Appreciation and Biology of Pet Animals Pt.2

Biosecurity

procedures intended to protect humans or animals against disease or harmful biological agents

Pox (viral)

mostly birds, often spread by mosquitoes, can vaccinate poultry, DOES NOT AFFECT HUMANS

PBFD/Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (viral)

first seen in cockatoos, affects feathers, beaks and nails, see neurotic behavior and immune suppression

Avian Influenza (viral)

respiratory, sudden death with some strains

Tuberculosis (bacterial)

common, affect immunocompromised humans

Mycoplasmosis (bacterial)

galliforms and passerines, respiratory or swollen joints

salmonellosis/salmonella (bacterial)

often kills young birds, respiratory and intestinal in older. birds, some species affect humans

Psittacosis/Parrot fever (bacterial)

affects humans, flu-like symptoms, pneumonia, 1 death per year, sever headache for months

coccidiosis (protozoal)

common galliforms, less psittacines, damages intestines, diarrhea

giardiasis (protozoal)

budgies, intestinal

Candidiasis (fungal)

yeast infection, poor hygiene in hand-feeding, can affect adults after antibiotic treatment

Hypocalcemia (nutritional disease)

laying birds, grains low calcium, egg binding, beak and bone deformities

seed eaters

budgies, chickens

fruit eaters

parrots

nectar eaters

hummingbirds, lorikeet

carnivores

eagles

beak

no teeth

crop

humans don’t have, used for storage

proventriculus

acid production, stomach between crop and the gizzards

ventriculus/gizzard

have rocks in there, grind feed, protected by protein lining like a fingernail

small intestine/duodenal loop/pancrease

digest food

cloaca

where egg, pee, poop and sperm comes out

liver, gall bladder

liver: bile made, gall bladder, stored

tube feeding

syringe and tube (gavage), fast, cleaner, costs slightly more, better measure of consumption

spoon feeding

cheaper, may seem “nicer”

sebaceous

oil gland

mammary

milk glands

epiphyses

rounded edges of long bones, limit final growth with estrogen

diaphragm

important for breathing, separates thoracic and abdominal cavities

viviparous

giving birth to live young that develop inside mom body and receive direct nourishment from her

monotremes/monotremata

oviparous, platypus, echidna, spiny anteater

marsupials/marsupilia

young attached by primitive placenta, kangaroos, opossum

gestation

pregnancy, development of baby in mother

placenta

a temporary organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy to provide oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus and remove waste products

diurnal

active in the day

nocturnal

active at night

crepuscular

active at dusk and dawn

plantigrade

walking on paws, bears and human

digitigrade

walking on toes or “digits”, cats and dogs

unguligrade

walking on “nails” hooved animals

eulipotyphla

mole, shrew, hedgehog

rodentia

rat, mouse, squirrel, have 4 special teeth (2 up 2 down) also molars for chewing and grinding

Lagomorpha

rabbits, hares, large front teeth but with small teeth behind the uppers

carnivora

cat, dog, fox, ferret

ungulata

deer, giraffe, goat, sheep, cattle, horses

puberty

period when secondary sex characteristics begin to develop and the capability of sexual reproduction is attained

polyestrous

cycle from puberty until old age

proestrus (stage 1)

FSH levels increases, some follicles begin to grow and mature, stimulated follicles produce estrogen

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) (female)

produced in pituitary, acts on the ovary to stimulate growth of follicles

estrogen (female)

produced by cells in the follicle, necessary for development of secondary sex characteristics in female, stimulates estrus/heat

Estrus/sexual receptivity/in heat (2)

only time females will accept male, FSH and estrogen levels high, progesterone level is low, surge of LH

progesterone (female)

produced by corpus lute, maintains pregnancy, act as the pituitary to block the LH surge thus preventing another ovulation

Corpus lutes

a temporary, yellow, hormone-secreting structure that forms in the ovary from an ovarian follicle after it releases an egg during ovulation

PGF2a/Prostaglandim

destroys corpus lutes, stimulates production of relaxin

relaxin

relaxes the cervix, pelvic bones, blood level increases prior to the onset of labor

oxytocin

produced by the posterior pituitary, causes uterine contractions

posterior pituitary

back lobe of the pituitary gland that stores and releases hormones made by the brain.

prolactin

stimulates milk release, initiates milk secretion after parturition, stimulates maternal behavior

Metestrus/Ovulation (3)

follicle opens and releases ovum

Diestrus (luteal phase) (4)

corpus luteum forms in ruptured follicle, progesterone level is high, if no pregnancy corpus lutes regresses and new cycle begins, prostaglandin causes corpus lute regression, if pregnancy phase continues longer

parturition

pupping/birthing

postpartum estrus

heat cycle that occurs immediately or shortly after giving birth

testes

manufacturing

epididymis

sperm storage, birds have this too

accessory sex glands

final modifications, add fluid to sperm to help it move turning it into seminal plasma, different species have different glands BIRDS DON’T HAVE THIS

spermatogenesis

stem cells continually divide and renew themselves

testosterone

stimulates testes to produce sperm

LH (males)

acts on cell in the testes to stimulate testosterone production

FSH (males)

stimulates testes to produce sperm and is important to start this process during puberty

cecum

a pouch-like structure that forms the first part of the large intestine, has microorganisms to help digest fiber

Mammals

produce milk, advanced brains, skin rich in glands, hair

hair functions

insulation, camouflage, protection, sensory organ, communication

rabbits

altricial offspring, more compact body shape, male=buck, female=doe, young=kits

hares

precocial birth, longer and thinner body shape

agouti

bulleys shape, brown and white

Himalayan patter

dark points on paws, snout, ears

normal hair (rabbits)

guard hairs longer than under hairs

rex hair types

guard hairs same length as under hairs, all hairs ½ in long, gives velvety appearance and feel

satin

strands of hair are flattened, extra sheen

Angora

very long hair, used for cloth

coprophagy

eating cecal pellets, microbial digestion of fiber, excellent source of B-vitamins

myxomatosis (viral)

interesting historically, transmitted by mosquitoes and fleas, no treatment, kill the animal and burn it, when Australia had big rabbit population brought sick rabbit that killed 96% of population

snuggles (bacterial)

most common, first symptom often wet feet from wiping nose, often a problem if ventilation is not good, hard to cure with antibiotics

mastitis (bacterial)

inflammation of mammary glands, treatable with antibiotics

coccidiosis

protozoal, need to keep cages clean so fecal pellets are not ingested (rabbits + chickens)

ringworm (fungal)

contagious to humans, circular patches of lost hair, sores

ear mites (parasites)

excessive scratching, need to massage in a treatment oil, mange mites, worms

malocclusion

buck teeth, trim so rabbit can eat

sore hocks/urine burn

poor management, urine-soaked hair in cage can cause irritation

anatomical characteristics of mammals

mammary glands, hair, skin covered in glands, 4 chambered heart

ceca (end of digestive track)

microorganisms are held here which help break down fiber

female ferret

Jill

female ferret spayed

sprite

male ferret

hob

ferret male castrated

gib

baby ferret

kit

group of ferrets

business

sexual dimorphism

a noticeable difference between male and female, jills weighting more than a hob

ferret reproduction

estrous 2x a year, long day breeders, altricial babies

long day breeder

animal that starts reproductive systole and enters heat when daylight hours increase (usually spring and summer) ferrets, birds