Clinical nutrition of exotic pets.

Successful nutritional management requires knowledge of the natural history of exotic pets, nutrient contents of foods, and roles of water, calories, and nutrients in optimal health. Unestablished dietary requirements, lack of balanced commercial diets and mismanagement by owners cause nutritional problems that affect health and recovery from illness and trauma. When presented with a sick exotic pet, veterinarians should check for provision of appropriate wholesome water and food in optimal amounts. Malnutrition and dehydration are common in exotic pets and often result from mismanagement. Starvation is common in carnivores eating whole vertebrate prey, whereas specific nutrient deficiencies are more common in herbivores and insectivores. The more common nutritional deficiencies are calcium and vitamin D3, vitamin A, thiamin, and vitamin E. When treating sick exotic pets, nutrition and fluid support may be critical to recovery.