Pets Dictionary

papers: Proof that an animal is a recognized standard breed and is awarded by an official organization through the process of an application and fee payment.

pedigree: The bloodlines of an animal that will attest to its recorded ancestry and are maintained in a database, usually held by an official organization.

purebred: An animal with a strictly governed lineage within its specific breed.

pet insurance: Health coverage for pets that is growing in availability and popularity as newer and higher-priced, procedures become available for animal care.

pheromones: Any number of chemicals that are released through the skin and can be detected by smell and used to communicate among animals or help them determine how to react.

preening: A bird's way of grooming by using its beak to clean and straighten feathers and keep them smooth.

puppy mills: Any large or small facility that breeds animals, usually in higher numbers and frequency, without regard for their well-being and with little concern for inherited abnormalities.

quarantine: A period of isolation in which animals may be tested for any known diseases or parasitic issues and to prevent the spread of any illness.

salmonella: A family of bacteria that is found in a great percentage of reptiles, especially in the intestinal tracts of turtles, and can be easily spread to humans and cause mild to severe symptoms and even death.

sebaceous glands: Especially noticeable in ferrets, these skin glands keep the coat conditioned with an oil-like feel and can also be responsible for a musky odor.

sire: A male rabbit that has been bred and whose dam has produced offspring.

spaying: Removal of the uterus and the ovaries in female animals. Also called an ovariohysterectomy.

stud: Any animal that is considered to have outstanding characteristics that make it desirable for breeding.