Handling Your Pet Snake

Many snakes enjoy handling and your snake may enjoy your touch. Others snakes may lash out and shouldn’t be handled unless it is urgent. Do your research and choose your snake carefully based on your knowledge and experience with snakes. Snakes taken from the wild don’t make good pets since they haven’t been handled and may lash out at you. Choose a captive-bred snake instead. Always handle your snake with kindness and respect. Be confident and act efficiently when handling your snake. Support your snake’s full length as you pick up your snake and as you handle him. Make sure that your snake knows there is no food at stake as you pick him up. Otherwise he might inadvertently bite you. Watch for signs of aggression that could put you at risk of injury. Wash your hands thoroughly after you put your snake back into his enclosure. For more information, contact your pet clinic Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Dental Tips For Pet Rabbits

The teeth of rabbits continue to grow through their entire lifetime. Thus they need to munch on sufficient amounts of hay every day to help wear down their teeth. Roughage should compose the bulk of a rabbit’s diet. Their dental anatomy is designed to consume adequate amounts of hay each day. Rabbits spend many hours each day eating and chewing on hay. Aside from keeping their teeth well-trimmed, fiber also enhances the process of digestion. This is one important reason rabbits don’t need their teeth brushed. If you observe more closely, the front surface of the teeth wears down more slowly compared to the back surface because of the enamel that is present on the front surface. The back surface of the teeth has dentin.

This is also another important reason why it is not recommended to place your pet rabbit on an all-pellet diet. A balance between hay and commercial rabbit pellets in your pet’s daily ration is very important for your pet’s health and well-being. Your pet’s dietary needs is an important concern that you should discuss with your vet Saskatoon, Saskatchewan during your pet’s wellness checks.

Managing Pain in Your Senior Dog

Your dog may develop aches and pains from osteoarthritis, dental disease, cancer or other chronic diseases as he ages. In the wild, dogs will hide pain as a matter of survival since compromised animal is more likely to be considered prey. Thus your senior dog may get really good at hiding his pain. Look for increased whining or whimpering or limping, which are obvious signs of pain. Some signs are hard to identify as symptoms of pain. He may posture himself with pinned back ears or a hunched back. He may lick a part of the body repeatedly. He may have trouble eating or sleeping. Your dog may alternatively act quiet and then become restless or aggressive. This can be confusing but you can suspect a pain issue if your dog is acting out of character. If you notice any of these signs, make an appointment with your veterinarian Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for evaluation and treatment.