Exotic Pets You Can Own Without a License: State-by-State Laws
Every state has laws that determine what kind of animals can be kept as pets. These laws can change at any time and over the years, many states have added to their list of prohibited animals. Game and fish commissions, departments of fish and wildlife or conservation, and other state divisions dictate these rules that are found in state statutes and regulations. These documents can be difficult for some to discover and decipher because they are written in complicated legal language.
Tea Tree Oil for Fleas: Evaluating Safety and Effectiveness
Tea tree oil should never be given orally to pets as it is toxic if swallowed.
Deworming Your Dog: How Often Is Necessary for Optimal Health?
Puppies should be dewormed regularly for the first few months of life, typically during scheduled vaccination visits.
Hole-in-the-Head Disease in Saltwater Fish
Hole-in-the-head disease (HITH) causes erosive pits in fish and is primarily an aesthetic issue but can lead to secondary infections.
Tapeworms in Dogs
Tapeworms in dogs are rarely serious but can cause irritation, malnutrition, and weight loss if untreated.
Tapeworms in Cats
Tapeworms are a common parasite in cats that live in the intestines. They can be excreted in the feces and passed along to other animals. Some owners may notice tapeworm symptoms in their cat such as vomiting, diarrhea, a bloated belly, changes in appetite, or segments of the worms in the stool, but many cats can have tapeworms and not show any signs. For this reason, regular prevention and screening is important to keep your cat free from tapeworms and other intestinal parasites.
Ear Mites in Puppies and Dogs
Ear mites are highly contagious parasites that cause itching, inflammation, and discomfort in pets, requiring prompt treatment.
Velvet: Aquarium Fish Disease Identification and Cure
Velvet disease is a serious condition caused by dinoflagellate parasites, requiring immediate attention to prevent fish mortality.
Anchor Worms in Freshwater Fish: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Anchor worms are crustacean copepod parasites common in freshwater fish such as koi and goldfish, and they are visible to the naked eye.
How to Give Fish a Freshwater Dip or Bath
A quick freshwater dip is an effective first step to treat saltwater fish for parasites before quarantine.
Velvet: Aquarium Fish Disease Identification and Cure
Velvet disease is a serious condition caused by dinoflagellate parasites, requiring immediate attention to prevent fish mortality.
How to Identify and Control Tiny Worms in Your Fish Tank
Properly identify whether you have detritus worms or planaria to determine the correct solution.
Can I Let My Dog Roam Free?
Free-roaming dogs face significant risks, including traffic accidents, exposure to diseases, and encounters with aggressive animals.
Diarrhea in Ferrets
Diarrhea in ferrets can result from various causes, including infections, dietary changes, stress, or foreign body ingestion.
Giardia in Dogs
Giardia is a microscopic protozoan parasite that causes giardiasis, a common intestinal disease in dogs, often leading to diarrhea.
How to Treat Heartworm Disease in Dogs
Heartworm disease is a potentially deadly parasitic infection in dogs. Without treatment, a dog with heartworm disease will eventually die. Although the disease can often be treated, prevention is the best way to keep dogs safe.
Kitten Diarrhea Treatment: Recognize When to Call the Vet
Kitten diarrhea can result from various causes, including dietary changes, stress, infections, and parasites. Persistent diarrhea requires veterinary attention.
Puppy Roundworms
Puppies are commonly infected with roundworms, which can be transmitted before birth, through nursing, or by ingesting larvae.
How to Treat Diseased Marine Fish With Formalin
Formalin is highly effective in treating parasitic protozoan infections, flukes, lice, and fungal diseases in fish.
Worms or Parasites That Can Get Your Reptile Sick
Regular veterinary checkups, including fecal tests, are essential to monitor and manage your reptile's intestinal parasites.
Marine Ich, Velvet, or Coral Fish Disease
Amyloodinium ocellatum , the parasite causing Velvet Disease, reproduces rapidly and can devastate saltwater aquariums if untreated.
What Your Cat Is Saying With Its Eyes
Cats communicate with their eyes, and understanding the position of the eyelids and pupil dilation is crucial in interpreting emotions such as arousal, trust, dominance, and aggression.
What Happens When a Cat is Spayed?
Spaying a female cat prevents heat cycles, reduces the risk of mammary cancer, and helps control overpopulation.
Why Your Cat Is Meowing So Much—and Other Ways They Seek Your Attention
Cats meow for various reasons, including communication, attention-seeking, or medical issues, so monitor changes in vocalization.
Living with Cats: Navigating Cat Allergy Symptoms for Pet Lovers
Allergy testing and gradual exposure to cats can help manage symptoms for potential cat owners with allergies.
How to Solve Behavior Problems in Cats
Rule out medical issues before addressing behavioral problems.
Is Your Cat a Pure Breed?
Most cat breed standards allow for several different eye and fur color or coat patterns within the physical appearance descriptions. This can make it difficult if you are trying to determine what kind of cat you have by reading what colors and patterns each breed of cat can come in. Just because you have a black cat with golden eyes does not mean you have a Bombay, nor does your large longhair tabby automatically become a Maine Coon since you read Maine Coons can come in that pattern. Domestic h
Kitten Development in the First Six Weeks of Life
The first six weeks of a kitten's life are crucial for development. Kittens grow quickly but are susceptible to various threats. Now outside the womb, a kitten will need warmth, food, and protection from infectious diseases and parasites (such as fleas).
Subscribe Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest news, updates, and exclusive offers. Join our community today!
Kidney Disease in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Chronic kidney disease is the most common form of kidney disease in cats, causing gradual loss of kidney function over time.
Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs
Elbow dysplasia is a genetic orthopedic condition common in large dog breeds, causing joint abnormalities and lameness.
How to Care for a Three-Legged Dog
Three-legged dogs, or tripawds, can live happy, active lives with proper care and exercise.
How to Handle Worn Down Dog Teeth: Prevention and Treatment
Dog teeth can wear down due to attrition (teeth rubbing against each other) or abrasion (chewing on objects).
Why Is My Dog Sneezing?
Occasional sneezing in dogs is normal, but persistent or excessive sneezing may indicate a health issue requiring veterinary attention.
What to Do If Your Dog Has a Loose Tooth
Regular dental care, including brushing and veterinary check-ups, is essential to prevent dental disease and complications in dogs.
Dana started her journey in the veterinary field in 2004 at an animal shelter in Corpus Christi, Texas. She immediately fell in love with the profession and nurtured her passion for helping animals that were in desperate need of a second chance. Here, she began implementing improved policies that mitigated disease control, managed a low cost spay/neuter program for the community, and made recommendations to the Board of Directors on best practices for the clinic as well as the shelter as a whole.
View ProfileJoin Us
Share your perspective with confidence. Your experience could inform, inspire, and help someone live better.
Archives
Authors
More ...-
Lara Hew 27 articlesLara is a photography major at UArts in Philly! In her free time, she likes to walk dogs and, of course, take photos. She also loves reading and movies, hiking, kayaking, and just anything that involves being outdoors. She has grown up with animals since she was little and currently has two dogs and a cat of her own.
-
Peyton Shine 26 articlesPeyton originally from Michigan, but have lived in Philadelphia for 10 years. She grew up surrounded by animals, both at home and on her grandparent's farm. She now has one dog, a golden retriever-boxer mix named Cooper.
-
Tiffany Salmon 47 articlesI focus on empowering my team through collaboration, transparency, and a shared sense of purpose. I believe in leading by example, maintaining a mindset of continuous learning, and encouraging others to think creatively and take calculated risks.
-
Dana Minacapelli 47 articles
Dana started her journey in the veterinary field in 2004 at an animal shelter in Corpus Christi, Texas. She immediately fell in love with the profession and nurtured her passion for helping animals that were in desperate need of a second chance. Here, she began implementing improved policies that mitigated disease control, managed a low cost spay/neuter program for the community, and made recommendations to the Board of Directors on best practices for the clinic as well as the shelter as a whole.
-
Lizzie Youens 50 articlesLizzie has over ten years of experience as a veterinary surgeon with particular interests in animal behaviour, dermatology, and geriatrics.
-
Hannah Clark 25 articlesHannah has worked at Pet Drugs Online for over three years, researching, writing, and publishing all of our blog content. She currently lives in Cardiff with her 5-year-old cat, Margot, and 2-year-old Cavapoo, Merida.