Welcome to Dr. Bob's Pet Health Information Site
This site was created and is maintained by Robert L. Linville, DVM. It combines original veterinarian-authored articles with selected links to veterinary, university, government, scientific, breed, and general animal-information resources.
Use the Site Navigation panel to explore dog and cat health information, species-specific resources, breed information, and other animal topics, or browse the original articles below.
Dr. Linville currently serves as Senior Attending Veterinarian and Mentor at Advanced Veterinary Medical Center in El Sobrante, California.
What's New
August 2026 site-wide update: The website has undergone a complete review of internal and external links, veterinary medical and scientific information, and its technical structure.
Outdated material and links were updated or replaced where appropriate, and the site was modernized for current browsers and improved viewing on desktop, tablet, and phone.
Cat and Dog Health and Disease Information
A comprehensive A–Z directory of specific diseases and conditions, with links to veterinary, university, specialty, scientific, and other selected educational resources.
Reptile Resources
Curated resources for lizards, snakes, tortoises, turtles, and amphibians, together with original reptile care and nutrition articles.
Dr. Bob's Original Articles
Veterinarian-authored educational articles
- Zoonotic DiseasesA listing by species.
- Dog Breed Disease Predispositions, Inherited Disorders and Congenital ConditionsA comprehensive canine breed-health and genetics reference.
- Cat Breed Disease Predispositions, Inherited Disorders and Congenital ConditionsA feline breed-health, genetics, and congenital-disease reference.
- Preventive Health CareThe importance of physical examinations and preventive care.
- Lifespan of AnimalsA collection of lifespan data based on longevity records and other sources.
- Handbook of Pet Bird CareDetailed information for bird owners.
- Dietary Needs of PsittacinesTables of nutritional requirements and sources.
- Care and Feeding of Precocial Birds
- Wild Bird Care
- Understanding Itchy Pets and AllergiesUpdated review of canine and feline allergic skin disease.
- Understanding Flea ControlFlea life cycle, on-pet protection, indoor and outdoor environmental control, flea dermatitis, and flea allergy dermatitis in dogs and cats.
- Poison Control CentersContact information for poison-control resources in the United States.
- Poisonous Chemicals and Plants
- Boarding Your Pet
- Puppy Care GuideAdvanced Veterinary Medical Center puppy-care pamphlet.
- Kitten Care GuideAdvanced Veterinary Medical Center kitten-care pamphlet.
- Guinea Pig Care GuideAdvanced Veterinary Medical Center guinea pig care pamphlet.
- Chinchilla Care GuideComprehensive housing, nutrition, dust bathing, dental health, handling, preventive care, and lifelong wellness guidance for pet chinchillas.
- Hamster Care GuideHealth, nutrition, housing, behavior, and lifelong wellness for pet hamsters.
- Mouse Care GuideComprehensive housing, social behavior, nutrition, enrichment, preventive care, respiratory health, tumor awareness, and lifelong wellness guidance for pet mice.
- Rabbit Care GuideComprehensive indoor housing, nutrition, behavior, preventive care, and health guidance for pet rabbits.
- Rat Care GuideComprehensive housing, nutrition, behavior, preventive care, respiratory health, and lifelong wellness guidance for pet rats.
- Iguana Care GuideComprehensive species-specific husbandry, environmental, preventive-care, reproductive, and common-health-problem guidance for green iguanas and other major iguanid groups.
- Iguana Diet Guide
- Bearded Dragon Care GuideComprehensive husbandry, environmental, preventive-care, and common-health-problem guidance for captive bearded dragons.
- Bearded Dragon Diet GuideCurrent feeding guidance for captive bearded dragons.
- Chameleon Care GuideComprehensive species-specific husbandry, environmental, preventive-care, reproductive, and common-health-problem guidance for captive chameleons.
- Chameleon Diet GuideEvidence-reviewed species-specific feeding guidance for common pet chameleons, including feeder preparation, supplementation, hydration, and nutritional safety.
- Gecko Care GuideComprehensive species-specific husbandry and preventive-care guidance for leopard, fat-tailed, banded, New Caledonian, day, tokay, mourning, house, flying, leaf-tailed, knob-tailed, cave, and other gecko groups.
- Gecko Diet GuideSpecies-specific feeding guidance for major pet geckos, including feeder-insect preparation, complete gecko diets, supplementation, hydration, and safe prey presentation.
- Boa and Related Snake Care GuideComprehensive veterinarian-authored husbandry and preventive-care guidance for boa constrictors and related booid snakes, including anacondas, tree boas, rainbow boas, Malagasy boas, sand boas, rosy boas, rubber boas, Pacific boas, and related species. Covers enclosure design, thermal and humidity gradients, lighting, substrate, climbing or burrowing structure, water, enrichment, handling, quarantine, reproduction, health monitoring, and group-specific care.
- Boa and Related Snake Diet GuideEvidence-reviewed feeding guidance for boas and related constrictors, including natural feeding strategies, prey selection and sizing, juvenile feeding progression, whole-prey nutrition, fish and thiaminase considerations, seasonal and reproductive changes, and species-specific recommendations.
- Python and Related Snake Care GuideComprehensive, evidence-reviewed husbandry and preventive-care guidance for pythons and related snakes, including ball, Burmese, African rock, reticulated, carpet and diamond, Bredl’s, green tree, blood and short-tailed pythons, Antaresia, woma and black-headed pythons, olive and water pythons, and Simalia. Covers enclosure design, temperature and humidity gradients, lighting and UVB, substrate choices, environmental measurement procedures, climbing and burrowing structure, hydration, enrichment, handling and giant-python safety, quarantine, reproduction, health monitoring, and species-specific care.
- Python Diet GuideEvidence-reviewed, species- and ecology-based feeding guidance for pythons and related snakes, including ball, Burmese, rock, reticulated, carpet, green tree, blood and short-tailed pythons, Antaresia, Aspidites, Liasis, Simalia, and other pythonids. Covers whole-prey nutrition, prey selection and sizing, juvenile feeding progression, frozen-thawed preparation, natural feeding strategies, fasting, reproduction, body-condition monitoring, and species-specific recommendations.
- North American Colubroid Snake Care GuideComprehensive veterinarian-authored care guide for the diverse North American colubroid group, including corn and ratsnakes, kingsnakes and milksnakes, pine/bull/gopher snakes, garter and ribbon snakes, watersnakes, hognose snakes, indigo snakes, racers, coachwhips and whipsnakes, green snakes, glossy and long-nosed snakes, ring-necked snakes, brown/red-bellied/earth snakes, queen and crayfish-associated natricines, and mud/rainbow snakes. Includes adult size and geographic origin, detailed habitat setup, enclosure dimensions, temperature and humidity targets, lighting/UVB, substrate depth and composition, water and enrichment, measuring procedures, seasonality, handling, sanitation, quarantine, preventive care, and extensive species/group-specific husbandry.
- North American Colubroid Diet GuideEvidence-reviewed, species- and ecology-based feeding guidance for North American colubroids, including corn and ratsnakes, kingsnakes and milksnakes, pine, bull and gopher snakes, garter and ribbon snakes, watersnakes, hognose snakes, indigos, racers, coachwhips, green snakes, glossy and long-nosed snakes, ring-necked snakes, brown and earth snakes, crayfish snakes, and mud and rainbow snakes. Covers prey selection, feeding ecology, juvenile progression, fish and thiaminase considerations, amphibian and invertebrate specialists, frozen-thawed prey preparation, seasonal and reproductive changes, and body-condition monitoring.
- Box Turtle Care GuideComprehensive husbandry and preventive-care guidance for North American and selected Asian box turtles, including indoor and outdoor housing, temperature, UVB, humidity, substrate, water, seasonality, reproduction, biosecurity, common diseases, and species-specific care.
- Box Turtle Diet Guide
- Aquatic Turtle Care GuideComprehensive husbandry and preventive-care guidance for aquatic and semi-aquatic turtles, including water volume and depth, filtration and water quality, basking, UVB, temperature, outdoor ponds, reproduction, biosecurity, common diseases, and species-specific care across the 17 groups used in the companion Aquatic Turtle Diet Guide.
- Aquatic Turtle Diet Guide
- Tortoise Care GuideComprehensive husbandry and preventive-care guidance for terrestrial tortoises, including outdoor and indoor housing, temperature, UVB, humidity, substrate and burrows, hydration, shell growth, seasonality, reproduction, biosecurity, common diseases, and detailed species-specific care across the 14 groups used in the companion Tortoise Diet Guide.
- Tortoise Diet Guide
Educational Information
This website provides general educational information and does not diagnose an individual animal or replace examination and advice from your veterinarian. If your pet may be experiencing an emergency, contact a veterinarian promptly.