Q: Our son needs to adopt a turtle from his friend, who has turn out to be bored with his pet. Is there any cause not to concur?
A: Pet turtles commonly carry Salmonella bacteria, which can induce bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach discomfort in people. Kids are most frequently afflicted. So, just take into account your son’s age and amount of responsibility as you make a decision.
In the latest yrs, Salmonella germs from pet turtles have sickened hundreds of Us residents, hospitalized dozens and killed at least one particular person. Turtles with shells much less than 4 inches long most typically lead to human an infection.
Salmonella are carried on the pores and skin and shells of clear, balanced turtles and excreted in their droppings, contaminating habitats, h2o and foods. Thus, if your son adopts a turtle, he will have to chorus from kissing or snuggling it, and he need to wash his palms right away immediately after touching the turtle or its habitat.
The turtle’s habitat ought to be washed someplace other than the kitchen, if possible outside, to protect against Salmonella contamination of food preparation spots and toilet sinks.
Children below 5 decades of age, the aged and people today with weakened immune methods ought to not touch pet turtles or their habitats.
Q: I want to begin utilizing an automated bathroom bowl cleaner, but our canine drinks from the rest room and I you should not want him to get sick. Can you suggest a safe cleaner?
A: Most automated bowl cleaners are fairly risk-free when diluted in bathroom drinking water. If your canine does develop a problem, the worst he will practical experience is mild tummy upset.
On the other hand, the tablets on their own and undiluted liquid rest room bowl cleaners are corrosive. Ingesting them will irritate your dog’s complete gastrointestinal tract, from his mouth and esophagus to his abdomen and intestines, resulting in emesis and diarrhea.
Although the diluted computerized bowl cleaners are relatively protected for pets, it can be however unwise to enable them to drink. Human contaminants, which include drugs, can continue to be in the water following flushing and should not be ingested by animals.
So, shut the lid and give your pet dog a big bowl of contemporary h2o as an alternative. Recall to clean and refill the bowl day by day.
Q: Soren, my fantastic Dane combine, has a smooth mass the dimension of a golf ball on the aspect of his elbow. His veterinarian said it is really a hygroma, not most cancers, and suggested I deal with Soren to a well-padded bed. Why is not going to my veterinarian surgically take out the hygroma? How can I stop it from enlarging?
A: A hygroma types when a boney prominence is regularly traumatized, for example, when the canine sleeps on a tile or hardwood flooring. It starts as a fluid-stuffed sac, like a blister, and then thickens to sort a callus.
Hygromas are most frequent in large-breed, shorter-haired dogs. They commonly form on the elbow but may seem on the hock or “sit” bones of the pelvis.
Surgical procedure is just not advised mainly because the continued trauma of sleeping on a tricky ground promotes an infection and helps prevent therapeutic of the surgical web page.
It can be greatest to abide by your veterinarian’s suggestion and really encourage Soren to rest on a thick bed, preferably a single with an egg-crate foam core.
To even more protect Soren’s elbow, you can apply a doughnut-shaped bandage to surround the hygroma, or outfit Soren in a extended-sleeve T-shirt with padding sewn to the arm of the shirt. Or, use foam pipe insulation to protect his elbow and allow for his hygroma to mend.
Another helpful possibility is the DogLeggs elbow harness, which is at ease, washable and easy to use.
In time, Soren’s hygroma should really shrink and grow to be a mere callus.
Lee Pickett, VMD, methods companion animal medicine in North Carolina. Produce to her employing the call web page at https://askthevet.pet.