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Chinchillas should be offered good quality grass hay ad-libitum (available 24 hours a day). Pellets or concentrate foods should be given as a small quantity in addition to the hay.
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In the wild rabbits spend many hours chewing grass. This is a tough fibrous material that also contains abrasive silicates.
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Pet rodents can be fed a good, high quality rodent chow (pelleted food) available at pet stores.
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Unlike most pets, snakes eat whole prey items including mice, rats and hamsters. Larger snakes will also eat whole rabbits.
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Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is a potentially life threatening viral infection of cats. Fortunately because of attempts to control transmission and with the availability of good vaccines to protect against FeLV, the disease is much less common. As its name implies, FeLV is able to cause neoplasia (cancer) of the white blood cells (leukaemia), but in addition the virus may also cause the development of solid tumours (lymphomas) at various sites in the body. There is currently no specific treatment for FeLV infected cats (i.e., no treatment that is able to eliminate the virus from the body).
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Ultrasound consists of very high-pitched sound waves. Humans hear up to 20 thousand hertz (vibrations/second), whereas the ultrasound frequencies that we use in cats are usually around 7-10 million hertz.
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It has always been customary for vets to recommend surgical neutering of ferrets. Unfortunately, it is now clear that this has been a major factor in the large increase in cases of adrenal gland disease.
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Fish oils are derived from coldwater fish, mainly menhaden, salmon, cod, tuna, mackerel and trout. Cod stocks are reducing, so the age-old 'cod liver oil' should be in avoided where possible.
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Also called linseed oil, flax seed oil is derived from the crushed seeds of the flax plant (Linium usitatissimum) and has been proposed as a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to fish oil supplements.
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The most common flea found on cats and dogs is the cat flea. Many cats live with fleas but show minimal signs. Eradicating fleas can be a demanding task, with the cat and home both requiring treatment. Using a flea preventive can be easier than treating the problem once it has developed. It is important to use products made specifically for cats, as products intended for dogs or other animals can be very dangerous for cats.
