Do you have a rabbit that is constantly scratching at her ears? Do the ears look red and irritated? Are there big flakes of crusted material on the inside of your rabbit’s ears? Then you could be dealing with a common parasite in rabbits seen worldwide, the rabbit ear mite, also known as Psoroptes cuniculi.

These mites are easily identified on microscopic examination.

Is your pet having more difficulty getting up in the morning? Does he or she walk around still legged for the first 10 to 15 minutes in the morning to get warmed up? Is your pet limping especially on those cold, wet, rainy mornings? Does your pet limp around following that Frisbee session? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then your pet is probably suffering from osteoarthritis.

Heartworms or Dirofilaria immitis are a spaghetti-type worm that develop in the heart and lungs of an infected host. The disease is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. Due to the insect vector, disease is more common in mild, moist climates. Mosquitos appear to infect ferrets with heartworms at a similar rate as seen in the dog.

Want a prickly pet that will keep your garden free of insects? Then the hedgehog may just be for you. The hedehog that is most commonly available in the pet trade is the African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)--or a mix thereof. The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is found all over western Europe and is usually a little larger than its Asian and African counterparts.

Vaccines are designed to induce immunity and prevent disease development in the vaccinated party. They have made some diseases rare and others almost nonexistent. Through the use of vaccines we have saved an untold number of lives, both human and animal. Unfortunately, no vaccine is totally effective or completely free of adverse reactions.

Is your ferret losing hair and has skin that appears to be normal? Your pet may be suffering from ferret adrenal gland disease.

Are pets appropriate gifts for the holidays? The answer to this should always be yes, but unfortunately this question is often tragically answered, no! Pets make wonderful companions. They enrich our lives and are always there for us. Where else are you going to find an individual that is always in a good mood and glad to see you? These wonderful critters are devoted and loyal. Yet they are dependent on us for everything, thereby creating an awesome responsibility.

Female ferrets reach sexual maturity at 4-8 months of age, typically in their first spring following birth.Female ferrets undergoing their first heat cycle may prove it to be their last heat cycle unless spayed or bred.Ferrets are induced ovulators.Induced ovulation refers to the fact that the female ferret will remain in heat or estrus until such time that they are bred or are artificially stimulated to ovulate.

There's been plenty of debate about whether marijuana is harmful to humans. But it is definitely harmful to your pet.

Marijuana or cannabis, also known as hemp, marihuana, hashish, Mary Jane, grass, reefer, weed or pot is a coarse annual herb that may grow up to six feet tall. The leaves are palmated, compounded with three to seven linear, coarsely dentated leaves. Male plants have small green flowers at the tip while female pants have flowers along the entire length of branch.