TOLEDO, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toledo veterinarian Dr. Alan Moore of Trilby Animal Hospital provides a unique service in the area: care for exotic and pocket pets. According to Dr. Moore, it is often difficult for exotic pet owners to find veterinarians with an extensive knowledge of the basic housing, dietary and climate needs of lizards, snakes, sugar gliders, rats, birds and so on. He urges pet owners with such pets to fully research the needs of their particular species before bringing one home, and to come in to the animal hospital for pet wellness care.
According to Dr. Gina Lopez, veterinarian with the hospital, (whose own pets include a dog, two cats, three dwarf hamsters, three turtles, two geckos, a bearded dragon, two hermit crabs, two African dwarf frogs and two betas), exotic and pocket pets are becoming more popular with pet owners all the time. "These animals are all intensely fascinating, but unless you do your homework about their needs beforehand, bringing one home can end sadly. Reptiles of all types have their own very specific climate, feeding and housing needs to thrive. Small mammals like hamsters, gerbils and sugar gliders can become ill on the wrong types of food or bedding," she said.
The Toledo veterinarians mention the sugar glider, an increasingly popular pocket pet. Dr. Moore explains that these marsupials are highly social animals that have very particular dietary requirements that are difficult to meet with ordinary pet store pet foods. He says they often suffer bone diseases and other health problems from calcium and phosphorus imbalances in their diets, so they need a special mix of ingredients to meet all of their dietary needs.
Dr. Moore adds that owners of reptiles and birds need to do very species-specific research in order to provide the proper pet wellness care for these types of pets. For example, he says, most species of turtles do best when they hibernate over the winter. Most reptiles, he adds, need to be fed a specific diet and their housing needs to provide the cooler and warmer end of their habitable temperature range. Also, he warns, even small droplets of cleaning spray that would not hurt a cat or a dog could kill a bird.
Both veterinarians urge pocket and exotic pet owners to call their animal hospital if they have any questions about any species. Dr. Lopez stresses, "Being fully educated about the needs of your exotic pet can help him or her live a long, happy life. I bring my own pets in to be treated by Dr. Moore because I know that his experience with treating exotics is invaluable."
Trilby Animal Hospital in Toledo provides pet wellness care, sick care, pet dental, pet surgery and dermatology for cats, dogs and pocket and exotic pets of all kinds. For more information, visit their website at http://www.trilbyanimalhospital.com or join their Facebook page.