Chinchillas are desert-dwelling creatures. Thus they are fearful of water baths and prefer dust baths instead. You could frighten your chinchilla if you try to submerge him in water. Purchase chinchilla sand from a reputable pet store. This sand is fine enough to clean your pet’s coat but coarse enough so it doesn’t create dust and cause respiratory issues. Purchase a chinchilla dust bath or use a shallow plastic container. Put an inch or two of chinchilla sand in the container and place it in your pet’s cage. Hopefully he’ll jump right in and roll around. If he doesn’t, remove the dust bath after about fifteen minutes. Otherwise your chinchilla may use the dust bath as a litter box. Try again another time. Eventually your chinchilla will learn to enjoy the dust bath. Offer the bath several times a week to keep your chinch ... Read more »

Your guinea pig’s teeth grows continuously throughout his life. Thus you need to care for his teeth to keep them from becoming overgrown and cross over each other. These conditions will cause pain, difficulty eating, and may result in cuts in the inside of his mouth. Examine your pig’s teeth often. Make sure the teeth are straight and relatively short. Check for broken teeth or discoloration. Your guinea pig needs lots of timothy hay and wood blocks to gnaw and wear away his teeth. Hard vegetables such as carrots and squash add some nutrition while keeping your pig’s teeth trim. A diet that is high in vitamin C contributes to good teeth health. Your pig may need medical care if you observe dental issues or if your pig has difficulty eating. Make an appointment with your Temecula CA vet, ... Read more »

As your cat ages, she may experience urinary tract issues. Cats in the wild get significant fluids while eating prey animals. However, your cat depends on you to monitor her fluid intake. Good urinary tract health depends on your cat getting plenty of fluid in her diet and having access to fresh, clean water at all times. Canned cat meat gives your cat much more fluid than dry kibble. Be vigilant and look for signs of urinary tract issues. Symptoms of urinary tract issues include straining in the litter box, too little or too much urine, evidence of blood, or urinating outside the litter box. If your cat experiences any of these symptoms, seek medical help since urinary tract issues can get very serious very quickly. Take your cat in for regular well cat appointments, including urinalysis as needed. Learn more fro ... Read more »

Your dog can get the flu. The flu is highly contagious just like in people. Your dog may get the flu and show little or no symptoms. However, he could be a carrier and infect other dogs. Common flu symptoms are similar to an upper respiratory infection including sneezing, runny nose, and coughing. Your dog may experience a high fever, fatigue and a loss of appetite. Senior dogs and puppies can suffer more severe symptoms. The flu can turn serious quite suddenly and need medical attention. Dogs pass the flu to other dogs through sneezing or coughing or sharing common toys. However, dogs cannot pass the flu to humans so you are at no risk. Your dog will need lots of rest and fluids with the flu. Isolate him from other dogs to reduce spreading. Your dog may need antibiotics if a bacterial infection develops. For more information, contac ... Read more »