Vet Q&A-SmallAnimal

Hi, I have a rabbit that I purchased from pet supermarket but when I purchased it I didn’t receive any information (its age, breed, or gender). Is there a dna test for a rabbit that will tell me any of that information?

I am afraid there is no test. However if you only bought the rabbit recently, you can go back to the shop and they can tell you what age their rabbits were at a certain time of sale. As for the gender : male rabbits have two elongated testicles, one each either side of the penis, Females just have a little slit. As for its breed , you can upload a good photo from the side and we can try to figure out what breed your rabbit is.

Our husky has been having sores almost rashes that started around his legs and progressed and worked it's way up around his eye. Has been to the vet several times and antiobiotics clear it up but it always comes back! We are thinking it could be something related to northern breeds such as zinc deficiency or a possible food allergy! Please help! Any opinions are welcomed, thank you :)

Oh goodness! That does look uncomfortable! It could be just infection, but if it keeps returning then I agree there could likely be an underlying problem such as thyroid disorder, zinc deficiency, pemphigus, or lupus. If I were in charge of his care I would check a thyroid panel and if that came back normal then I would do straight to a skin biopsy. This is the fastest route to a diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope you find an answer and a resolution soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

My red eared slider turtle is hiding constantly staying under the rock and filter and he’s not sunbathing I’ve had him for 2&1/2 years and he hasn’t grown a whole lot, I’ve only been feeding him 3-4 “floating reptile sticks” every day since then. I’m worried about the little guy should I be feeding him more or something else also I don’t know if his tank is ideal for his species I’ve never met anyone else with a turtle and I haven’t had anyone to get advice from. P1: Turtle P2: food P3: tank

Thanks for reaching out about Sebastian and including pictures. Points of interest to investigate would be: (1) heat support in the water, (2) nutrition, and (3) water quality. If the water temperature gets too low, turtles will slow and stop eating (acting as if hibernating). The water quality needs to be kept clean to decrease bacterial and algal overgrowth. Regarding nutrition, the package of pellets needs to be changed every 3-4 months as vitamins degrade quickly. Offering diced vegetables and whole fish (goldfish, tetras) can provide exercise and nutrition. If Sebastian remains quiet and lethargic, a visit to a reptilian veterinarian is recommended. Good luck.

I wonder why my Pomeranian is taller than her parents, her parents are pure breed Pomeranian with pedigree, so I don’t understand why she is not small like her parents

Thanks for using Boop by Petco. This happens for the same reason that two short people can have a tall child. There may have been a larger dog in the family tree somewhere and your Shakira happened to get those genetics. Also, are you certain her parents are who you think they are? Is it possible there was an accident and there is a different father than you thought? Either way, Shakira is beautiful and looks healthy and that is what's important!

What is the healthiest, best for my dog, Adult Large breed dog food available? No allergens

Hello and welcome to Boop by Petco. Allergens are small proteins that cause the immune system in animals/mammals to 'over-react'. What constitutes an allergen will vary from animal to animal and depends on what their specific immune system 'doesn't like'. Therefore, there is no way to say any food has 'No allergens'. For example, peanuts are an allergen to a person with a peanut allergy, but not to a person without peanut allergies. In general, most animals don't have allergies to food, and unless you are seeing signs of food allergies (diarrhea, vomiting, itchy skin/feet/bum/ears)) then any food protein or carbohydrate is ok. I generally recommend a good quality large breed food with low fat and high fiber. If you want the best for Luns, talk with your vet about Hill's T/D which helps prevent dental disease and also has some efficacy at helping prevent joint disease. It is also an AAFCO supported food so you know it is well balanced and scientific studies have been done to ensure it is a good quality food. Other good food companies are Royal Canine, Science Diet, Eukanuba, etc. Find a food that Luns likes to eat, and has a good quality hair coat and normal poops. Best of luck with Luns!

Hi. My Shih Tzu has dry skin, dandruff, and allergies. My sister suggested that I add olive or coconut oil to his water. Will that really help and if so, how much and how often? Secondly, is there a dry skin lotion on the market for dogs with dry skin that will help with his scratching? Coach is a full breed Shih Tzu and I am aware that makes him an easy target for these symptoms. Please help me to help him. What's a mother to do?

I don’t advise to give coconut oil or olive oil but an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for dogs is excellent. You add this to the food. You may even look for a breed-specific diet for Coach as it will contain additional supplements to support a healthy hair coat. They don’t make lotions for dogs but they do make dogs specific shampoo and conditioners that are balanced for pets skin pH. Oatmeal type conditioners and shampoos tend to be the most moisturizing and can be done once a week. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional quote

Hi I have a German Shepherd female2yr.She had mated with male(gsd)two times in 3 days course time. Now next day by mistake she had gone out and mated with white street dog different breed. Will it effect the whole process like all babies ? As it's first pregnancy of gsd

Yes, this can affect Hazel having all GSD puppies. Because female dogs release multiple eggs when in heat, if they mate with multiple males, there is the possibly that the puppies will have different fathers. Since she had mated with another male, it’s likely her puppies won’t all be GSD. I hope this helps.

I have a mixed breed puppy, Shih Tzu/Pit Bull. What's the best food for her and how much should she eat

There are number of great, high quality foods available, all of which are great choices. I like Science Diet and Royal Canin. Look for puppy food until she's 12 months old, then switch her to adult food. As for amount, go off the package recommendations, though you may find she needs less. For more specific recommendations for how much to feed her, talk to your veterinarian, as your vet can advise you based on her current body condition (underweight, ideal weight, overweight) and size. Thanks for asking Boop by Petco!

Hi My dog is from a local Indian breed. He is going through a tough time. I have attached the photos of the problem. He is having severe problems in his penis. Please advise the cure . Thanks. Ravi +91 8076796990

This is a serious problem and he should get to a vet immediately. This is called paraphimosis and it is an emergency. If you can't get him to the vet right away you can try the home treatments in this linked article. I do not recommend you try this at home but if that is your only option then at least try but if if doesn't work then you need to get him to the vet. ( https://thebark.com/content/paraphimosis )