CLINICAL NUTRITION OF EXOTIC PETS

Successful nutritional management requires knowledge of the natural hi story of exotic pets, nutrient contents of foods, and roles of water, calories, and nutrients in optimal health. Unestablished dietary requi rements, lack of balanced commercial diets and mismanagement by owners cause nutritional problems that affect health and recovery from illne ss and trauma. When presented with a sick exotic pet, veterinarians sh ould check for provision of appropriate wholesome water and food in op timal amounts. Malnutrition and dehydration are common in exotic pets and often result from mismanagement. Starvation is common in carnivore s eating whole vertebrate prey, whereas specific nutrient deficiencies are more common in herbivores and insectivores. The more common nutri tional deficiencies are calcium and vitamin D3, vitamin A, thiamin, an d vitamin E. When treating sick exotic pets, nutrition and fluid suppo rt may be critical to recovery.