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Pet Health Library

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  • Thiamine deficiency used to be a common condition due to the fact that in days gone by, raw fish was a common component of a cat's diet. However, commercial manufacturers realized this problem and foods were fortified with thiamine and the disease was rarely seen.

  • Thiamine deficiency used to be a common condition due to the fact that in days gone by, raw fish was a common component of a dog's diet. However, commercial manufacturers realized this problem and foods were fortified with thiamine and the disease was rarely seen.

  • Amphibians (frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and axolotl) are a widely diverse group of ectotherms (cold blooded) animals which, compared with mammals, birds and reptiles, have been rather overlooked as pets. They are relatively easy to keep and can be fascinating to study!

  • Guinea pigs originated in South America but were probably introduced into Europe soon after the first Spanish explorers returned from that continent in the 1500s. Even though they came from a sub-tropical area these rodents proved to be hardy and adapted to temperate climates.

  • Mice are kept for many reasons, from being pets to prize show animals. They are not ideal pets in many ways but are easy to keep in captivity.

  • Rats are kept for many reasons from being pets to prize show animals. They are excellent pets, are easy to keep and you can develop good owner-pet relationships with them.

  • Thyroid hormones control the body's metabolic rate (rate of working) and have far reaching effects on the body. Thyroid disorders are quite common in cats and dogs.

  • Thyroid tumours include cystic structures called goitres, multi-nodular overgrowth (hyperplasia), benign (non-spreading) cancers (adenomas) and malignant (spreading) cancers (carcinomas).

  • Ticks are common in Australia and problems associated with them vary from the benign “bush tick” which causes local skin irritation, to the potentially fatal “paralysis tick” seen mainly in coastal areas on the east coast of Australia.

  • Tick poisoning is due to the toxin from a tick called Ixodes holocyclus or the paralysis tick.