Dr. Pete, I know that puppies and kittens are born with their
eyes closed. They take weeks to mature and wean away from their
mother. But this got me to thinking. Which animals are the most
mature when they are born? Newborn horses stand and walk within
hours and I presume calves and baby goats do the same. Are they the
most advanced?
Q: Dr. Pete, I know that puppies and kittens are born with their eyes closed. They take weeks to mature and wean away from their mother. But this got me to thinking. Which animals are the most mature when they are born? Newborn horses stand and walk within hours and I presume calves and baby goats do the same. Are they the most advanced?
A:
You’re right about the farm animals. Their eyes are open, they can hear and they vocally communicate with their mother moments after delivery. Newborn foals, calves, lambs and kids are usually standing and nursing within a short time (about an hour) after their birth. On the other hand, puppies and kittens, and even many rabbits are unable to see or hear. They totally rely on their mother to survive. So what about other small animals? Which ones are more precocious?
First let’s talk about guinea pigs, the cavies. They have a full coat of fur at birth and are very independent; they can be seen moving around their enclosure away from their mother just a few minutes after birthing. Not only that, newborn cavies eat solid food within a few hours and can be seen scurrying around, chattering away as if they have a great story to tell.
In the avian world we all know how cute baby chickens and ducks can be. They, too, are up and walking very soon after birth. But the most precocious birds I’ve seen are baby killdeer hatchlings. Killdeer are everywhere in the South Valley. And their offspring are hatched in a nest usually found in open area, sometimes in the middle of a pasture. The eggs are well-disguised; the shell markings blend right in with their surroundings. (By the way, killdeer hens are clever birds that will feign an injury if any animal or person comes near their nest. They make painful sounds and walk as though they have a broken wing, trying to draw interest away from their eggs.)
When killdeer babies hatch out, they could be easy prey for other animals. But Mother Nature provides them with the ability to make an easy escape. These little guys learn quickly to run. And in a few short minutes after birth, baby killdeer are gone, off and running to safety just like their parents. These are remarkable birds.
Q:
So let’s talk pregnant animals. Who has the shortest pregnancy and which animal is pregnant for the longest time?
A:
In the world of mammals, the shortest time in utero is shared by several marsupials, the American opossum (didelphis marsupialis), the water opossum (chironectes minimus) of South America and the eastern native cat of Australia (dasyurus viverrinus). These pregnant females carry their young only for 12 to 13 days. Keep in mind that these babies are very tiny and extremely undeveloped. They stay with their mother for a long time before they are weaned.
Dogs and cats carry their young for about nine weeks. Cows have a gestation that is about nine months, and sows carry their baby piglets for about 115 days. Horses are pregnant for nearly a year. (Some breeds have a slightly longer gestation than others.)
But the longest pregnancy amongst mammals belongs to the African elephant (loxodonta Africana). Her gestation averages 660 days and can go to a maximum of 760 days. Now that’s a full-term pregnancy, don’t you think?
Q:
Barney, our beloved beagle, has been uncomfortable for about three days now. His eyes are very red and almost foggy-looking, and he’s squinting a lot. I think his eyes hurt the way he looks at me. He’s also rubbing his face on the carpet a lot. Does he have allergies? Can a dog become allergic at the age of 6 years?
A:
I’m not sure Barney suffers from allergies. Red eyes can be a symptom of lots of different maladies. But when eyes are irritated and cloudy or foggy, that squinting could indicate glaucoma And this is a very serious problem that needs quick, aggressive treatment. Barney needs to see a veterinarian right away. His vet can examine his eyes and check their intraocular pressure (the pressure within the globe of the eye). If it’s elevated, he has glaucoma, and he’ll need medications to relieve the pressure before he suffers permanent damage to his eyes. Get Barney to the doctor right away. Let’s hope his problem is something simple and easily treated.
