Your dog loves to head out for a walk so you make sure you are there to offer this to her each and every day. However, you don’t quite understand why this is so important to her. Is there a reason behind the desire to head out and about?

Your pet needs to get enough exercise to stay healthy and her walks are a great way to help her get this. She likely isn’t aware of the fact that her body needs this but knows that exercise feels good and getting a change of scenery is fun. Things are always changing outdoors and your pet wants to know what’s going on in the world around her. This offers her the mental stimulation she needs to keep her mind engaged with lots of different aspect in her environment. For more information, please contact your local Salem, VA veterinarian.

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Your iguana is an interesting and unique pet. Fortunately, his diet is fairly simple. Iguanas are herbivores. Never feed your iguana any meat or products containing meat. Most of your iguana’s diet should consist of leafy green vegetables. Choose vegetables with high nutritional value including kale, spinach and parsley. Avoid low-impact greens such as iceberg lettuce. These vegetables offer little nutrition. Iguanas also like green beans, pea pods and sweet peppers. Fruit such as banana, apple or papaya can make a yummy snack on occasion. Offer these treats in small amounts. Feed your iguana daily. Experiment to determine the amount of food your iguana will eat daily. Turn the heat lamps in the enclosure on before feeding your pet. Your iguana is cold-blooded so wait a while until your ig ... Read more »

Your cat has a righting reflex so she can turn around in midair during a fall and land on her feet. Her flexible spine helps her turn around quickly. The fluid in your cat’s inner ear helps her keep track of which way is up. However, just because your cat can land on her feet doesn’t mean that she won’t be hurt in a fall. If the fall isn’t very high, your cat may not have the time to turn around so she could crash to the ground. If the fall is high, your cat can suffer internal injuries as she lands and her belly hits the ground. She may experience orthopedic injuries to her feet and legs as they act as shock absorbers. And it could be disastrous if your cat bangs her head on the ground. Thus it is important to avoid falls. Learn more from your most popular vet clinic Chattanooga TN ... Read more »

Your cat can develop diabetes, which a lack of insulin hormone (type 1) or your cat’s inability to respond to it (type 2). Diabetes causes an elevated blood sugar level that causes health issues. Your cat is at a high risk of developing diabetes if she is or has been obese, so keep your cat within normal weight limits. Male cats are more likely to develop diabetes than females and age is a extenuating factor. Diabetes symptoms include a change of appetite (too much or too little), weight loss and increased urination. Your cat may be lethargic and thus look unkempt because she hasn’t been grooming. These symptoms are common in other feline diseases so you need to seek medical attention for diagnosis and treatment. Your cat’s diabetes can be controlled with insulin injections, an oral medication or even a change of diet. For more information, ... Read more »

Some obedience commands keep your dog under control and safe. Shaking hands is just a fun trick but it will help you bond with your dog. Train your dog when he is alert but not overly excited. Keep a bag of small treats close at hand when teaching him this trick. Lift your dog’s paw and shake it gently. Say the SHAKE HANDS command and offer your dog a treat. Repeat this four or five times a day, everyday. Soon your dog wil ... Read more »