Veterian Key

Chapter 5 Parrots and related species Members of the parrot family are the commonest avian pet and, therefore, the most likely to be presented to the veterinarian. Table 5.1 shows…

Chapter 11 Goldfish and koi This chapter covers those disorders likely to be seen in goldfish and koi, which constitute the most popular section of fish-keeping. Tolerance of wide temperature…

Chapter 2 Rabbits Consultation and handling Rabbits are prey animals and, therefore, may exhibit extreme anti-predator behaviour, such as jumping from the examination table. During a clinical examination, movements should…

Chapter 4 Small rodents Small rodents are popular both as children’s (and adult) pets, but also as show animals. Rats in particular have a very enthusiastic following. Those species that…

Chapter 7 Lizards A wide variety of lizards are available in the pet trade. The commonest species encountered are described in Table 7.1. The internal anatomy of a lizard is…

Chapter 9 Tortoises and turtles Chelonia, such as tortoises and their semi-aquatic relatives, terrapins (or turtles) are becoming very popular as pets, especially in Europe where there is a long…

Chapter 12 Tropical freshwater fish Around 80–90% of tropical freshwater fish are captive bred, with typical hot spots of production being Singapore (e.g. Fig. 12.1), Malaysia, Israel, Florida and the…

Chapter 1 Ferrets Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are thought to be a domesticated form of the European polecat (M. putorius) and, not surprisingly, have a history extending back alongside the…

Chapter 3 Guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus Many of the pet rodents presented to the veterinarian belong to the group known as hystricomorphs. The following species are the commonest as…

Chapter 13 Tropical marine fish Over 90% of tropical marine fish are wild-caught. This means that, although they are robust as individuals (they are the Darwinian survivors of the rigours…