Still independently owned and operated for over 40 years!
505-344-5353 | myriograndevet.com The best care for you pets in the North Valley, Los Ranchos, and Country Club areas.
Southwest Veterinary Medical Center is proud to serve Corrales, Rio Rancho, Albuquerque Westside, North Valley and surrounding areas. Call to schedule an appointment 10141 Coors Blvd NW Suite A Albuquerque, NM 87114
(505) 890-8810 mysouthwestvet.com
CLEAN DOG! HAPPY DOG! WITH HEAD TO PAW GROOMING. Introducing Dog Grooming at Three Dog Bakery Albuquerque! Your pup will love our head to paw treatment! Experienced staff, great prices, and a FREE Pupcake with every service! Make an appointment today,
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ery The Bak for Dogs
9821 MONTGOMERY BLVD NE SUITE B / 505.294.2300 email: 3dogabq@gmail.com www.3dogbakeryabq.com Mike Montoya (Manager)
DID YOU KNOW?
By Ada McVean, OSS Intern This article was originally published at McGill.ca/OSS
Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macuThis lizard is named for larius) are a popular pet in many counits resemblance to the tries. They’re fairly easy to take care of, large cat, although not all small, rarely bite, (and when they do it’s leopard geckos feature the pretty painless) and can live up to 25 familiar black spots on yelyears! low skin. Variations ranging This lizard is named for its resemblance from stripes instead of to the large cat, although not all leopspots to albino, to a spotard geckos feature the familiar black less body and spotted tail spots on yellow skin. Variations ranging are all possible, although from stripes instead of spots to albino, to leopard spots are the norm. a spot-less body and spotted tail are all possible, although leopard spots are the norm. Leopard geckos get their coloring from special pigment-containing cells called chromatophores in their skin. Chromatophores are found in reptiles, fish, crustaceans and cephalopods, whereas birds and mammals instead have chromatocytes. There are a few different types of chromatophores that can be categorized according to what pigments they contain. Ones containing yellow are named xanthophores, while those containing red or orange are called erythrophores. Melanophores contain a dark brown pigment while cyanophores contain, you guessed it, cyan pigments. There are even chromatophores which make an animal appear iridescent called iridophores or leucophores. Some animals that use these include chameleons and squids. Some squids can change their colour by migrating different types of chromatophores to different locations on their body. The relative concentration of each type of chromatophore will determine the overall colour of the skin. About once a month (more often when younger) leopard geckos will shed their skin. They shed to allow themselves to keep growing, and after the skin is removed, they eat it! There are two theories as to why they consume the skin. It may be that they are attempting to hide signs that they have been in an area, or it may be that they are recapturing the vitamins and minerals (especially calcium) that the skin is full of. The skin that was placed under the microscope to generate this image was taken from an all yellow part of the shed skin of my 14-year-old leopard gecko, Geico, but nonetheless, a few melanophores are visible as dark dots within the cells. 40x magnification
