If I asked you to name the most popular house pets in the United States, I bet most of you would guess dogs and you'd be correct. But what if I asked you to name the top 10 pets? Alright, I must admit, I had to do some researching to come up with 10.
My point is that while not everyone can have a dog or cat, there are pets for nearly everyone that has a desire to share their home.
Our clinic is about as mixed as it gets, but the vast majority of our patients are dogs, cats, cattle and horses. These animals are seen for a variety of reasons -- from preventive health care to complex metabolic conditions. This makes the job of a veterinarian never dull. Some of the most challenging cases, however, are those with exotic animals. It would be impossible to gain enough knowledge and experience in veterinary school with every species of animal, so schools focus on the most frequently treated animals and teach students to apply common facts to all kinds of critters.
Non-traditional pets are steadily becoming more and more popular. I consider this group to include pocket pets (rodents), reptiles, birds and fish. Each of these has different habitat requirements and social needs, so sometimes they are a better fit for a particular home. As a veterinarian, these animals can be a real challenge for two reasons. First, little time is spent on exotic pets in veterinary school. Second, many of the problems encountered with these animals are related to diet or environment.
I had an idea, a few years ago, to start collecting some of these lesser known pets for my home. My wife wasn't nearly as enthused about this endeavor as the rest of us, but she went along -- reluctantly. Although we don't have them all now, our home has been shared with frogs, snakes, rabbits, fish, crabs, parakeets, lizards, guinea pigs, crabs and a rat.
My favorite? The guinea pigs. We went to the pet store and my children chose a pair of females. My first lesson learned about guinea pigs was that pet store employees can't determine males from females. My second lesson learned was that guinea pigs are prolific breeders. It's a good thing that baby guinea pigs are cute or I would have needed a bigger dog house.
Over the years I have learned important lessons like cats will try to eat poison tree frogs even though they're poisonous and rats will escape from their cage at night and eat twice their weight in candy. They especially love expensive chocolate candy you have hidden for your loved ones the night before Valentine's Day. Who knew rodents celebrate Valentine's Day?
In summary, while dogs and cats will probably always dominate the pet world, there are plenty of homes for cockatiels, hamsters and iguanas. These extraordinary animals provide companionship and playful entertainment to millions throughout the world.
My advice is to do a little homework before choosing a new pet. It's hard to hug a python or take a beta fish for a jog. On the other hand, if you're looking for that one-of-a-kind housemate, these exotic pets may be just what you need.
-- Dr. Richard McCarver is a veterinarian at Siloam Springs Veterinary Clinic. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
General News on 10/22/2014