Posts Tagged ‘veterinarian’

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Pugs and Paw Care

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

Interdigital cysts can be a problem for any dog, but Pugs may be more disposed to them, and dogs who have spent time on wire grating often develop interdigital cysts secondary to the irritation caused by the wiring. Broken toes are another risk of living on wire flooring.

Wire grating is NEVER an appropriate substrate for sensitive pet paws, but is often used in puppy mill situations to fit too many dogs into too small of an area. It is illegal as a flooring material for pets in many communities, including Omaha.

Sometimes interdigital cysts will occur without prior foot trauma, and sometimes they will mimic other diseases, such as tumors or foreign bodies in the foot. If a “cyst” seems to be growing or is not healing, have it checked by your veterinarian.

Many times interdigital cysts will resolve without treatment. Make sure your Pug is not uncomfortable or favoring one paw over the others. If all else seems well, keep an eye on your Pug and call your veterinarian at the first sign of the problem worsening.

Watch for discomfort, discharge, enlargement of the cyst and failure to resolve in ten to fourteen days. Your veterinarian may remove or lance the cyst and/or prescribe antibiotics or foot soaks.  He or she will also rule out other causes of swelling between the toes, so be sure to have your Pug seen if the problem does not resolve or if it worsens.

Stephanie Alford’s Typhoon

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Pugs and Orthopedic Issues

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

Pugs are chondrodystrophic, meaning their bones are proportionally shorter and twistier than other breeds. This, along with other genetic predispositions, makes them more susceptible to some orthopedic problems, including luxating patellas, intervertebral disk disease and Legg–Calvé–Perthes disorder.

Luxating Patellas

These can happen traumatically, but are most often congenital, meaning Pugs are born with shallow stifle (knee) grooves and patellas (knee caps) that move out of their groove, either to the outside (laterally luxating patellas) or to the inside (medially luxating patellas). They are graded by severity.  Mild cases may not be debilitating or painful, and observation may be all that is needed. Moderate cases may be treated with joint protectants or anti-inflammatories. Severe cases may need surgical intervention for return to function, pain relief and avoidance of future arthritis. Surgery is done by qualified general practitioners or board certified veterinary surgeons.  The groove for the knee cap is made deeper, and the knee is ideally returned to optimal function and comfort.

Intervertebral Disk Disease

This disease has some genetic and conformation predisposition. The odds of having problems can be increased with excess weight or traumatic injury. In Intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), one or more disks between vertabrae are compressed, putting pressure on the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves, compromising function and causing significant pain. The disease is treated medically or surgically (by a surgical or neurological specialist), and with strict rest until healing has occurred.

Possible outcomes include (hopefully) complete healing, healing with risk of reinjury, healing with chronic pain, and healing with neurological deficits. Neurological deficits can include gait changes, proprioceptive deficits (inability of a pet to gauge where he or she is positionally-this can range from almost imperceptible to severe), urination or defecation abnormality, paresis or paralysis. If pain and neurological deficits can be managed, a pet can have a great quality of life.

Legg–Calvé–Perthes disorder

This is a disease with a genetic basis in which the head of the femur (the ball of the hip socket) is disfigured.  It is diagnosed with examination and radiographs (x-rays) and treated with surgery.

Many of these problems have a genetic component, but keeping your Pug fit and at a healthy weight will minimize their risk of orthopedic problems, and possibly minimize the severity of the problem if they do have issues.

Stephanie Alford’s Typhoon

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Pugs and Eye Care

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

Some of the features that make Pugs the cutest also predispose them to health problems. Chief among them are their adorable bug eyes.  The biggest problem with Pug eyes is that, because of their anatomy, they are not as protected as those of other dogs.

Pugs have eyes that protrude more than other dogs. The bulbs of their eyes are not always adequately covered by their eyelids, causing incomplete blinking some or all of the time. The bones of their eye sockets are set farther back than other dogs. Their muzzles are short, providing very little mechanical protection in comparison to longer-muzzled dogs.

The conformation of Pugs predisposes them to proctosis, or an eye popping out of the socket. As alarming as this condition appears, it is usually treatable when dealt with right away.

Exposure keratitis is a problem most Pugs deal with on some level. Their corneas adapt to excess exposure caused by incomplete blinking and sometimes inadequate tear production by allowing pigment to form where their corneas should be clear.  This is non-painful and is not a problem unless the pigment migrates over the area where their pupil is, obstructing sight.

Many Pugs suffer from keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) or “dry eye.”  This is a problem of inadequate tear production exasperated by excess exposure to the air.  It is treatable but is a lifelong condition.

Because Pugs are unable to blink as efficiently as other dogs, and their eyes are anatomically more vulnerable than most, they are at a bit of a higher risk to corneal scratches and ulcers. Scratches and ulcers are diagnosed with an examination and special stains.

Pugs are also prone to conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the soft tissue surrounding the eye. It is similar to “pink eye” in us, but not contagious. The signs are identical to other painful/itchy eye conditions.

Signs that indicate your pet should be seen by your veterinarian include excess blinking, inability to open an eye completely, ocular discharge and pawing at the face.

Healthy Pugs without eye disease may be kept comfortable with rewetting drops that can be bought over the counter, and they may help with certain eye conditions, but check with your veterinarian before using any eye drops. One over the counter medication that may seem benign, Visine (tetrahydroziline), is dangerous and never indicated for dogs.

Many eye diseases are treated with eye drops or ointments prescribed by your veterinarian. He or she will be able to show you how to effectively administer medication. Often these medications provide some level of instant relief, and if accompanied by a treat, may not cause your Pug distress, which is good, because they often need to be administered several times a day!

If you are at all concerned about an eye issue, the best course is to get your Pug to his or her veterinarian as soon as possible, as eye diseases are often painful and can progress rapidly.

Stephanie Alford’s Typhoon

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Pugs and Ear Care

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

Pugs are prone to ear infections at a higher rate than dogs in general. They are also susceptible to allergic otitis, inflammation of the ear canal caused by allergies, that predisposes them to infectious otitis. And their ears are floppy! This allows moisture to be more easily trapped in the ear canal of Pugs than in the ear canals of their pointy-eared friends. Evidence is not conclusive, but this too may predispose poor Pugs to ear problems!

While owners of other dogs will need to occasionally check their pets’ ears, Pug owners will need to be vigilant.  If your veterinarian says your pet’s ears are healthy, immediately lift an ear and look and smell.  That beautiful pink color? That is normal! The lack of debris? Perfect.

If your veterinarian says your pet’s ears are unhealthy, immediately lift an ear and look and smell. Notice the painful, swollen red canal, the black yuck and the wet-dog-gone-bad smell. Work with your veterinary team to bring your Pug back to optimal health, and be on the lookout for these signs in the future!

Regular ear cleanings will help keep your Pug’s ears healthy. Use only ear cleaner labeled for dogs, preferably one that your veterinary team hands to you. Peroxide is not safe. Alcohol stings.  Water just creates a moist environment. You need a pH balanced, non-irritating effective cleaner with a drying agent.

Choose a water-resistant environment in which to clean your Pug’s ears, perhaps in the bathroom or outdoors.  Pour the cleaner into one ear until it reaches the top of the ear canal. The ear canal goes down vertically a bit, and then just behind the hinge of the jaw, goes in towards the center of the head horizontally. So picture that you have just filled an “L” shaped tube with cleaning solution. Gently squish the ear canal so the solution agitates in the canal a bit.

Now stand back.  Close your eyes. Close your mouth. Aren’t you glad you listened to me?  Your face is wet, but your eyes do not sting! And you do not have a mouth full of Pug ear wax! You are welcome.

After your Pug shakes the excess cleaner out, use a cotton ball to gently wipe what is left on the inside of the ear flap and the part of the canal you can see. Continue until you get a clean cotton ball. Repeat the same process on the other ear.

You can use cotton swabs to gently clean the crevices of the ear flap and outer ear canal, but do not use them in the ear. Swabs will not hurt the fragile ear drum, as it is protected by its position at the end of the “L” shape of the canal. However, it is easy to accidently pack wax and debris into the ear canal with a swab. The debris that is out of reach will most likely be removed by the ear cleaner itself.

Clean your Pug’s ears after baths and swimming and otherwise every two to four weeks. This will keep excess wax at a minimum, and if not completely prevent, at least minimize the number and severity of ear infections. Also, if an infection is brewing, you are much more likely to catch it before it becomes chronic.

Stephanie – I think this is my FAVORITE picture of Typhoon!!

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Pugs and Dental Disease

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

Pugs develop plague and tartar more quickly than many other breeds, and often have more severe secondary problems.  Acclimate your Pug to having his or her mouth checked.

clomid spain purchase

This will pave the way for future brushings, and prepare your pet for when you may need to check the mouth for a foreign body or a painful area or just assess their mouth for overall health.

The best way to prevent dental problems is to brush your pet’s teeth daily.  This is also the most time consuming and annoying way to prevent dental problems. If you can do it consistently, you may be able to avoid yearly dental cleanings under anesthesia.  If you can do it inconsistently, you may limit the severity of dental disease, and be able to increase the intervals between dental cleanings.

Other things may help limit dental disease, most notably things your pet can chew. Always weigh the risk of broken teeth or material becoming lodged in the intestinal tract against the benefit that would be attained. Bones are generally considered unsafe.  Kongs, rawhides, rope toys and dental chews such as Greenies and Nylabones are relatively safe, but their use should be supervised.

Special (prescription or non-prescription) diets may help mechanically remove plaque.  Dental rinses and some foods contain enzymes or binders that break down plaque before it is allowed to harden into tartar.

Oral exams should be done by your veterinarian every six months, and, of course, more often if you have concerns. If any areas of pain or infection are present, or if tartar build-up is significant, your veterinarian will probably recommend a dental cleaning. This is the same cleaning you or I would receive at our dentist, including gum pocket measurements, tooth scaling and polishing. However, pets are placed under general anesthesia so they are completely immobile, they will not be frightened and a thorough job can be done.

Before your pet’s dental cleaning, your veterinarian will obtain a health history, perform a complete physical exam and run preanesthetic laboratory tests, including a complete blood profile.

Your pet will be anesthetized and maintained on gas anesthesia. Intravenous fluids will be given, your pet will be monitored by an anesthetist aided by machines to measure his or her heart and respiratory function and blood pressure, and a second person will perform the dental work. A veterinarian will be present at all times, and will assess the mouth and do any extractions if needed. Dental procedures are among the most common anesthetic events in most veterinary hospitals and can be done with minimal risk. Pets typically go home later the same afternoon.

Dental disease can cause oral infections, infections in other organs, and significant pain. Do all you can between dental cleanings to minimize dental disease, and have dental cleanings done as often as needed. With good oral care, at home and by the veterinary team, most problems caused by dental disease can be mitigated or avoided all together.

Stephanie Alford’s Beautiful Daphne and Very Cute Typhoon!

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Pugs and Anal Glands

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

All dogs and cats have anal glands. They are small (peanut to grape-sized) sacs near their bottoms, at about 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock, if their butts were clocks.

The purpose of anal glands is probably to mark territory. The anal glands secrete a small amount of thick liquid when an animal defecates.  If the opening of the anal glands always stays patent and the glands empty completely when the animal defecates, and the anal glands never become infected, you may never notice anal glands at all.

Pugs have a conformation that sometimes lends itself to incomplete expression of the anal glands, and thus they are more prone to anal gland problems than some other dogs.

When the anal glands do not empty completely, they can become enlarged.   At this point, manual expression completely treats the problem.  If this is not done, the glands can become uncomfortable. At this stage, you may notice your pet licking or scooting. Manual expression is still completely curative.

If the glands are not expressed, they may become infected. At this point, manual expression is still helpful, but the glands may need to be flushed, and your Pug may need antibiotics. And finally, chronically infected anal glands may rupture. This is a painful condition that needs to be treated right away. In severe or very painful cases, sedation or anesthesia may be needed to treat the gland completely.

In some cases, anal glands may be surgically removed.  It may be necessary to consult a surgical specialist. When the entire gland is removed, obviously, no further trouble will be had with anal glands.  However, possible complications of surgery include pain, infection and temporary or permanent fecal incontinence.

There may be a link between allergies in dogs and anal gland problems. We are not sure if allergic dogs, being itchy, are more bothered by swollen glands, or if the opening of their anal glands becomes inflamed with the rest of their skin and then occluded, or if there is some other link. If your pet has chronic anal gland problems, be sure to note any skin or ear issues also, all of which may be linked to allergies.

Your Pug’s veterinarian will teach you to express anal glands if you would like. It is a technically simple procedure. However, of the many people I have taught the procedure, every single one of them has come back and had me express their pet’s anal glands after one try. The grossness factor just makes it worth the money spent!

Have your Pug’s anal glands checked every three to six months.  After a few check-ups, base the frequency of anal gland expression on your veterinarian’s recommendation.  May you never have to deal with anal glands whatsoever, except for perhaps the occasional anal gland expression.

Stephanie Alford’s Typhoon

♥

 

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Pugs and Allergies

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Originally Written for Pug Partners of Nebraska – Please visit their website to find out how you can help Pugs!

Good overall health will keep your Pug’s immune system strong and perhaps cut down his or her likelihood of developing allergies. However, allergies probably have a strong genetic component, and many environmental factors are outside of our control. So if your Pug does have allergies, it is not due to anything you should have or should not have done. Maintaining overall health will still help as you manage those allergies.

The signs of allergies may mimic other conditions, so it is important to have your pet evaluated by your veterinarian when problems arise. Itchiness is the most common sign of allergies. Other signs of potential allergy problems include skin irritation, rashes, moist dermatitis (“hot spots”) and hair loss. Ear infections, especially recurring ones, may also be an indication of an underlying allergy problem.

Two main classifications of allergies plague our pets: environmental allergies and food aversions. Common environmental allergens include fleas, dust mites, trees, pollens and grasses. Environmental allergens will be more bothersome to pets in some regions than others, so if you move, your pet’s symptoms may worsen or (hopefully) subside.

To diagnose environmental allergies, a serum test or intradermal skin test may be done. Once testing is completed, hypoallergenic shots can be prepared containing small amounts of the offending allergen(s). These are given every few days in slowly increasing increments, with the goal of gradually desensitizing the immune system to the allergens until they are no longer a problem.

The serum and intradermal skin tests that correlate wonderfully to environmental allergens unfortunately have a low rate of coloration for food aversions. The only direct diagnostic test for food aversions is a food trial.

Food aversions are almost exclusively protein-related.  Your veterinarian will recommend a specific diet to be fed exclusively, a novel protein diet (commercial or homemade), or a hydrolyzed protein diet.  Strict adherence will make or break the food trial.  If symptoms of allergies disappear over the course of the trial, the diagnosis is “official” and you may add foods back in one at a time.  If a reaction is seen, that food will need to be avoided in the future.

Sometimes there are only one or two offenders, and sometimes a pet does the best on a very restricted diet. However, dogs don’t usually mind restricted diets, and it is worth whatever diet maneuvers need to be done to keep your pet healthy and comfortable.

Allergies are often treated symptomatically, either exclusively or in conjunction with more direct treatments. Supportive treatment may include anti-histamines, steroids, medicated baths, diet changes, fatty acid supplements, chiropractic and acupuncture. Use all treatments carefully and in full cooperation with your veterinarian.

Our goal when treating any disease is always a complete cure.  However, with allergies, it is more realistic to aim for chronic management and the lowest effective amount of medicine. If our allergic Pug is comfortable and happy, we have succeeded.

Stephanie Alford’s Typhoon

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Pugs Are Cute, But They Do Have Issues.

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Ha!  I thought that title was a hilarious understatement!  Woo!  Still laughing.  I DO love Pugs.  I have never met one who was not completely and absolutely sweet.

My awesome brother Bill and his beautiful wife Cara recently adopted a baby Pug from a rescue group in Ohio.  Another friend has walked her Pug through a lifetime of health issues and is now dealing (with all the grace and compassion in the world) with senior Pug issues.  I just wrote a health series for Pug Partners of Nebraska for new Pug adopters.  Pugs have been on my mind a lot lately.

Cara and Baby Gary : )

Pug Partners of Nebraska currently has 28 dogs looking for forever homes.  Check out their website – they are an excellent group with wonderful dogs!!

Pug Partners of Nebraska has allowed me to reprint the article series here.  So the next several posts will be Pug posts, not that there is anything wrong with that.  If you have a Pug, I hope the information in the Pug health articles helps.  If you do not have a Pug, much of the information applies to dogs in general, so I hope it helps you too.  And I hope EVERYONE enjoys the pictures of my friends’ SUPER CUTE Pugs!!  Really, is there any other kind?

Thank you Stephanie Alford!  You were not exaggerating – You DO have the cutest Pug in the world!

Stephanie Alford’s Very Cute Typhoon : )

 

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Ernie Dog

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

What I am doing this week is spending all the time I possibly can with Mom and Dad and their Ernie Dog.  Ernie is a ten year old four pound Teacup Poodle who is the absolute favorite dog of everyone who knows him.  If you know Ernie, you know I am not exaggerating!

Ernie Dog

This past week, Ernie sustained a very serious neck injury that left his little body very damaged.  Thankfully, he is making amazing strides in his recovery and will soon be back to his healthy goofy little self.

I remember my loudest nay-sayer (we will call him that for lack of a better term) telling me that I get too emotionally involved with my patients, and that I needed to change who I am.  Remembering that,  I prayed I would have the strength to throw myself even MORE into the situation, that I could walk more closely in step with Dad, empathize more with Mom, be more in Ernie’s cute little curly face as he did amazing and courageous things like take a step and then rebalance…eat off a plate…curl in a circle and lay down all by himself.  I am so glad I have not missed any of it.  I am so proud of my parents for carrying Ernie through his recovery, and so proud of Ernie Dog for all of the huge steps he has taken on his road to recovery.

Full story coming soon on …couldn’t talk about it till now, too difficult.  So, with Mom and Dad’s ok, I’m just putting my journal out there, what a sap!  And what an amazing little dog.

I love you Ernie Nelson!

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Bearded Dragon Care

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Shawn Finch, DVM and Angela Bucher, LVT

This is the second in my exotic pet care series, after “Taking Care of Your Exotic Pet, For Example, Your Guinea Pig, Which is Not Really All That Exotic.” Angela Bucher read that and said,  “You sure do take a long time to get to your point!”  As the first improvement, notice how short the title of this one is.  More importantly, Angela is a Licenced Veterinary Technician and experienced Bearded Dragon owner.  She provided all the information for this article.  She is as obsessed with preventative care as I am, and very knowledgeable on reptile (and normal pet) care.  So we teamed up to bring you this information on Bearded Dragons.

TRAITS OF AN IDEAL BEARDED DRAGON OWNER

  • Someone who is obsessed with learning about Bearded Dragons and their care
  • Someone willing to dedicate the next decade or longer to having a Bearded Dragon in their family
  • Someone able to protect their people (especially kids and immunocompromised friends and family) from potential salmonella exposure
  • Someone who is dedicated to a new pet veterinary visit and regular veterinary visits for the sole purpose of preventative care, though their Bearded Dragon will not have vaccines that force a visit.  Even though their Bearded Dragon will never have severe end-stage metabolic bone disease* because of their excellent care at home, they will still visit faithfully for wellness exams

*the reason many lizard owners bring their pet in to the vet for the first visit, but not you!

Still here?  Good!  You are going to do awesome, future Bearded Dragon owner.

HABITAT

In our opinion, the best cages for reptiles are made by Cages By Design.  They come with water bowls, lighting and branches.  Make sure that you have a habitat that is at least forty gallons.  Your full-grown Bearded Dragon is going to be about two feet long, and will need some leg-stretching room.  If you can afford a larger habitat, bigger is generally better.

LIGHT AND HEAT

The best reptile lights, in our opinion, are made by Exo-terra.  You will need lights for heat, ultraviolet lights (UVA and UVB) and an infrared light for nighttime.  In a forty gallon tank, an ideal temperature gradient will be created with a 150 watt basking light at one end, a 100 watt general heat light at the other, and a 75 watt infrared light for night.  In a larger tank (and to assure consistantly proper temperatures in a forty gallon tank), place thermometers at either end of the tank.

Lights need to be changed every three months.  They will not have burned out by then, but their ultraviolet capacity wanes after about three months, and will no longer provide the UV rays in high enough amounts to metabolize their Vitamin D and calcium, which is a big deal for reptiles.

Bearded Dragons need a moderately humid habitat for optimum health and shedding.  An aquarium with a screened top will hold moisture in well while providing some air circulation.  Mist the habitat (and your Bearded Dragon if he or she likes it) every few days.

No heat rocks! But you knew that right?  They are so 1980’s.  And they cause the worst burns I have ever seen.  Lizards are cold-blooded.  They are not good judges of when they are getting too hot, and will unwittingly sit on heated rocks until they are very badly burned.  I am so glad I became a veterinarian after these evil things were no longer popular.  But they are still out there, in older, hand-me-down habitats.  So if you see them, throw them out.  Yes, even if they are not yours!  Your friend will thank you after you explain why you just did what you did.

BEDDING

The ideal bedding substrate is comfortable and easy to keep clean.  Calcisand is ideal.  If a Bearded Dragon happened to eat it, it could be passed without obstruction.  However, excessive ingestion can cause obstruction.  Do not use regular sand, even if it is from a pet store.  Use a litter scoop to clean the habitat daily and clean it completely once a week.

FEEDING

Infant Bearded Dragons should have a couple of very small crickets (smaller than their head) daily.  Bigger juvenilles should also have crickets.  Suppliment with calcium powder every other day.  A Bearded Dragon’s diet may be supplimented with commercial pellets, but pellets should not be the main diet.  At least half of a Bearded Dragon’s diet should be plant-based.

FOOD LIST

  • leafy greens, such as romaine and chard (no spinach)
  • bell peppers
  • strawberries
  • dandilion leaves
  • hibiscus

TREATS

  • baby food
  • yogurt

VETERINARY CARE

Bring your Bearded Dragon in for a veterinary visit and examination when you first adopt him or her and then every six months.  Do not have your first veterinary visit be when they are sick if you can help it.  At every visit, we will do a thorough examination and weigh your pet.  We will discuss husbandry, normal baselines, preventing problems and answer all of your questions.

COMMON AILMENTS OF BEARDED DRAGONS

The most common disease by far from which Bearded Dragons suffer is metabolic bone disease.  If Bearded Dragons (and other lizards) do not obtain enough calcium from their diets, or cannot process the calcium they do get because of inadequate ultraviolet light, their bodies take the needed calcium from that stored in their bones.  This weakens their bones, causing swelling and pathologic fractures.  Almost one hundred percent of fractures in Bearded Dragons are due at least in part to metabolic bone disease.

Next most common is gastrointestinal obstruction, often from eating sand or other habitat substrate.  Medications to treat obstruction are available, and have been used with moderate success.  Because of the small size of Bearded Dragons, surgery for gastrointestinal obstruction is rarely an option, and the condition may be fatal.

Bearded Dragons are vulnerable to injury and many other illnesses.  They hide symptoms of illness well, so if you suspect anything is wrong, bring them in for a veterinary examination as soon as possible.  Better a false alarm than a serious condition not caught.

SALMONELLA

Most reptiles and amphibians carry salmonella (a bacteria that can make humans and some animals ill) in their gastrointestinal tract as normal flora and shed it in their feces intermittantly.  It is transmitted by a fecal-oral pathway, meaning that one would have to ingest feces to become infected with salmonella.  As gross as that is, it is not as difficult to become infected as it may seem.  It may take as little as petting your Bearded Dragon then eating a sandwich.  Or letting the area around the habitat become messy, having a child crawl through it then putting his hand in his mouth.

If you are going to have a pet reptile or amphibian of any type, including a Bearded Dragon, make sure you take the precautions necessary to keep everyone safe.  Keep immunocompromised people away from your pet.  This includes anyone on chemotherapy medications, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune-compromising conditions, very young children and elderly people.  Everyone, even those with healthy immune systems, should wash their hands after handling the Bearded Dragon or the habitat, and before eating.

BREEDING BEARDED DRAGONS

After you have been a Bearded Dragon owner for several years, and if you would like to learn about breeding them, we will help you learn and find resources to prepare you for success.  Most owners are not equipped for all of the work and intense care that goes with breeding Bearded Dragons.  It is difficult to meet the nutritional, and especially the calcium needs of a breeding female Bearded Dragon.  Dystocia is a significant risk, either mechanical dystocia, if the female’s hips are not properly conformed to lay eggs, or medical dystocia (uterine inertia).  Either form can lead to egg binding, which can become a medical emergency.

HOW MANY BEARDED DRAGONS

Bearded Dragons do well as solitary pets.  They should not be housed with pets of other species, even other lizards.  The sex of a Bearded Dragon can be determined by probing, which should only be done by an experienced veterinarian, and is usually not necessary unless you wish to house two Bearded Dragons together.  Two females usually will do well in the same habitat.  A male-female pair can do well together if you intend to breed them.  Again, make sure you are ready for all that is entailed in breeding, if you choose to house a male and female together.  Two males will not usually do well together in the same habitat.  A glass partition can be placed between Bearded Dragons if you wish to house two in the same habitat but seperate from each other.

Bearded Dragons are gentle and intelligent.  They are excellent pets and companions for adults and children.  May you have many wonderful years with your beautiful lizard, and call or e-mail us if you have any questions!

Tell Angela Happy Birthday by donating to the

“Angela Wants A Bull Python” fund,

which doesn’t actually exist.  But you could start it!

(Happy Birthday Angela!  Thank you for everything!)

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