Bringing a dog, cat, or some other animal into your home is one of the biggest joys we can imagine. But it's also a huge responsibility. After all, we commit to caring for another life. So we need to do our homework and understand what to expect and how to react to different circumstances that arise along the way.
However, one can't possibly know everything. That's why we at Bored Panda decided to feature a Reddit discussion, started by user Feeling2Leafy where veterinarians using the platform have been sharing tips they think pet owners need to be aware of the most. From exercise to diet, continue scrolling to see what they have listed so far!
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Vegans feeding their carnivore pets no meat based diets. If you do this, you're a c**t.
Especially for cats. Dogs can eat some vegetables in their diet but cats eat strictly meat.
I would like to add knowing what the breed is for before you buy it.
Of course your dog is bringing you dead rats, he's a Terrier.
Your husky needs to run a lot, don't keep it on a chain.
A German Shepherd being over protective? Go figure.
Of course the Australian Kelpie won't eat lamb, it's a sheep herding dog. You want her to herd the sheep not eat the sheep. If sheep are tasty then you're going to have a lousy sheep dog.
Your St Bernard doesn't want to come in from the cold. He buried himself in the snow.
This is his favourite weather and "You can't catch me" is the name of the game
Please give your unwanted pets up for adoption, or at least put a little effort into giving your pets a future home. Summer is season for abandoning pets in the wild, even though many wont survive in nature, let alone the cold climate in some countries.
You have responsibilities ffs... Just because the poor pet suddenly doesn't fit into your lives, it doesn't mean it has to suffer.
House pets will not survive in the wild, you are condemning your pet to a long, frightening and undeserved death. To your pet you are their whole world and betraying their love and trust in this way is monstrous and sheer evil.
This might not be the most ignored, but it’s the one that if ignored cause the most suffering.
Deciding the time to put your pet to sleep. Some people tell us that “they aren’t ready”, which is sad, and I know it’s going to be the hardest choice you’ll ever need to make regarding your little one.
But the hard truth is, it’s not about you.
If your pet is crying all night, not eating without you force feeding one bit at a time, and can’t even walk on it’s own, it’s time. Most of the time our animals tell us when they’re ready, and they trust that you’ll do what’s best for them.
We have an amazing opportunity with animals, which is to let them go when their quality of life just isn’t there anymore, and selfish owners that refuse just because they “can’t handle it yet” is half the reason why working in the industry will not be long term for me.
My animals have always let me know when they’re ready. I see the look. It says “I’m tired, Mom.”
Burned paw pads during summer walks. Please, please, if you live in a country where summers are hot, make sure that you walk in the morning or evening with your dog. And ALWAYS check if the asphalt road is too hot to walk.
Put your hand on the road to check. If it is uncomfortable for your hand to be placed on, it'll be uncomfortable for your dog as well.
Not a vet but a very enthusiastic cat person.
DECLAWING HURTS THEM
It takes out their top finger bone and puts the poor kitty in pain for the rest of their lives. Trim their claws if they're too sharp, do not declaw them.
This! I don't understand, why declawing is allowed in the US (anywhere else too?)
I believe that the finest thing you can do for your new pet, particularly a puppy or kitten, is to handle it frequently when it is young. Getting them used to having their feet handled, nails trimmed, mouths opened (even more benefit if you get them used to brushing their teeth daily - gold standard for at-home dental care), ears touched (especially breeds prone to ear infections - huge benefit in the future if you have to administer topical ear medication)... Restraint is also crucial. I constantly advise my clients to train their animals to be restrained. Because it hasn't learned to be okay with restraint, that wriggly puppy that is cute when it nips when you hold it grows up to be a massive dog that can't be properly examined.
This is great if you get a puppy or kitten. My cats are rescues so not so easy to do
Exercise. Like 90% of the behavior problems I see are because your two 20 minute walks a day are not enough for your large breed canine athlete in the house.
This applies to other pets, too. Rodents in particular, they need space and exercise but often live in small stupid cages where they just can't move as they would in nature.
Preventive care. (Vaccines, deoworming, wellness exams, laboratories, x rays and dental cleanings etc.)
Not a vet, but I kind of know a bit about animals. People who own goldfish usually think “A goldfish should get a small bowl” are wrong, especially when they get sad that it dies in 2-3 weeks. Actually, they can live for 30 years if given a 20 gallon tank, and with right health conditions.
Goldfish bowls and rabbit hutches are two of the things I hate most about pet shops.
A lot of people don't seem to realize that parrots (and fish) can potentially life for decades. They're just like "oh I want the funny talking bird" and don't realize that they will be living with a talking animal for 65 years.
I mean my last zebra finch just died, obviously finches aren't parrots, and he was at least 11 and a half. Birds can live way longer than a lot of people expect
Having a parrot as a pet is like having a toddler that can fly and use pliers and doesn't wear diapers, and having said toddler for decades.
Brachycephalic health issues. A lot of owners of Pugs, Pekingese, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and other short headed dogs are always so surprised when the summer heat appears and they end up at the vets with overheated, nearly suffocating dogs.
No, dogs aren't supposed to sound like they're choking on their every breath. And no, it's definitely not normal that your pup can't walk half a block without fainting.
These races of dogs shouldn't really exist. Due to some weird "beuaty ideals" that we find "cute", we have bread a creature with a serverly dysfunctional body type. British bulldogs are not that keen on being walked, and the reason for that is that their noses/snouts are not fit for letting a lot of air through, and therefore they get out of breath rahter quickly at even moderate level of exercise. The prime function of breeding certain traits should really be about gettting a well functioning dog, rather than it being about looks.
Please please please plan ahead financially. You may be getting a $20 bunny, a tiny gecko or a 2k fancy cat but that’s not where the finances end! Get your pet insured - you’ll find yourself in an emergency situation where your pet will need a 1k surgery and hospital stay (maybe they swallowed a sock, maybe they have a pyometra, maybe their teeth need pulling), but please have that money available.
It’s devastating to see clients desperation when we do a bill estimate… unfortunately medicine is expensive, our schooling is very expensive and with surgical intervention it’s not just the surgery itself - it’s the induction, the drugs, the space in the clinic, the vet that has studied and practiced for hours to do the surgery, the nurses that stay and care for your pet before during and after surgery!
Don’t just mindlessly adopt animals when you cannot give them the care that they deserve.
In Australia pet insurance has a cut off period and unfortunately it’s when your pet is older and needs more veterinary care. It may have changed since I last looked at it but I thought it unfair at the time
Husbandry advice, but dietary advice in general.
I see a lot of animals being fed inappropriate diets, which owners will refuse to stop feeding because "the animal likes it."
The overweight cats... It's the human's fault, always. "Give the cat less food." "But it says it's hungry :(" No it doesn't Brenda, it says it _wants_ food."
Pet Hoarding. These animals suffer abuse due to mental disorder of owners
I agree. Every time I watch Hoarders there's always some lady with 20 dead cats that have been crushed in the house. (Or in the fridge. I'll never forget that episode. Lady straight up had dead cats in ziplock bags in her freezer). It's so sad for both the human and the animal. But the animal didn't sign up for that. But hoarding really is a disease.
Not a veterinarian but my heart aches every time I see a kid, or even adult, post a picture of a Red Eared Slider (RES) turtle and one of those sh**ty plastic 'beach' habitats.
Turtles in general, but specifically RES need a lot of water to thrive. Your turtle is miserable and their bodies will atrophy if they don't have enough room to swim around. Also, lettuce is not enough, nor are pellets. They eat live prey, fish.
But the worst isn't even that. They also need two kinds of lights if you're gonna have them indoors. A UVB and a UVA to bask with. Which have to be replaced every 6 months or so too.
They need vitamins, constant water cleaning/changing (They're nasty, this has to be done regularly), they need the water to be at a certain temperature, a good filter... AND they live for up to 25 years, and grow several inches long. And I mean up to 12 inches or more.
A pet turtle is much more of a time, money and care investment than a dog. But it's one of the animals least properly cared for. DO NOT give turtles away to people who didn't ask for one or haven't looked into it. Please.
This is so true! My then boyfriend bought two of these turtles (remember the movie Rocky? That was the inspiration LOL). Years later, and a really larger tank later, they were the size of two dessert dishes. They also didn't like each other and were ill due to wrong food (the tank was well managed but the rest... wasn't). It was hard and long to take them back to good health, and it was heart breaking once we found they needed a lot more than they had. In the end, once the turtles were in good health again, we decided to contact a turtle rescue. Now they're happy in their ponds and neither of us will make the same mistake ever again.
Look up what plants are toxic to your pet! You'd be surprised what common house plants are incredibly deadly to your fuzzball.
An example is lilies for cats, getting some pollen on their fur and licking it up or drinking water out of the vase is enough to cause deadly kidney failure in a few days. Check the plants you have and deal with the toxic ones. I got rid of my peace lilies before I got my cat. You could also place them somewhere your pet can't get at them (off limits room, behind glass, hang it out of reach, etc.) Though that carries a risk of accidents
Lillies! Kill cats! just a single brush and getting tiny bit of pollen ---> kidney failure.
Not a vet, but worked at a clinic. vaccine schedules. You want to go as soon as your pet is due, don't wait a few months or even a few weeks. We had a clients dog die of lepto because they were behind in the vaccine. Preventatives are another. You need them year round, bc fleas and ticks still come out and heart worm is not something to f**k with
I don't know about others, but I was taught in veterinary nursing school, that it's better to schedule routine vaccines and such a little "early." So for example, if you took your pets for their routine vaccines and exam on September 6th last year, you should schedule for August 30th this year
I think in a lot of countries the healthcare we provide is still seen as an act of charity rather than our actual jobs.
“What do you mean Fluffy’s xrays cost money? I thought you were supposed to be animal lovers!”
It’s ridiculous how often I’ve heard variations of this and I’m still just a student on placement. It gets even worse when owners start arguing with you when you have appointments back to back and have been on call all weekend.
Please understand that unless you specifically go to a charity or a place that advertises certain procedures/treatments as free, you will need to pay.
Yes I love animals and I think your pet is adorable. I still want to be able to afford to pay my rent though.
I was once told by a lady with 4 toy poodles that we (just a regular vet clinic) were the reason that so many pets are put down, because it costs too much to care for them. My then manager said to her "We didn't tell you to buy 4 pure bred high maintenance dogs!" She never returned.
Unless you can provide the right exercise, do not get a working breed dog. Kelpies, cattle dogs, sheepdogs, huskies, hunting breeds, herding breeds — these breeds are made to run all day, not to sit in your backyard
my grandad lives on a large piece of land in the country and his border collie loves it. he always goes shooting after rabbits <3
Leaving your pet alone. I know this sounds stupid but if you had a dog that you never left during lockdown and them suddenly you have to leave it for 6 hours a day it's not going to be very happy
Thinking that limping is just a normal part of animal getting old. Yes arthritis is more prevalent in older animals, but that doesn't mean they have to be in pain. Limping = pain
I've been giving my dog chondroprotectors since her first TPLO 7 years ago and they seam to work. It's hard to tell because you don't really know how she would be without. I recently stopped for 2 weeks and did notice that she was slower sat around more.
I am a veterinarian. I'd like to see people focus not just on quantity but quality of their pet's life. The best thing you can do for that is just incorporate them into your life as much as possible. Pay attention to them! Love them! Lots of walks! Lots of games! You'd be surprised what they can learn. Play hide and go seek. Play fetch. Sit beside them when you watch TV, pet them. Train and socialize them early and well so you won't avoid them because they're not well behaved.
We're all so busy, it's so easy to make them an afterthought. You are their whole world and unless you live on a big farm where they run free, you are their only outlet for activity and happiness. They get bored fast, just like we do. They can't wait for you to get home. They've missed you! Take them for a walk. Do a fun training or agility class with them if you'd like.
For health, the biggest things are 1. Exercise, 2. Pay attention to what can be dangerous/toxic for them and avoid it (heads stuck in potato chip bags is one people miss lately, and keep your drugs out of their reach! They're small and more easily affected), 3. Brush their teeth.
Enjoy your pets! They love you!
I'm lucky I can take my dog to work. She comes to most places I socialize at, manly with outdoor patios, beach shacks. In one pub she is the official house pet and gets on the sofa. At home she sleeps by my bed, the moment I start to wake up she wagging her tail staring me in the face with a big happy smile. I give her a big back scratch then she follows me to the bathroom and waits for me to come out, get dressed to go for her morning walk. When we get back she has a drink and waits for me to have a shower. Then she keeps an eye on her lead to see if I'm going to pick it up as I leave. I have a system; If I'm leaving her I leave her a treat toy to keep her busy, and leave the radio on for her. Her eyes dart back and forth, lead, treat cupboard, lead, treat, lead, treat . When I pick up the lead she can't help herself and lets out a high pitch bark of happiness. When I get angry she licks me, asking for attention. Never fails to make me smile. I love my dog
Keeping the damn e-collar on after surgery. You have no idea how many complications I’ve had because the owners thought their pet “looked so sad” after a procedure. It’s not worth it, IMO.
If I, a human being legally allowed to imbibe as much alcohol as I want, have to put in significant willpower so as not to claw insect bites open, your dog has about as much chance of not busting their holes back open as they do of suddenly becoming fluent in Human.
Not a vet (yet! still in school), but probably medical advice from veterinarians. Only halfway joking, lots of owners are great but lots also will blatantly tell vets that they are wrong, their 8+ years of education is less than the medical advice given to them by some random tiktoker or the kid who stocks shelves at the local pet store.
On a serious note, obesity. Such a large number of animals are obese that people think it’s normal and animals at an appropriate weight are too thin. My SO has even fought me on what the dogs should get to eat vs what he feeds them. It took another vet to tell him that his dog was fat to actually listen to my advice.
A funny, related story. My clinic has hand outs with common treats for dogs like cheese, ham, PB and the human caloric equivalents in donuts. My parents, who are notorious for owning morbidly obese animals, tried to calculate how many slices of ham my dog “needed” to get each day while they were pet sitting because it was “only X number of donuts”. My plan to prevent them from over feeding my dog backfired, she ended up gaining over 5lbs in 3 weeks, which is a lot for a 45lb dog. All of those human snacks and treats really add up.
I HATE to see overweight animals. No, they're not " chonky" and cute, they're obese and it will shorten their lives, potentially by years, as well as reducing their quality of life.
Brush your pet's teeth!!!
I'm an RVT that constantly works on anesthetic dentals and I can't tell people enough how much oral care impacts their pet's life.
With rotting gums and tooth root abscesses, it can lead to the bone rotting away which can cause their jaws to break (especially in our little patients). The amount of bacteria that is going on in their mouths will cause systemic infections to organs such as their liver, kidneys, and even heart. Not to mention that having an infection makes you feel sick and painful. Pets also don't like to eat, when they have terrible dental disease.
Most clients I speak to are surprised by the fact that they need to brush their pet's teeth on a regular basis to keep their teeth in check. Hell, I've even had some owners give me the "But their teeth fall out naturally" kind of spiel. Oh, they sure do-- and so do yours, if you've had bacteria, rotting food, and puss inhabiting your mouth.
Please brush your pet's teeth.
Unfortunately all of my pets are rescues that I got when they were older and generally have a history of trauma and are not receptive to this. I do try to ensure they get proper chewing supplies and dental additives on the water. My rescue chihuahua is 11 now with no plaque or tarter!
Take water for their dogs when going on a walk on a hot day. Animals , especially dogs hyperventilate faster. A lot of people own dogs, very few actually do that.
I actually got an awesome water bottle off of Amazon. I can drink out of it, but the bottom comes off for use as a bowl.
The top one for me (and I’m sure it’s been mentioned somewhere) is a rabbits general needs. Dietary, husbandry, and housing. Rabbits have so many needs that need to be met- they are not easy animals! They have burrowing needs, hay and straw are necessary, so many vegetables they cannot be fed or shouldn’t be in high amounts that people ignore, and the majority of hutches they are kept in do not meet their needs!
My friend specialises in rabbits and the stories I’ve heard from her are just terrible. Please do genuine research into rabbits before you buy them or ask a vet advice.
Also, the maggot issue. So terrifying! In summer, some flies will lay eggs not only in the rabbit sh*t, but also on the rabbits' buttholes itself (mostly when they have diarrhea and are not entirely clean there) and let's just say, what the larvae will do to the rabbit's body is absolute horror 😰 Should be avoided by all means!
Former vet tech (14 years). Being rather general, people don't pay enough attention to the three "normals": what goes in, what happens, and what comes out.
What goes in: food and water, mostly. That should be normal for them; normal amounts of food, normal amounts of water, and nothing they shouldn't be eating. *Abnormals* are decreased appetite, refusal of water, and eating inedible objects.
What happens: activity levels, habits, and how they interact with other animals or people. *Abnormals* are lethargy, anxiety, increased fear, and seclusion.
What comes out: feces and urine. Should be normal amounts and consistency, colors, and at expected times. *Abnormals* are diarrhea, dark urine, vomitus, bleeding, etc.
People get so used to their pets acting normal that they don't check to make sure they actually are. Pay attention to your pets and make sure they are *normal*. Make note any time you find something off. Even if it ends up being nothing you at least have a record of it. If there is one "abnormal" that resolves in 24 hours it's probably nothing to worry about. If there are multiples or they don't resolve then you should absolutely take them to the vet along with any notes you have.
I use a diary for meds, eating strange stuff, weight and infections/diarrhea/behaviour changes... and I keep every vet bill to keep track just in case.
Get pet insurance ASAP before you start discovering all the lovely pre-existing conditions your pet will have. If you can’t afford a minimal monthly pet insurance, you sure as hell can’t afford a pet
When the pet is sick? BRING IT TO THE F*****G VET. I don’t care if they’re stressed at the vet. They’re also stressed with an untreated illness or injury. Get it there.
Behavioral issues-it’s not cute. It’s dangerous. And saying he doesn’t bite is almost always because you or someone else has pulled themselves away in time.
"People who carry their toy breeds everywhere and feed them human food instead of dog food... they are killing their pets slowly."
My vet said this to me as we were as we were walking our dogs on the beach. Apparently lots of small breeds get very little exercise and are extremely overweight.
Not a vet - work in rescue. One of the biggest things that gets ignored is heartworm preventative. We get so many dogs into rescue that have heartworms and it's so easy to prevent. Not only can heartworm disease kill your dog, the treatment itself can be fatal if the recovery period is not managed properly and depending on the severity when caught, it can have lifelong effects even when treated successfully.
I wonder why this is such a big issue in USA and southern europe. If your pet has them in Germany I advise to use american websites since you find few information on it in german (i.e. restricting movement while in treatment) AND vets that work for rescues or big clinics like munich. Your average vet often has less experience with it.
Specific dog breed issues. Certain breeds or sizes come with their own well known health issues. For example, large dog breeds are known to have a higher chance of experiencing gastric torsion. This life threatening condition happens when their stomach , for unknown cause twists on itself. This can be lethal within the hour.
Common signs for GDV (Gastric Dilation and Volvulus) are
Abdominal distention (swollen stomach)
When tapped the stomach makes a 'ping' sound
Non-productive vomiting (appears to be vomiting, but nothing comes up or only produces white froth)
Retching
Lethargy
There's many reasons why things are ignored, missed, or delayed (ex. Dog has ongoing diarrhea for a few weeks before an appointment is booked) - financial, busy home/work life, lack of knowledge, and more. I would much rather have owners ask us questions than Google the answers or otherwise self treat/diagnose, don't be afraid of looking stupid!
Obesity and sadly, pain. I have met many owners who have had lame dogs for weeks and didn’t think the animal was in pain. Sometimes we have even discovered after X-rays that the animal has a fracture.
I'm not a vet, but I am quite a big reptile enthusiast. Something I see happen way more than it should with both exotic and common pets is impulse buying. Though it happens more with exotics, I hate when people just see the animal somewhere online, think "I can do that", then just buy it and hope for the best. Or they only use research or info from one source. Then they get all confused or even don't care when the animal dies in a year.
Use the Internet for Information, use the possibilities we thankfully have!
Basic physiology (yes your mammal pet has nipples. You think its an emergency that your both intact male and female dog are "stuck" for 2 min? No sir, that's a vulva. Bird beaks do keep growing.)
vet tech here, i mainly work with "exotics", basically any animal beyond farm/dog/cat though a lot goes hand in hand with ALL pets.
1- obesity. yes large animals are cute, but their health is not. i've seen MANY obese lizards with severe liver issues that cause nasty irreversible damage to their bodies, same in dogs if not worse. chihuahuas are not meant to be 20+ pounds, for example. they're a small breed with a small frame, they cannot handle all that weight on their tiny bodies!
2- diet/nutrition. far too many carnivorous pet owners come in that their pet is having issues going to the bathroom, not holding weight, having malnutrition issues such as vitamin defiencies. cats and ferrets for example, are obligate carnivores. meat is the biggest and should be the main part of their diet, a treat here and there of other things is no issue but should not be more than 5% of diets in many pets.
3- husbandry. tanked and/or caged animals need the space to move and get SOME exercise if they are not given time outside of their cage. and for gods sake, please do not get parrots if you cannot let them out of their cage for a MINIMUM 4 hours a day. even then, that's very little interaction and can cause hormonal and behavioural issues.
4- unfortunately, finances. yes you may have paid a pretty penny for your animal, but costs do not stop after you leave the place with your new pet. your pet will need constant supply of food, vitamin and mineral supplements, toys, at-home grooming supplies, cage upgrades, etc etc. if you are unable to provide any of those, not even mentioning vet visits, it is not a good idea to have said pet. we all end up in a pinch from time to time, and we as vets and vet techs understand that wholeheartedly. we have experienced those moments as well, but there comes a time where you need to consider your pets needs over your own. companionship via pets is a privilege, and we should fully accommodate all needs that arise for our animals, and if we can't then we need to consider what is best for that animal, many times resulting in a rehome situation, or someone who can help while we work things out.
there's so much more, but many are mainly pointing out dog and cat related issues, so i just wanted to pipe in with some insight on other pets. :)
None of it, but I work at a kennel attached to a vet clinic. We had one lady come in the other day that wanted us to give her dog have apoquel (allergy meds) while it was staying with us. She told us to give the dog one pill in the morning. She also brought allergy spray “in case she has a breakout”. I was confused, because my dog has the same medicine, and it is extremely effective. I was making the medication sheet and read the bottle. The instructions were the same dose, but two times a day. Which is probably why her dog has breakouts 🫤
Really annoys me when people don’t listen to the advice and instructions they are given
It might have been about saving money - that med is very expensive expensive.
DONT F*****G FEED YOUR PET AFTER 10PM THE NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY I DONT CARE HOW SAD THE PRICK LOOKS
I'm sure no vet would call your pet a prick what a vile way to describe this ...think of your readers before opening your mouth. This is a family site
Speaking of putting your pets first, please stop feeding fad diets. Grain free is linked to heart disease, and dogs are omnivores. They need meat too. That farmers or raw diet could be less nutritious, isn’t formulated by a vet, and in the case of grain free and raw, deadly. Feed a trusted brand like hills, royal canin or purina. We sell these brands not because we get kickbacks (we wish we did, non DVM’s are paid worse than fast food workers), but because these brands have veterinary nutritionists make their formulas, so we trust them for use in the hospital and with our patients back home. Plus, if your pet ends up hospitalized, a familiar food can mean less GI upset or a lack of a need to bring food from home.
My dog had several seizures when he was young. He had come out of them by the time we got to the vet. I was told that there was really no way to know the specific problem unless he was actually seizing, and even then, the chance was low. he told me to start out by trying to find if he was allergic to something in food or the environment. I've had him on grain-free for 5 years now with NO SEIZURES! I don't know why people think I'll just change his food because of a POSSIBLE link. Sorry, nope.
Weight and proper grooming- I see so many matted doodles and dogs with raptor talons for nails walking around and the owners are completely oblivious. I also see an insane amount of morbidly obese animals that people call “cute”, when in reality it’s just as abusive as starving a dog.
Not a vet, wife is a vet tech. But according to her constant complaints, its anything the vet tells a pet owner is usually ignored. Diet, meds, treatments, preventative things etc. People will come in with their 40lb pug and be like "we feed him lots of people food. he begs so we give it to him"
the vet will say, stop that and put him on a diet. The next time they come in its still the same weight and sick with pancreatitis or diabetes and the owner is like "oh no how did this happen??".
My wife always wants to scream at them.
It's really not so much about feeding human food, as IN ADDITION feeding human food, leading to obesity. In many countries, that's all the dog gets is left over people food. Variety and lots of veggies, with meat is also crucial. (I cook for my dogs, because used to have 6 and it was cheaper, also some had allergies) Of course salty or fatty food needs too be avoided.
Im a dog groomer so I guess no one asked me but....
Socialize your pup when theyre young and don't let them be possessive over you.
A customer had to put their dog back up for adoption after having him for 3 years, due to being possessive over the owner! They recently had a baby. However, the dog got jelous and tried to attack the baby. So the family had to get rid of the dog, for the safety of the baby.
So to stop dogs from being possessive!
When your dog is eating, pick up their food/take some food and see their reaction.
Are they possesive? Or do they not care?
If not, try having someone living outside the household to try and touch their food. (Be safe, be smart)
Another thing, Is your dog able to share his toys with other dogs?
These seem like little things but it can help indicate if your dog might have personality traits that would lead to being possessive or defensive towards the owner.
A dog that does not care about food is sick! Of course you cannot take away its food, without it caring, you can be dead sure that its full attention will be on that bowl, and that it will feel that you have cheated it.
Training to be a vet tech. Enrichment is so important. A lot of behavior problems (and some health problems) with pets (especially in cats and birds) come from boredom. No Animal is made to just lie around.
Many (not all) people ignore that their pet is part of an ascending tier of individualism and needs. First and foremost your pet is an animal; their ability to process information in many ways is going to be different from yours. Second is your pet is a species; meaning that cats will be cats, dogs will be dogs, etc. Third is your pet is going to be a breed or something similar; your Scottish Fold and Abyssinian are going to behave differently, Chihuahua vs. Newfoundland, yes the Cockatoo is going to scream more than a Senegal Parrot. Finally your pet is going to be an individual; this is where it can supersede previous tiers of what they are. A cat raised around dogs might pant and dig holes, the dog raised being held all the time is going to develop anxiety and aggressive tendencies etc.
I know it sounds pedantic to describe it like this, as people already know, but I cannot tell you how many times people treated pets like people, and not like pets, to the detriment of said pets.
I hope someone mentions that a lot of dogs and cats have allergies that go untreated! Constant itching, infections, raw spots, runny eyes- not normal!
If you and your spouse own a pet...*dramatic pause for all support staff*... be on the same page and communicate with eat chother. OR, just tell us to only contact person A for all matters concerning Fluffy, and ignore person B for medical decisions.
Not a vet but it pisses me off so much that people often feed their pet garbage. Or they don't research ingredients or possible recalls on foods. I scrutinize every ingredient before I buy my animals food or new treats.
It costs the same to feed your pet high quality healthy food for a month as it does for you to go out to eat with your family, or a night at the bar, or some Uber eats once or twice.
Do not buy cheap nasty garbage. That's not fair to them. Imagine if you were forced to eat like knock off cheap dollar store garbage of your least favorite food every day for your entire life.
Feeding them high quality appropriate food will save you money in the long run for future health problems that garbage food could cause.
Love your pets as much as they love you
Not a vet, but a veterinary assistant. What grinds my gears is clients giving their animal medication which was prescribed for their other animal. That and when they change the dose of something without telling us, or tell us after we suggest the dose change. Oh and when they give other random medication like paracetamol (I know you are able to, but under veterinary advice) without telling us and we might prescribe something with affects that particular medication in a detrimental way.
Please be nice to us and work with us. Staff at vet hospitals probably get abused verbally more than any other customer service professionals because we are dealing with hundreds or thousands of dollars per client, and in sometimes emotional situations. A lot of times the person on the other end of the phone is a unlicensed receptionist trying to do their best while managing a lobby and sometimes up to three phones and 6 lines for one person. It’s can be absolute chaos so please bare with us if we ask you to hold, or have any other basic curtesy. We’re a business too, and chaos can mean miscommunication, so please ask questions to make sure everyone is on the same page if you’re confused.
Come to your dang appointments! I know you may not think it’s a big deal, but for your pet and for us it is. I used to work in a clinic where we could have a 40% no show rate, despite being highly rated on customer service. People forget and then don’t care to reschedule. If you’re running late, be prepared to reschedule, or call ahead! Letting us know makes us more inclined to be accommodating.
i bet cleaning out dogs a**l glands is high on the list
if your dog is a*s scooting a lot it might be itchy butt or their a**l glands may need to be relieved
you can do it yourself there is youtube vids
Its not recommended to do it yourself. Its recommended that trained professionals do it which includes vets, vet techs and groomers
Not a veterinarian but I work in rescue and rehabilitation of horses. One thing I get the most is why are you taking that horse it’s not that skinny. I’m taking the horse away not because it looks skinny I’m looking at their hip bones and their ribs just because they have a big tummy doesn’t mean they aren’t skinny they just have an immense amount of worms which causes bloating.
Please don't let your dogs chew on anything you can't chip with your fingernail...they are almost certainly going to break a tooth and that's stupid expensive to remove because it often takes so much time to extract
And if you want to give your dog/cat a supplement, do fish oil, but be sure to use omega 3s in "free form" so that it's actually being broken down and processed by their cute little bodies (it helps like every part of the body)...do not do coconut oil please!
Not a veterinarian but people should raise their food and water bowls from the ground. Dog's usually have to lay down on the floor to be able to breathe while eating. If you raise their bowls they don't need to do this.
might be true for certain breeds of dogs, that are notorious for having a hard time breathing through a very short snout. But I have seen countless dogs eat without an issue standing up. If there were something like a natural dog, I am sure that it would eat off the ground and not have a need for the food to be raised, as that would make little sense.
Not a vet, in industry. Owners fixate on things that are an inconvenience for them. Skin/ears and diarrhea are two most common things seen at vet. Both cause irritation to the owner in the form of messes or interrupting sleep. Diarrhea is, in almost all cases, a temporary issue caused by some kind of food indiscretion. Skin and ear trouble is often caused by pet owners believing they can stop a treatment because they think it’s better and won’t believe that it’s a chronic issue.
I've seen people refuse to do this for their own children, let alone companion animals, so am not shocked, merely saddened. :-(
I've seen people refuse to do this for their own children, let alone companion animals, so am not shocked, merely saddened. :-(
