig

Miniature pigs reach half their adult weight (32-68 kg) by about 1 year of age and will continue to grow until 3-4 years of age. Pigs easily gain weight and obesity is a very common problem in pet pigs, especially when animals are fed free-choice and not exercised. The risk of obesity in pet pigs can be minimized with client education on body condition scoring as well as regular weighing.

Client Education Handout 

Miniature Pig Care

This client education handout reviews basic care of the miniature pig. Topics covered include diet, housing, training and proper handling, as well as common health problems and preventive care measures, like vaccination and surgical sterilization.

Article  Information sheet 

Basic Information Sheet: Virginia Opossum

The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial native to North America. This New World species is correctly called an “opossum” as opposed to the Old World “possum”. This information sheet reviews natural history, conservation status, and taxonomy, as well as a number of clinically relevant information including (but not limited to) diet, housing, behavior, normal physiologic data and anatomy, restraint, preventive medicine, zoonoses, and important medical conditions seen in the opossum.

Article  Quiz 

Dystocia in Guinea Pigs

Dystocia is defined as the inability of a sow to deliver her litter normally. In breeding colonies, maternal mortality and loss of the pup is an important and common problem in the guinea pig. This review article discusses the pathogenesis of disease, gestation and parturition, important differential diagnoses, diagnostics, therapy, prognosis, neonatal care, and prevention. There is also a brief quiz to reinforce learning.

Article 

Body Condition Scoring in Birds

Body condition scoring or BCS is a useful tool for assessment of a patient’s general health status and evaluation of a patient’s food supply. The BCS system described below is based on scores between 1 and 5, with 1 being emaciated and 5 being obese for the “generic” bird. Currently there is no universally agreed upon BCS system for the avian patient due to…

Article 

Nutritional Management of Obesity in Birds

Unfortunately the sedentary lifestyle of the companion bird makes obesity one of the most common forms of malnutrition seen in clinical practice. Pet birds are fed too much food or they are fed diets rich in sources of fat, such as sunflower seeds .

Article 

Five Features of Marsupial Anatomy: With Focus on the Sugar Glider Physical Exam

Free-ranging sugar gliders live in the treetops and glide from tree to tree using their patagium like a kite and their tail as a rudder to control the direction of flight. The patagium is a furred membrane of skin or gliding membrane that stretches between the forelimbs and hind legs. These skin folds are extensions of the lateral body wall. When the glider is at rest, this excess skin appears as a rippled border along the sides. During a glide, the skin spreads out to form a rectangle…

Client Education Handout 

Care of the Senior Rabbit

With proper care, pet rabbits can live long, happy lives. In this client education handout, we explore the aging changes that can be expected in the senior house rabbit including common health problems. Veterinary screening as well as home care of the geriatric rabbit are also explored.

Article 

Body Condition Scoring the Rabbit

Body condition scoring is a technique used to assess body condition in many species. Although no official scoring system exists for rabbits, evaluation of rabbit body condition can be adapted from methods used in cats, dogs, and large animals. This brief article describes specific examination techniques, before reviewing obesity in rabbits and client education.

Client Education Handout 

Prairie Dogs

The free-ranging black-tailed prairie dog is a social rodent that lives in “towns”.

Article 

Use of Nutri-An Cakes for Weight Reduction and Maintenance

In humans and small animals, the combination of feeding reduced calorie foods, providing regular exercise and using behavior modification to change eating patterns bring about the best chance of achieving and maintaining weight loss (Toll 2010). A key nutritional factor for weight loss and the prevention of weight gain is to feed calorie-restricted diets.