Causes of Increased Thirst and Urination in Animals

Increased thirst which is call polydypsia (PD) and increased urination which is called polyuria (PU) can be caused by many, many things. Sometimes PU/PD is the sign of something serious.  Here is a list of the most common causes of increased thirst and urination I see in my practice.  I have ranked them from most common to least common.  If …

Garlic for Animals

Garlic or Allium sativum is one of the most popular nutraceuticals in use today. The American Veterinary Medical Association defines nutraceuticals as “. . . micronutrients, macronutrients and other nutritional supplements used as therapeutic agents.”  Besides flavoring food, garlic is reported to have the following effects: -cancer prevention-prevents blood clots-lowers lipids-inhibits bacterial growth-increases circulation-improves the function of the immune system-antioxidant-supports …

Metabolic Bone Disease in Iguanas

Metabolic bone disease is a common problem in pet iguanas.  In captivity, it is difficult to provide these sun-loving lizards with enough exposure to sunlight.  Without sunlight and the vitamin D3 that comes with it, iguanas cannot properly absorb and metabolize calcium from their diets.  The body steals calcium from bones to make up for …