What to consider before bringing home a reptile

You want to make sure you are making educated decisions when it comes to looking into your pet options, so you are making a point to do your research. This makes you wonder – what should you consider before bringing home a reptile?

Your new addition will need you to be able to meet all her needs each and every day. This means that you will have to determine if you are capable of happily doing so prior to bringing a pet like this into your home. Different reptiles will have different needs, so you will have to look into caring for them on an individual basis. Make sure you consider care that can be challenging for some people to offer a reptile, like feeding them live meals and keeping their enclosure at the proper temperature, lighting, and humidity level. For additional information, please contact your local Las Vegas, NV veterinarian.

Narrowing down your pet options

You have wanted to bring a pet into your home for a little while now and you have spent a lot of time trying to determine what type of pet will best fit into your lifestyle. How can you narrow down your options?

Your pet needs you to take the time to think about all the people in your home and their pet preferences. Talk about this with them and really try to get an understanding of what they are looking for in a pet. This will help make sure that everyone gets to enjoy time with your new addition. You should then take the time to think about what you can all handle for care and what each person is willing to contribute to keeping your new pet happy and healthy. This will help you narrow down your options to only those that will thrive in your care. For additional information, please contact your local Anderson, IN veterinarian.

Why your bird may be plucking out her feathers

You share your home with a feathery friend, and this means that you are able to be there to see what she is up to quite often. She has started to pluck out her feathers a bit, and you find this distressing. Why is she doing this?

Feather plucking may seem strange to you, but it’s actually a common issue that veterinarians are often contacted about. There are a lot of birds who keep to large groups in the wild, and this tends to offer them a sense of safety and security. When these birds are then brought into a home setting on their own, they don’t know how to handle the solitude. Feather plucking is often their way of expressing the distress they are feeling as they aren’t sure what else to do about it. For additional information, please contact your local Louisville, CO veterinarian.

The Hamster basics

You have been looking into all the pets that you feel drawn to, as you want to bring a pet into your home soon. A hamster sounds like an appealing option. What should you know about caring for a pet like this?

Hamsters are wonderful little creatures, and they allow pet owners to care for a furry friend even if they don’t have much living space available to them. Because of their size, they wind up being great for apartment living. This is also true because they are relatively quiet. Hamsters will require daily attention and lots of time outside of their enclosures. You will need to make sure they are well-fed, get enough exercise, and that they are safe within your home. Daily cleaning will need to be performed in their enclosures as well. For additional information, please contact your local Sugar Land, TX vet.

Causes for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Cats

There are no definite causes of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats. However, it is believed that it can be a genetically related disorder or result from pre-existing heart conditions such as congestive heart failure, heart murmurs, and blood clots. A cat with these pre-existing conditions may not have HCM. Cats with HCM may not have these pre-existing conditions, which can make early detection and diagnose extremely difficult. HCM causes a thickening of the heart muscle and is known as the silent killer because it can cause sudden death. It is generally found in young or middle-aged male cats. Breeds prone to the disease include the Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Ragdoll. HCM causes scar tissue to form on the heart which makes the heart too muscular and the main pump too small. Space for blood flow becomes limited. Your Rochester, NY vet can tell you that HCM is the most common cause of sudden death in house cats. Learn more here.

Bird cage basics

To keep your feathery friend safe within your home, you will need to offer her some space to call her own. This will most likely take the form of a bird cage. What should you look for when shopping for one?

Your bird’s cage should be an ideal place for your pet to meet her needs. This means that your new companion will need to be able to get something to eat, stay hydrated, get some exercise, and entertain herself within this area. She should also be able to be safely contained in this area when she is not being supervised outside of this space. Consider your pet’s individual needs and determine how they can be met within a potential cage. This will help you figure out what will work for your pet and what won’t. For more information, please contact your local Orangevale, CA veterinarian.

Feeding your guinea pig

You are now looking after a guinea pig of your very own and you can’t help but want to give it your all. How can you feed her so she will stay healthy and strong?

Your pet needs you to take the time to determine what the ideal foods are for her. This will likely take some independent research on your pet in addition to some discussion with your guinea pig’s veterinarian. Most pets like this will require plenty of hay to help with digestion, so be sure to choose a high-quality option. They also consume a combination of commercial pellet food and fresh produce that has been washed and cut to a convenient size. Both of these will likely be offered in specific portions to ensure your pet is eating enough to stay strong but not overindulging. For additional information, please contact your local Matthews, NC veterinarian.