ANS Final Exam

Exam 1 Material

• 370-400 AKC recognized dog breeds

• Mathematically, 1 intact female cat and her kittens could lead to 420,000 offspring in 7 years

• Cats have been domesticated less than any other “truly” domesticated animal

• Wolf females have 1 estrus cycle yearly, while domestic dogs have 2

• Domestic cat ancestors preferentially ate approximately 13 times daily

• Dog pups have a longer socialization period than wolf pups

• Dog breeds CANNOT be 100% hypoallergenic for people with dog allergies

• The Chow Chow is an ancient breed originating from northern China

• Pet allergies in humans are almost always caused by saliva from the animal

• The AKC has 201 dog breeds in 7 groups

• Groups:

  • Toy - mainly kept by royalty, originally guarded treasures and were lap dogs

  • Retrieving and Flushing are 2 of the 3 groupings of the Sporting Group

  • Non-sporting - this group consists of dogs that don’t fit in 1 group easily

  • Hound - this group may be the oldest of the purebred dogs

  • 2 of 3 the original working dog functions - guarding & sled pulling

• Know all the groups

  • Sporting group: They are specialized hunters that locate game and often collect it; they are active, alert likeable, and great companion animals. They are energetic and need lots of exercise

    • Forerunners: typically pointers and setters that find game and silently point toward it

    • Flushing dogs: pointers, setters, or spaniels that move game, “flushing it” toward their human companion

    • Retrievers: generally large and strong dogs with good noses and excellent eyesight that often have a main function of fetching game and returning it to their human companion

  • Hound group: Hounds built for hunting. May be the oldest purebred dogs. They are a very diverse lot with common ancestral traits used for hunting. They can be used for sight (greyhound) (gaze hounds), which do not depend on anything except sight; scent hounds (bloodhound), which do not depend on anything but scent; or a combination of the two (beagle)

  • Herding group: created in 1983, newest AKC classification; its members were formerly members of the Working Group. Pure instinct prompts these dogs to herd their owners, which can be worrisome with children. These intelligent dogs make excellent companions and respond beautifully to training and competitions

  • Terrier group: Feisty, lively dogs whose physical sizes range dramatically. Terriers typically have a low tolerance for other dogs (cats or vermin), although they usually bond to their caring owners. Their ancestors were bred to hunt and kill vermin. Require owners with the determination and skill to match.

  • Toy group: Usually miniature versions of all the other groups of dogs. They are small but often tough. Toys were mainly kept by royalty until recently and used to guard treasures.

  • Non-Sporting group: a diverse group of dogs with varied sizes, personalities, and appearances

  • Working group: they were bred to guard property, pull sleds, and perform water rescues. They are primarily large, strong, and energetic dogs requiring lots of exercise and a dominant owner

    • Guard dogs: protects the flocks and herds from predators such as wolves, bears, other dogs, etc. (Akita)

    • Sled dog breeds: Bred to pull sleds or herd reindeer. Have thick double coats that allow them to withstand strong arctic winds and subzero temps (Husky)

    • Rescue dog breeds: Pull people out of water, drag them back to the boat. Helping us balance (Saint Bernard)

• The Plott Hound is the North Carolina State dog

• Giant Schnauzer - originally used to drive cattle and guard, but now is utilized for police work. Name translated to “the giant”

• English Bulldog - One of the most popular breeds. Loveable and gentle disposition, adorable wrinkles, many genetic health problems. Originally bred for ferocity & used in bull baiting / dog fighting

• Russian Toy - Resembles a Chihuahua and is a relatively new breed (2022), but the lineage dates back to the Russian aristocracy

• Sporting Group

  • Brittany

    • Often termed “max quality-min size”

    • Named for a French province

    • Natural pointers and excellent retrievers

  • Labrador Retriever

    • Has an “otter” tail which allows it to function as a retrieving gun dog

    • Was #1 breed for 31 years (not now)

  • Gordon Setter

    • Called the “Black avenger of the highlands”

    • The Gordon Setter is a substantial bird dog named for Scottish Duke Alexander Gordon

  • German Shorthaired Pointer

    • Medium sized “gundog of all trades”

    • Referred to as the “perfect pointer”

• Working Group

  • Rottweiler

    • Named for Rottweil, the town in Germany where the breed was developed.

    • Hunted boar, guard and drove cattle, and worked with police.

  • Giant Schnauzer

    • Originated in Germany, Riesenschnauzer “the giant”

    • Originally used as a cattle driving dog, it is now used for police work.

    • First started in police work just prior to WWI in Germany

  • Akita

    • Famous for their dignity, courage, and loyalty

    • Independent; high prey drive; tend to be aggressive towards other dogs, especially of the same sex

  • Boxer

    • Named for using their front paws like a “prizefighter”

    • Loyal and affectionate with a “silly” personality can make them a good family dog.

• Hound Group

  • Dachshund

    • Also known as the “sausage dog or badger dog”

    • “Dachs” means badger in German

  • Plott Hound

    • Breed was developed in the Smoky Mountains of NC.

    • Aggressive hunter with a loud, musical voice, known as “Plott Music.”

    • North Carolina’s state dog

  • American Foxhound

    • Bred to chase a fox, but not kill it

    • Known for its “musical voice”

  • Basenji

    • Can be difficult to train due to being stubborn and “catlike”

    • Does not bark; known as “barkless” dog, but does make yodeling noises

• Herding Group

  • Belgian Malinois

    • Often used in police work (due to speed & training)

    • Not historically a popular breed in the USA.

  • Border Collie

    • Controls flock with stalking movement and an “intense gaze”.

    • Tendency to herd objects and people, they do best with mature families

  • Old English Sheepdog

    • Often referred to as the “Bobtail.”

    • Their shuffling gait is a unique characteristic which resembles that of a bear.

  • Australian Shepherd

    • Known as “the cowboy’s favorite herding dog”

    • Originated in Australia, but bred from European Dogs and “perfected” in California

• Terrier Group

  • American Staffordshire Terrier

    • Often termed “The Nanny Dog” since they are “Affectionate, reliable and have a high tolerance for small children”

    • must exercise control, need a dominant owner!

  • Parson Russell Terrier

    • developed in England in the mid-1800’s and named after Rev. John Russell, a well known hunter.

    • Bred to hunt red fox,follow the fox underground and flush it out towards the hunter.

  • Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

    • This breed has the color-fading gene (Typically brown as puppies, light/white as adults)

    • Native to Ireland, they were once a peasants dog

  • Bedlington Terrier

    • Got its name from the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England

    • The origin of the dog’s haircut is a bit of a mystery to even the president of this dog’s fan club

• Toy Group

  • Chihuahua

    • Sassy with a “saucy expression”

    • Referred to as “small kings and queens ready to rule”; obedience training often required

  • Chinese Crested

    • Chinese mariners reportedly sailed with this breed and that it evolved from African hairless dogs .

    • They are not barkers and they like to climb and dig holes.

    • Good “city pets”

  • Russian Toy

    • The elite families wanted their own things,including dogs, so the Russian Toy became a prize possession.

    • Their lineage dates back to the Russian aristocracy, but is a new AKC breed

  • Italian Greyhound

    • AKA the “Iggy”

    • Bred to be companions and jesters for centuries.

    • “High-stepping charmers and companions”

• Non-Sporting Group

  • Bulldog

    • The name “bull” was applied because of the dog's use in bull baiting

    • The Bulldog is featured in the Disney film “Lady and the Tramp”

  • Chow Chow

    • Their Catlike personality makes them more independent, stubborn, and less eager to please.

    • A unique trait is their black/blue tongue.

    • An ancient Chinese breed.

  • Chinese Shar-Pei

    • Originally referred to as “peasants dogs” owned by farmers to hunt, herd, and guard.

    • Name translates to “sand skin” for their sandpapery coat.

  • Lhasa Apso

    • Famous for a floor-length, flat-hanging coat which requires regular grooming and bathing.

    • Served as sentinels at palaces and monasteries in the Himalayas.

    • Known to be an energetic breed.

• For dogs:

  • Selective breeding as we know it began around 5,000 years ago with huge extremes being seen 200 years ago

  • Insurance companies can deny coverage to homeowners with specific dog breeds

  • Selective breeding can be used to weed out undesired traits from breeds

  • Evidence of domestication has been found in several countries leading to the idea that the dog was likely domesticated simultaneously around the world

• Cat’s scientific name: Felis catus

• Dog’s scientific name: Canis lupus familiaris

• Grey wolf’s scientific name: Canis lupus

• There is an estimate of 90 million Dogs as pets in U.S. households

• Annually, over 2 billion is spent on treats by pet owners

• Over 50% of owners greet their pet before they greet their human family

• The Grey Wolf is more closely related to the domestic dog than it is to the red wolf

• Which is an example of taming?

  • A tiger performing a task via training by circus trainer

  • Feeding squirrels in your yard until you can approach & feed them out of your hand

• Taming versus domestication: Domestication is breeding and containment of a species under human control. This involves animal changes (including genetic structure), while taming is when an animal may be socialized to humans but they can easily revert back to their feral instincts. Different from domestication because the animal is not reliant on us for survival and taming takes place over a single generation - no breeding changers or genetic changes

• “Pit bull” terminology:

  • No specific breed is called a Pit Bull; the term refers to several different breeds & mixes

  • Term came from originally being bred to fight/entertain in a pit/arena

  • Dog fighting was illegal in England ~100 years before it was made illegal in the US

• Amount of chromosomes for domestic dogs and gray wolves: 39

• Cats primarily communicate by scent, vocalizations, and body motions

  • Scent: spraying, touching, rubbing, scratching

  • Vocalization: shrill cries to other cats and weaker ones toward us; kittens know at birth

  • Body motions: facial features, expressions, tail movement, whiskers, ears

• List two cat behavior problems and explain how to stop each one

  • Scratching indoors- provide your cat with a scratching post (never carpeted) or a better place to scratch. Give your cat something else to occupy his time

  • Spraying indoors- This is a sign your cat is unable to cope with a change and is under stress. Decide what may be behind the cat’s behavior, be sure to make the cat feel secure and happy

• Explain an example of neoteny behavior displayed in cats

  • The kneading behavior in cats

• Cat versus dog domestication

  • Cats were seen as a religious figure throughout the world

  • Cat domestication occurred as a byproduct of increased settler agriculture

  • Cats originated from African and Asian wildcats, while dogs originated from many species in Canidae

• The Grey Wolf currently has 31 subspecies. Used to have 39 subspecies

• The cat was first thought to be domesticated approximately 3,000 years ago. The dog was first thought to be completely domesticated approximately 15,000 years ago

• AKC Lecture - Mary Beth O’Neil

  • AKC events/certifications mixed breed dogs can participate in: scentwork and obedience

  • The AKC is the ONLY dog registry group that inspects kennels

  • Raleigh is home to the largest AKC headquarters

  • The AKC’s DNA division ensures that registered dogs are from the parents on the pedigree

  • A miscellaneous class exits, and is typically a pathway to becoming a full recognized breed

  • AKC government relations monitored over 1,200 potential bills in 2024 affecting pets

  • AKC Reunite has both a microchip program and a disaster relief program

  • The canine health foundation has selected tick-borne disease research as a focus area

  • Labrador Retriever - dog breed that WAS the most popular in the AKC for over 30 years

  • French Bulldog - Currently the most popular dog breed in the AKC

• Ear cropping

  • The original purpose: To prevent ears getting caught on things while hunting/fighting

  • The current (primary) reason for these procedures: Personal benefit for the owner/likes how it looks

• Breed versus subspecies: A breed is based on artificial selection by humans while a subspecies is based on natural selection

  • Subspecies of the domestic dog: Dingo

  • Breed of the domestic dog: Chihuahua

  • Subspecies of the Grey Wolf: Arctic Tundra Wolf, Arabian Wolf

• True from Pedigree Dogs Exposed video:

  • There are good breeders that are trying to fix genetic issues in several popular dog breeds

  • This film was based in the UK

  • This video caused many organizations to stop funding the Westminster dog show.

• Breeds and corresponding conditions talked about in Pedigree Dogs Exposed video

  • Boxers - Juvenile Kidney Disease

  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Syringomyelia

  • Dalmatians - Uric Acid production

• True from “Dogs Decoded”

  • Scientific evidence points towards dogs being able to read human emotion

  • Silver foxes were involved in a breeding program to study the domestication process

  • Some scientists believe the human-dog relationship involves a biochemical connection

  • When a human looks at a picture of a dog the frontal part of the brain is affected the same as when a human looks at a picture of a baby

• Bastet - the name of the God the cat was associated with in Egypt

• Anal Sac and Bladder - could be a gland in a male cat

• Cats have the flehmen reaction

• Cat bites can easily become infected and may even result in serious medical cases

• Cats do not have sweet taste buds

• Adult cats are lactose intolerant

• Not all cats react to catnip

• When cats scratch, they scent mark, stretch, clean their nails, & visual mark

• The hat for the cat in Medieval, Europe may have contributed to the black plague

• North Carolina is one of the three US states that do not have laws concerning exotic animals

• Chow Chow, Chinese Sharpei - two dog breeds with an entire blue/black tongue

• Sporting Group - most popular of the seven AKC groups for pet ownership

• The Brittanly was named after a French Province (the Breed originated in France)

• Which dog breed suffers from chondrodystrophy? Dachshund

  • Chondrodystrophy - a genetic mutation that results in short legs and a long body

• Dogs and wolves differ by what percent of Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)? 0.20

• What is the only vaccine required in North Carolina and to bring an animal to class? Rabies

• Tail docking and ear cropping are modifications to an animal. Docking the tail is done by removing portions (bones) of the tail and ear cropping is when part or all of an animal's outer ear are cut/removed. The history of this was that people used to believe that docking the tail would prevent rabies. In the past there were also little antibiotics or methods of treatment. To prevent a working or hunting dog from injuring themselves (getting their ears/tail caught) and risk of infection, tail docking and ear cropping became an alternative treatment.

• In 2023, $151 billion was spent on pets in the United States with the largest amount being spent on food.

• The Herding Group is the newest of the AKC classifications; whose members are formally from the Working Group.

Exam 2 Material

• Pocket Pets

  • Fits in your pocket- yet rabbits are still included

• Mice and Rats

  • 500+ species of rats, only 2 are commonly kept as pets

  • Poor husbandry- most common cause of ill health

  • Water should be ad lib(constant access)

  • Gestation: 19-24 days

  • Keratin sheet on mouse tail- don’t pick up by tip or it could be pulled off

  • Only one mouse species kept as a pet

• Ferrets

  • Not legal in some states and in many counties b/c people are worries about the invasive threats of ferrets

  • Domestic ferret is not the same species as the endangered wild U.S. fetter (black footed ferret)

  • True carnivore

  • Gestation 38-44 days

  • Distemper virus is 100% fatal in ferrets- a canine disease, don’t bring things home to other animals

• Gerbils

  • Considered the best beginner pet- don’t pee a lot, get sick less, friendly with others

  • Gestation: 24-26 days

  • Very small stomachs

• Hamsters

  • Golden hamster is most frequent pet

  • Will hibernate at temps below 5 degrees (may think its dead, but just hibernating)

  • Wet tail diarrhea

  • Catch colds easily

  • Gestation period: 16 days (SHORTEST PERIOD)

• Exotic Pets

• Not domesticated

• Chinchillas

  • Fur is extremely soft

    • Chinchilla fur has 60 to 80 hairs per hair follicle

  • South American rodent (most commonly from the Andes mountain range)

  • Can get malocclusion

  • Need baths with finely ground powder to rid their fur of excess oils and moisture (volcanic ash is used in the wild)

  • Gestation period: 111 days - LONGEST PERIOD

  • Easiest exotic pet to have

  • Caffeine is dangerous

• Hedgehogs

  • Insectivore mammals (insects primarily, but also slugs, spiders, small eggs, birds, etc.)

  • European and African(smaller) are most common for pets

  • Very primitive animals

  • Let them walk & eat along baseboard- to not get obese

  • Nocturnal

  • They can get external parasites (mites are life-threatening) and lung worms

  • Constipation- common problem in hoglets

  • Beware of their spines

  • Practice anointing behavior- they foam at the mouth & distribute saliva over themselves (defenses/smell behavior and maybe good for their skin)- some people allergic to amino acids in saliva

  • Wash under the faucet but this should be INFREQUENT

  • Health issues:

    • Obesity due to boredom / lack of movement

    • Constipation

• Prairie Dogs

  • NEED BUDDIES

  • Diurnal animals

  • Were illegal to purchase in the US from 2003-2008 due to Monkeypox outbreak- stemmed from rat species in Ghana. Can carry Tularemia and the Bubonic Plague

  • Gestation period: a little over a month

  • Originates from the United States

• Sugar Glider

  • Small but need A LOT OF SPACE (most out of companion animals)

  • NEED BUDDIES

  • Native to Australia and New Guinea (a marsupial)

  • Hardest animal to feed

  • Gestation period: 17 days

• Degu

  • Should NOT be fed any additional sugars

  • Caffeine is dangerous

  • Became companion animals b/c they are used for diabetes and cataract research

  • Originally from Chile

  • Very good vision w/ special sensitivity to UV light- can use it to communicate

  • Gestation period: 90 day

  • Men try to attract females w/ big stick piles

  • Herbivores- no caffeine or sugar

  • Be careful of tails- keratin sheet

  • Coprophagy- anus vitamins

  • Lives in burrows

• Coatimundi

  • Related to the raccoon, can be aggressive, and highly driven by scent

• Cats

  • Most popular U.S. cat breed- Ragdoll

  • Scottish Fold has a controversial breeding regimen. If you breed two cats with folded ears, half will die. 25% will die in utero and 25% will die after birth.

  • CFA recognizes 45 cat breeds

• Rabbits

  • Rabbits have 4 size classes

    • Heavy: French Lob

    • Average: New Zealand White

    • Lightweight: Himalayan

    • Small: Polish

  • Rabbit’s ancestors originated in Asia (45 million years ago)

  • Rabbit gestation period: 30-33 days

  • Practice coprophagy- body makes vitamins directly from anus

  • Stress can cause cardiac arrest and paralysis

  • Chew items to avoid excess incisor growth

  • Cannot throw up- needs to be brushed

• Guinea Pigs

  • 8 species of guinea pigs, 13 breeds

  • Scientific name: Cavia Porcellus

  • Continually growing teeth- can cause malocclusion

  • GP’s don’t have metabolic fill- can’t feel when they are full

  • Nocturnal

  • Females need to be bred prior to 7 months of age or the pelvic bones will semi-fuse and a C-section is needed

  • Originally bred for meat

• Reptiles and Amphibians as Companion Animals

  • U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of live reptiles JUST for pets

  • Annual income from reptiles and related products is approx $2 billion

  • “Herptiles” -a reptile or amphibian

  • At least 3% of US homes have reptile or amphibians

  • At least 14 mil reptiles and 14 mil amphibians in US homes

  • Have the Jacobson’s organ (Flehmen reaction)

  • Many species naturally carry salmonella on their skin

  • Absorb things into their skin- make sure hands are clean when handling a herptile

• Amphibians

  • Around 7,000 species

  • Most common pets: African-clawed toad, axolotl, tree frogs, poison dart frogs (have to eat a wild diet to have poison)

  • First thought they evolved from primitive fish 350 million years ago

  • All cold-blooded

  • Most species need a vivarium (with land and water)

  • Water conditions are very important- like a fish tank

  • Diet varies with life stage (most born herbivores and become carnivorous as adults)

  • Main classes:

    • Anura (tailless adults such as frogs and toads)

    • Caudata (adults with tails such as newts and salamanders)

    • Apoda (tropical and legless)

• Reptile Classifications

  • Order Chelonian-shelled reptiles (Testudines) : 341 species

    • Terrapin: Fresh water

    • Tortoise: Land

    • Turtle: marine

  • Order Squamata (Lizards and Snakes)

    • Suborder Lacertilia (Sauria) = Lizards ~ 6000 species

    • Suborder Serpentes = Snakes ~ 3500 species

    • Suborder Amphisbaenia (Worm lizards) ~ 188 species

  • Order Crocodylia (Alligators and Crocodiles) ~ 25 species

  • Order Rhynchocephalia (Tuatara) - one species (some say 2)

• Tortoises

  • Carapace on top, Plastron on bottom

  • Scutes- shapes on back

  • Long lifespan

  • Front claws go straight down for digging

  • US enacted a ban on Jan 17, 2012 on 4 snakes: Burmese python, yellow anaconda, northern and southern African python. Ban is because of invasive species threat (fed law was repelled in 2017 but import & local laws still exist in many places.

  • Tegus have become a problem a problem in Fl (similar to overpop of iguana and dome species)

• Chelonian- shelled reptiles

  • Diets vary, some herbivores, some carnivores, others fall in between

  • Chelonians hibernate and will not eat during this time

  • They need water esp after hibernation

  • Can be hard/dangerous to hold (for both man and animal)

  • Sexing: males have longer tails and longer nails/claws. Males also have a little bubble in their shell so they don’t flip over when on a female

  • Common problems: cataracts, blindness, eggbinding, nutrition problems, obesity, anorexia, etc.

  • Should be housed indoors if they are a pet and should not be taken from the wild

• Lizards

  • Handling can be difficult (teeth, long tails, feed are dangerous)

    • Green iguana has a tail it can whip you with

  • Almost all housing is same as snakes

  • Various diseases are prevalent, but modern medicine is improving this

  • Large diet variety

  • Diet supplementation is almost always required (ask vet for recc, over-supplementation can be as bad as under-supplementation)

  • Some have clumps of pigment in the dermis of their skin that disperse or congregate to change color (intentional or bc illness)

  • Some practice autonomy- lose their tails

  • If reptiles are too cold after they eat, food will rot in their insides

• Metabolic Bone Disease in an Iguana

  • Reptiles need to absorb UV light rays. This is needed for calcium metabolism, vitamin D synthesis, and pigment formation

  • Poor husbandry, malnutrition, and lack of sanitation are the biggest pet reptile killers

  • MBD: deformed legs and back, face changes so they have trouble eating. (seen in reptiles and great danes)

  • “Evil” The Iguana→ She ate her brother and has metabolic bone disease. Dr. A’s Aunt and Uncle’s pet.

  • Tokay gecko: aggressive and not a good pet although it is still common and cheap in the US. High pitched screeching

• Snakes

  • Entirely carnivorous

  • Snakes can become obese and this should be monitored

  • Dead vs live prey can be a problem because live prey can hurt the snake and some only eat alive prey

  • If obese, scales can spread apart and hurt

  • #1 killer of snakes is poor husbandry

    • Others: malnutrition & lack of sanitation

  • Cannot hear but feel vibrations

  • Handling can be interesting as they may be venomous and large. Do not hold them around your neck

  • Housing: make sure multiple snakes have similar requirements (arboreal, terrestrial, burrowing, or aquatic and, similar temps.)

  • Venomous snakes: very bad idea to keep venomous snakes as pets

    • What is the difference between poison and venomous? Poison is ingested and venom is injected

• King Snakes

  • Good beginner snakes

    • Moderate size (3 to 6 feet) and like a temperature that many people like to keep their homes at

  • Lays eggs

  • Can only house a single snake because King Snakes eat other snakes

  • Can live over 20 years

• Corn Snakes

  • Good beginner snakes

  • Moderate size (4-5 feet)

  • Docile, egg layer

  • Come in numerous colors and patterns, live up to 20 years

• Ball Pythons

  • Excellent beginner snakes commonly live 20+ years in captivity

  • Moderate size (4-6 feet)

  • Defense mechanism is to roll up into a ball instead of striking → makes people less scared

• Red Tail Boa Constrictors

  • NOT a great beginner snake

  • Can be 7-12 ft long

  • Live birth

• Selecting Your Pet

  • Captive bred or captive hatched

  • Alert → clear eyes, grips firmly

  • Longer held in captivity, the happier pet will be with you

  • Power feeding is BAD- feeding animal too much in hopes of it growing longer

  • No obvious respiratory problems

  • Because they are tame and NOT domesticated, it is important to spend time with animal

• Enclosures

  • Escape-proof

    • Better to open from the font

  • Glass cages

    • 40 gallon glass case with a lid works well for 1 to 2 corn snakes

  • Racks

    • ½ to ¾ sq foot of cage per foot of pet

    • Size of pet is not limited by size of the enclosure- animals will grow & should grow to natural size

    • Should have 2 tanks, one for relaxing, and one for eating - so they know when to strike

  • Enclosures

    • Sweater box, critter cage, custom built, rack system

  • Furnishings

    • Gradient heat should go up & down like the wild

    • Overhead light should be rotating

    • Heat tape works well for sweater boxes and racks

    • Thermal burns: need a buffer & should not use a primary heat source

      • Heat rocks - cheap ones may stay hot!!!

    • Lighting

      • UV must be appropriate for species

      • Appropriate for day length

      • Timer- need to be warm, not cooked

    • Diseases/health conditions

      • Get many diseases including obesity, egg binding, and more

• Birds

  • When buying a bird, buy from a source that has bred as many generations of tamed animals as possible

  • Bringing wild-caught birds into the US as pets was outlawed in 1993

  • In your will, you can’t leave money to your animal b/c they are considered property

  • Some species can outlive humans

  • Dependent on their owners and can have numerous self-destructive behaviors if neglected

  • Birds may also bond with only one member of the household and can become jealous. Typically smart and need attention

• Classification of Common House Birds

• Order Psittaciforms (most common pet grouping) - 350 species

  • Parrots, cockatoo, rainbow lori

• Most popular and most known species kept as companion animals

• African Greys, Alex and Griffin are so smart, Alex is smarter than the Border Collie

  • Color coordination, beaks matching w/ words

• Order Passerifomes - most birds in the wild

  • “Perching birds” over half of all living species

  • Canary, waxbill, cardinal, mynah, finch

  • Can’t keep cardinal as pet in NC

• Orders Clumiformes & Galliformes

  • Examples: dove, quail

• Bird Housing

  • Proper aviary could be about $2,000 - expensive pets

  • Keep cage at human head height for safety reasons as they know they are prey (unless bird is ground species)

  • Bird should be able to stretch their wings and if perched, tail should not hit the floor- animal welfare act

  • Dangers: toilets, boiling water, vacuum cleaners, essential oils, perfumes

  • Natural branches of varying size are best so they can use their feet in different ways

  • Don’t use sandpaper on perches- uses it to file down bird’s nails which is bad because they can start bleeding

  • Keep water and food above the perch to avoid contamination from waste

  • Shallow (1 cm) water tubs for bathing are good

  • Allow natural sunlight if possible- not too hot

• Common Illnesses

  • Bacterial infections from contaminated water bowl

    • Malnutrition- not getting enough of a nutrient, can look healthy

    • Polyoma virus- there are vaccines but the formula is not changed enough

  • Chlamydiosis- parrot fever, zoonotic (transferable between birds and humans), carried by feces, bacteria lives and reproduced in host- lime green feces

    • Aspergillosis- fungus in lungs

  • Unhappiness can be big problem- birds don’t suffer in silence

• Boredom

  • Some large birds said to have mental abilities of a 3 to 4 year old human child. They need stimulation

  • Caged birds need SAFE toys

  • Rotate toys so birds don’t get too attached

  • Cage binding- cage seems safe and outside world is scary, hard to readjust

• Nutrition

  • Chronic malnutrition is common in pet birds

  • Some have hard bills for seeds and others have breaks for nectar/fruits

  • Nutrition requirements vary greatly

  • Birds are conservative feeders

  • Insectivores should have live prey as a diet (monitor Ca:P dietary ratio - CALCIUM SHOULD BE HIGHER)

• Handling

  • Do not squeeze abdomen and sternum together or you may suffocate the bird, necks are actually quite mobile

  • Fingers can be amputated by large birds

• Reproduction Factors

  • Failure may be disease related

  • Stress can cause infertility

  • Let them choose their own mates

  • Need appropriate nestbox/nesting materials

    • Male hornbills make mud casing to protect female and babies

• Birds of Prey

  • Sport of falconry started approx 12,000-15,000 years ago

  • Need a federal or state license

  • Humans, dogs, and birds have been working together for so long

• False! Reptiles can NOT absorb chemicals and soaps that are on your hands when you handle them

• Cat breeds:

• Feeder animals are mice and rats. They are given to other animals as food

• One specific reason why there is controversy behind cat hybrids: Cat hybrids have different gestation periods than domestic cats which can cause breeding complications

• Hybrid breeds:

  • The Savannah: Serval x cat

  • The Bengal: ALC (Asian Leopard Cat) x cat

• Most reptiles have the Jacob’s organ to sense their environment

• Amphibians require water in order to successfully reproduce

• Turtles cannot be sold under a certain size to prevent kids putting them in their mouth

• Research suggests that snakes should ideally have 2 enclosures: one they are fed in and one in which they are handled

• Poison is ingested and venom is injected via appendages like fangs or stingers

• Regarding Ca:P ratio in insectivores:

  • Insects are low in calcium because they do not have bones

  • Egg binding can result from feeding crickets

  • Calcium and Phosphorus should be at an approximately 2:1 ratio

  • Insects can be supplemented via dusting powders or feeding them

• Pocket pets are usually less than 3 pounds though there are several exceptions

• Herptiles

  • Cuadata is an amphibian group with tiger salamanders being a species example

  • Tegus were discussed as a new invasive species risk in Southern USA

  • Chelonians can be sexed using tail length, claw length, and/or shell features

• Chelonians are shelled reptiles AND their three orders are terrapins, tortoises, and turtles

• There are approximately 17,000 species of herptiles possible as companion animals

• The three suborder common names of squamata order are lizards, snakes, & worm lizards

• Almost 10,000 species of reptiles exist

• Birds may bond with only one member of the family and can become jealous

• Rabbit story

  • There was not a rabbit population in Australia prior to 1800

  • Australia has tried to stop rabbit spread by 100+ mile fencing, traps, hunting & poison

  • American pet rabbits are European species raised by Monks not US hares & wild rabbits

  • The first biological disease introduced killed roughly 85+% of the wild rabbits but those that lived became immune to the virus

• 2012 federal law ban that was later overturned in 2017- Tegus were not banned

• Ethan’s Chelonian lecture:

  • Their shell is made from fused bones of the vertebral column, ribs, and pelvic and shoulder girdles

  • Most tortoises and sea turtles have lifespans comparable to the average human

  • Sea turtles can be identified by the unique scute patterns on their carapace

• Red tailed boas can get up to 10ft and be aggressive

• Ball pythons are great beginner pets because they “ball up” when frightened instead of striking

• Burmese pythons can live 20+ years and reach over 20 ft

• Some bird species can live longer than 25+ years

• Best to catch birds in dim light

• Mr. Michael O’Donnell’s lecture - Sit Means Sit (Ripken)

  • He played a role in training Tuffy III

  • He gained the trust of the football coach Dave Doeren by successfully redirecting Ripken to retrieve football tee

  • He took significant financial risk by starting his business while expecting a child

  • He offers internships for undergraduate students to learn about training dogs with his team

  • Earning the respect of wolf hybrids is essential before effective training can begin

• Female ferrets (jills) should be spayed if they are not going to be bred due to aplastic anemia

• Captive bred- most likely to be the most tame

• Metabolic bone disease - is the abnormality of bones, deformed legs, back, and face changes caused by lack of UV rays that are required for calcium metabolism, vitamin D synthesis, and pigment formation

  • Major issue for Iguanas

• Longest gestation period: Chinchillas

• Shortest gestation period: Hamsters

• Skinny pig is an example of guinea pig breed discussed

• Feeding snakes: dead or live prey

  • I think dead prey is the best because the risk of being hurt is basically non-existent while with live prey, your snake could get hurt if unable to catch prey right away

• Autonomy:

  • When an animal loses their tail. This may occur as a self defense mechanism to escape a predator. It is natural

• Coprophagy is practiced by rabbits and degu to obtain one of two specific nutrients: B-Vitamins and Vitamin K

Exam 3

• Normal diet dog recommendation: 1-8% fiber, 65-70% carbs, 18-25% protein

• Sutures: Gaps of non-ossified tissue that remain between individual bones during bone growth

• Dolichocephalic field of vision: 270

  • Sight hounds

• Mesaticephalic: 235

  • Traditional dog type

• Brachycephalic: 200

  • An example of chondrodystrophy: genetic defects in the proper growth of cartilaginous models for bones

• Prey drive: instinctive behavior to find, pursue, and/or capture

• Ossification: The process by which bones grow and develop

• Chromosome: structure in every nucleus that contains the DNA and RNA

• Outcrossing: mating unrelated individuals to bring in new characteristics or eliminate bad ones

• Alaskan malamute: Have zinc deficiencies that can cause skin problems

• Oviparous: process of laying eggs

• Ungual crest: Part of the toe that needs to be removed for the claw to not grow back

• Polygenic Inheritance: Some traits are influenced by more than one gene (hair length, hip dysplasia, etc.)

• Procedure on Puff the fish: Enucleation (removal of the eye)

• Crossing over/gene linkage: Can lead to spontaneous mutations that confuse breeders (although not always harmful)

• Produce on Koi fish: Pebble removal from throat

• XX: Female mammal sex chromosome depiction

• The Manx is an example of how certain breeds can have as few as 3 caudal vertebrae bones

• To decrease weight in normal dogs you need to increase the fiber and decrease the protein

• Most genetic defects are thought to be caused by a single gene (though this is debatable)

• According to the Alley Cats & Angles lecture, a cropped ear on a cat is a universal symbol that they have been spayed or neutered, as well as vaccinated

• Already cycled water is available for fish tanks so that they can safely house fish immediately

• Tropical fish prefer 7.0 water pH compared to saltwater fish with 8.6 water pH

• Puppies and kittens receive their “baby” teeth by approximately 6 weeks and theses are replaced by their permanent teeth by approximately 6 months

• Small water changes once a week are better than large water changes once a month

• The average vertebral column has 33+ bones with 5 main regions

• Superfecundity is when queens mate with several toms, so 1 litter can have multiple fathers

• Superfetation is a concern due to the possibility of some kittens born premature while others are born past-due

• Dogs have 39 chromosomes (38 autosome pairs and 1 sex chromosome pair)

• According to BeWild lecture, snakes with Adenovirus are recommended to be euthanized

• Cats can hear better than dogs because they have ultrasonic hearing

• Filtration

  • Mechanical: needed to filter particles out of the water

  • Chemical: may be used to change the water chemistry if trying to keep a sensitive species

  • Biological: of #1 importance in a tank; the reason you have a filter - bacteria live in the filter to make the fish waste less harmful

• Reasons to be cautious when picking decorations for your fish’s tank:

  • They could carry diseases from previous tank

  • Living decorations (like plants) can impact natural cycling of the tank

  • Moving parts could injure fish

  • Flashing of color (like the floor gravel) could stress fish

• Coverings and linings of the body

  • Protection: skin, scales, and claws protect underlying tissues and protects from bacteria

  • Chemical exchange: lining of digestive tract, lungs, kidneys, and thermoregulation

  • Secretions: endocrine and exocrine glands (mucus, enzymes, and pheromones)

  • Support: exoskeleton, wings of bats, birds, etc.

  • Storage: excess food, pigment deposits

  • Sensory: eye, parts of the ear

• Declawing cats

  • Equivalent to taking off your finger almost to the first knuckle

  • Not legal in numerous other countries

  • Not legal in some US states

• Genotypic breeding (knowing genes)

  • Inbreeding: mating very closely related individuals (higher inbreeding coefficient)

  • Linebreeding: breeding closely related individuals that are removed by at least one generations

  • Outcrossing: mating unrelated individuals to bring in new characteristics or eliminate bad ones : hybrid vigor- breeding same breed but as far and distantly as possible

• Non-genetic (phenotypic) breeding examples:

  • Positive assortative: mating phenotypic or behavior, “like to like”

  • Negative assortative: mating phenotypic or behavior; “non-like to non-like”

    • Ex: big and small hoping to get medium

  • Crossbreeding: mating two different breeds to get “new” characteristics and possibly start a new breed (ex: Bullmastiff)

• Dr. Lewbart’s Lecture:

  • MS-222 can be used as both a fish anesthetic and euthanasia option

  • About 1 person jumps in a Bass Pro Shops tank every week in America

  • Color change in a fish typically signals a veterinary concern and is not normal

  • Some fish species have teeth in their throat

• Geriatric dogs may need increased vitamins and minerals due to lowered absorption

• Dogs with shorter coats can have elevated caloric requirements

• Dogs are dietary omnivores

• Fertilization and embryonic development in amphibians is external

• Vertebrae disc disease in the elongated dachshund back is due to chondrodystrophy

• Polydactyl cats are often associated with Hemmingway and Key West Fl.

• Purr Cup Cafe currently partners with SPCA

• Dystocia can be caused by mechanical blockage (puppy blocking cervix) pr uterine inertia

• You should count the placentas after each puppy in case one is retained

• Human food items that are considered dangerous to dogs

  • Caffeine

  • Xylitol (sugar replacer in gum, peanut butter, etc.)

  • Onions

• Bacteria is needed to convert nitrite into nitrate which is relatively non toxic

• Bones

  • Ribcage: 13 pairs of ribs. Provide protection for the lungs

• Freshwater versus saltwater

  • We do not successfully breed most saltwater fish in captivity

  • Freshwater fish are typically less expensive and easier to care for

  • Methods to catch wild saltwater fish have controversially included dynamite and cyanide

• Uric acid is produced by Dalmatians instead of urea, so they require more water in their diet to be happy

• Skeleton

  • Two general functions: support and storage

  • Divided into two basic components- axial and appendicular

  • Cat has 40 more bones than a human but about 100 less muscles

  • Ligaments connect BONE to BONE

  • Tendons connect MUSCLE to BONE

  • Joints are stabilized by a combination of muscle, bone, and tissue

• Axial skeleton- midline

  • Made up to skull, vertebral column, ribcage, and sternum

  • Skull: over 30 bones

    • Functions as braincase- houses and protects special senses, mastication of food

  • Dog: 42 teeth

  • Cat: 30 teeth

  • Human: 38 teeth

  • Vertebral column: 33+bones

  • 5 regions, including caudal

    • Some animals have as few as 3 caudal bones because they don’t have a tail (Corgi, Mynx)

  • Ribcage: 13 pairs

    • Assists with ventilation and serves to protect main organs

• Appendicular skeleton (bones of the limbs and pelvic girdle)

  • Two main regions: pelvic girdle and pectoral girdle

  • Thoracic limb - 5 main sections

    • Pectoral girdle:

    • Brachium and antebrachium

    • Carpus and manus: first digit is often missing or reduced (ex: dew claw)

    • Some states and shows have declawing banned

  • Pelvic limbs

    • Pelvic girdle: hip bone. Region affected by hip dysplasia in certain dog breeds

• Fish that can handle cold temperatures well: goldfish & koi

• Spawning: when fish give birth

• Most common parasitic disease in fish is nicknamed: white spot disease

• 20-25% over body weight is considered obese

• Specific nutrients that are essential in a cat’s diet but not a dog’s

  • Taurine, Vitamin A

• Two diagnostic tests commonly used in fish medicine

  • Fecal and ultrasound

• AAFCO- Association of American Feed Control Officials

• AFC- American Fanciers Association