Your dog loves to spend time in your home, but he also likes to head outside exploring quite often. While this may be possible most of the time, there will likely be times when your pet needs to stay within the confines of your home for one reason or another. How can you keep him content when this happens?

Your pet loves to head outside because he finds it both mentally and physically stimulating. To help keep him busy indoors, you will need to mimic these while inside. This can be done by engaging your pet in an interesting activity, and offering him plenty of attention. You can also give him something new to check out, like a new toy or one he hasn’t seen in a while. Try to offer him ways to get some exercise as well, like playing fetch in a hallway. For more information, please contact your local ... Read more »

Your dog needs you to care for him in a variety of ways, and you feel that you do a great job of meeting his immediate needs. However, you sometimes wonder about other needs he may have, like for clothing. Should you dress your pet?

It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between a necessary pet supply item and one that would simply be nice to have. While there are a ton of canine clothing items that are simply for cosmetic purposes, there are also a lot that are quite functional. Depending on your lifestyle, they may be necessary for your pet’s safety. For example, your pet may need a life preserver if you spend time near water, a jacket if your neck of the woods gets very cold, or booties if you will be walking on rough terrain. For more information, please contact your local Oconomowoc, WI vet clinic.

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Your cat may like to jump up on your kitchen counters because she gets food when she is up there. She will also use your counter to peruse her territory. However, this can be annoying or unsanitary especially when you are preparing food. Start by never giving your cat food while on the counter. Remove your cat from the counter ever time she jumps up there. Don’t make a fuss or punish her. Just put her on a safe surface. Cover your kitchen counters with aluminum foil or double-sided tape when not in use. These materials feel weird to your cat’s feet and will deter her from walking around up there. Soon your cat will learn that the counters are off limits. Provide your cat with a perch where she can observe the hubbub of your home from a point of safety. For more information, contact your Pleasanton, CA veterinarian.

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Ear mites are highly contagious. They can be passed from animal to animal inside and outside your home. Mites are itchy so you may notice your cat scratching her ears or shaking her head if she has mites. Look inside your cat’s ears and check for mites, which look similar to coffee grounds. She experience other symptoms such as darkened ear wax, redness or a strong odor. The blood vessels in your cat’s ears can rupture from too much scratching or head shaking. An ear mite infection is easily treated but your cat will require medical attention. Follow up care usually includes cleaning your cat’s ears with a cat-safe ear rinse and inserting antibiotic drops or other medications in the ear canal until treatment is complete. Check all the other animals in your household for symptoms of ear mites. For more information, contact your Greensboro, NC veterinarian.

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All snakes shed. It’s important to their health that they are able to shed their skin entirely, but it can be a difficult process. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help the process along.

As soon as you notice your snake’s skin start to flake, you should place a shallow basin full of water in his cage. Water can help soften the scales and encourage them to fall off. Just make sure you change the water often, especially if it is full of scaly skin.

Although you may be tempted to pull on the skin that’s falling off, you shouldn’t. If it’s not ready to completely fall off yet, you can end up pulling it off prematurely.

If your snake needs more help, you can try putting water in the tub instead. You can also schedule an appointment< ... Read more »

Most cat food manufacturers make a variety of foods that will support your cat’s needs during the different stages of her life. Kitten formula food has enough extra protein to support her developing brain and growing muscles and bones. However, by the time your cat is about one year of age, kitten food will provide too many calories and could contribute to obesity. Thus you will need to switch to an adult formula food. You can feed your cat this food for most of her life. When your cat starts showing signs of aging, a mature or senior formula food may be a better choice. There are even foods that support specific health issues such as weight control, urinary system management, allergies, or hairball control. Some of these foods are only available by prescription. Change foods gradually over about a week to prevent digestive issues. For more information, contact your Arlington Heights, TX veterinarian.

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Your dog is a big part of your life, and you know that his walks are a big part of his day. How can you make sure you are walking him in accordance with what is expected during this activity?

Dog walking etiquette can vary from place to place, but there are some aspects of it that stay generally the same. You will need to bring along something to clean up any deposits your pet makes while out and about, and you will also need to take the time to find a route to walk on that gives him the freedom he needs without infringing on anyone else’s space. Give others you encounter the chance to pass you without your pet interacting with them, as you never know who is and is not ready to say hello to your little fur ball. For more information, please contact your local Tipp City, OH vet clinic.

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Your cat loves to rub up against things in your home, and you are no exception to this rule. Why does she tend to do this to both household objects as well as people?

Your pet needs you to take the time to understand her a bit better in order to get why this behavior makes sense to her. Cats tend to claim their territory by attempting to impart their scent onto the things and people they consider to be theirs. This means that your pet is essentially claiming the items she rubs up against as her own. Leaving her scent behind will let other animals know that she has claimed these areas, and it will, in theory, help them keep out of her territory because of this. For more information, please contact your local Crown Point, IN vet clinic.

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Your pet is a wonderful part of your life, and you want to make sure you are able to be there with her as often as you can be. This means that you will need to meet all her needs to stay happy and healthy, and then take some additional time on top of this to enjoy her company. How can you plan to do this before you bring her home?

The reptile category is broad and includes a lot of very different pets. This means that you will need to take the time to do some research on the type of pet you will be caring for ahead of time. This can be done by talking to a veterinarian, reading a book, looking things up online, speaking with an employee at a pet store, and discussing things with someone who also has this type of pet at home. For more information, please contact your Niwot, CO vet clinic.

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