Jim Karpen Tips

March 2001

Once, in the early days of the Internet as we know it, when I was introducing a group of people to this new phenomenon, I had a student in the workshop who had just one thing in mind that day: the illness her pet iguana. When I taught her to use the search engines, she immediately tried to find a site that would help her heal her iguana.

Even back then there were a number of web pages devoted to iguanas, including one that she was especially delighted to find: Susie's Iguana Home Page. I don't know, though, if she found the answer she was looking for.

I thought of her when I came across VetCentric.com. I immediately searched on "iguana" in their Veterinary Medical Encyclopedia. No entry for "iguana." But then I searched the entire site, and found several magazine articles that contained information on iguanas, with titles such as "Is Your Reptile Getting Enough Light?", "Pets You Can't Pet," and "Helping Your Reptile Recover from Culture Shock." Maybe that was the problem--reptile culture shock.

Whether you have an ailing iguana or any other sort of animal on your mind, VetCentric.com looks like a good place to visit. It has an encyclopedia, a "knowledge base," and lots of informative articles on general topics related to pet care.

The encyclopedia contains articles on animal healthcare ranging from behavior and prevention to common and non-so-common diseases. If your dog is afraid of thunderstorms, it will tell you how to deal with canine noise phobias. Or if your problem is equine infectious anemia, there is information regarding treatment.

Although this site is clearly targeted for pet owners, the encyclopedia does seem like, well, a medical encyclopedia, using technical terminology perhaps more familiar to veterinarians. But the Knowledge Base, on the other hand, is a little more "user friendly" and contains answers to the most common questions that veterinarians encounter, such as, "Why does my puppy hiccup?" (Answer: Don't worry, your puppy will grow out of it.)

The site's featured articles and online magazine are the most user friendly and are filled with helpful information--plus a delightful sense of whimsy. Sample articles include "Making Sure Max Gets His Meds" (how to get your pet to swallow pills), "When Your Pet 'Ain't Doin' Right'" (dealing with vague symptoms), and "Housebreaking the New Puppy: A Plan for Success" (self explanatory).

If you are unable to answer your question about your pet iguana on the site, you can use the Ask VetCentric feature to ask one of their staff veterinarians a question. You must first register to use this free service.

Other features include news and a glossary.

© 2001 by Jim Karpen, Ph.D. (#257)