• Spotting the Signs of a Stressed Feline

    There are times when it’s obvious that your pet should be seen by his veterinarian in San Jose . However, some problems, like stress, can be less easy to detect. Being able to recognize when your feline may be stressed can help you protect his long-term health and happiness, so there are several warning signs that you should be aware of.

    If your cat is stressed, then he may urinate outside of his litter box or suffer from digestive issues like diarrhea and constipation. If your pet is exhibiting any of these signs, then consult your veterinarian. A feline that is under stress may also scratch himself frequently or groom excessively to the point of irritating the skin or causing hair loss. Finally, if your cat is meowing a lot, isolating himself, eating less, sleeping more, or displaying aggression, then he may be stressed or suffering from illness and should be seen by a veterinarian.

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  • Ways to Protect Your Dog from Foxtails

    Foxtails can be a painful and dangerous problem for pets, so knowing what you can do to protect your dog from these hazards is a smart way to keep her both happy and healthy. To help avoid binging your canine to her local veterinarian in San Jose for foxtail removal, consider the following strategies for protecting your dog from foxtails: dog - foxtail

    Know What Foxtails Look Like

    Being aware of what foxtails look like and where they come from are the first steps in keeping them away from your dog. Foxtails seed heads create a bushy-looking shape at the top of foxtail plants. These seed heads are designed to burrow their way into soil, but they can mistakenly burrow their way into skin, as well. Once in your dog’s skin, they can migrate, cause your pet pain, and lead to infection. Foxtails can be found in many outdoor areas, and while they are usually golden brown, they can also be colors like green, white, and yellow.

    Remove Foxtails from Your Property

    Recognizing foxtails in your area can help protect your dog from these troublesome plants. At home, however, eradicating them is ideal, particularly if your dog spends time outside in your yard. If there are only a handful of these plants on your property, then you may be able to trim the affected area and then clean up the clippings. However, if foxtails are a growing problem in your yard, then consider addressing them with an herbicide.

    Keep an Eye on Your Pet

    Finally, to help protect your dog from the dangers of foxtails, keep him on a leash in areas where foxtails are growing and be mindful of where he steps. Also, examine your pet for signs of foxtails after walks or when he comes in from the yard. During this process, don’t forget to check in his ears, between his paw pads, and under his tail and legs. Finally, consider trimming your dog’s coat in summer, which is when foxtails tend to be most problematic.

  • Caring for Your First Cockatiel

    Cockatiels are fun and lovable birds that make great pets. If you are planning to add one of these birds to your family, then read on to learn what your veterinarian near Cupertino would want you to know about caring for your first pet cockatiel.

    Best bird vet clinic for Cockatiels
    Habitat

    Cockatiels have long tails and like to move around, meaning that you will need a large cage for your new pet’s habitat. While the bigger the cage, the better, you should look for one that is no smaller than about two feet in each dimension. To help keep your cockatiel healthy, you should clean and disinfect his habitat regularly. Also, ensure that both your pet’s cage and everything in it, like his bowls and toys, do not contain harmful materials like lead and zinc.

    Food

    To help ensure that your cockatiel gets all the nutrition that he needs, you can feed him primarily food pellets made for cockatiels. You can also choose to feed your pet seeds, but this diet should consist of a variety of other foods as well. When feeding seeds to your cockatiel, make sure that the bowl is clean and dry first. Also, keep in mind that your pet may leave the seed husks in the bowl, causing it to appear full even when the seeds have already been eaten. For this reason, you must empty and refill his bowl frequently. You can feed your cockatiel fruits and vegetables as well, such as spinach, broccoli, collard greens, bananas, apricots, and oranges. However, never feed your cockatiel any of the following: fruit seeds, caffeine, salt, avocado, chocolate, garlic, alcohol, mushrooms, honey, rhubarb, onions, or dried or uncooked beans. Also, do not feed your cockatiel foods that contain xylitol or are high in fat, sugar, or sodium.

    Health

    You should give your cockatiel filtered, chlorine-free water to drink every day, and remember to regularly provide him with a larger container of water for bathing. Finally, bring your cockatiel to a veterinarian if he exhibits any signs of illness, such as a loss of appetite, discolored stools, beak swelling, coughing, swollen eyes, or nasal discharge.

  • Avoid These Mistakes When House Training Your Puppy

    Your new puppy is an adorable bundle of energy. He or she doesn’t yet know the house rules, and will be perfectly content to make messes in your home. After all, puppies can’t yet control their small bladders or bowels. House training is the process of teaching your puppy to eliminate outdoors. To start, take your puppy to a veterinarian serving the San Jose area. Your puppy will need a wellness exam and shots, and your vet can give you some helpful tips for successful house training . poodle - puppy

    Avoid inconsistency in your puppy’s elimination routine.

    When you take your puppy outside, you should carry him or her over to the same spot in the yard every time. You’ll thank yourself for doing this later on, when you don’t have to worry about stepping into a mess while gardening. Choose a voice command, such as “Go potty,” and use the same one every time. Praise your puppy as soon as he or she takes care of business.

    Avoid reacting poorly to accidents.

    Every puppy will have accidents in the house. It’s inevitable. If you react poorly to accidents, your puppy may be more likely to develop behavioral problems. Use a stern tone of voice to reprimand your puppy, but only if you catch him or her in the act of elimination. Your puppy won’t understand a delayed reprimand. Never rub your puppy’s nose in the mess, and never swat your puppy. Pick up your puppy and go outside to let him or her finish eliminating. Remember to praise your puppy afterward to reinforce the idea that eliminating outdoors is desirable.

    Avoid the temporary use of pee pads.

    Indoor pee pads are a popular way to prevent household accidents. The problem is that many new puppy parents use them temporarily, while their new family members are still quite young and need to eliminate frequently. Switching from indoor pee pads to outdoor elimination is confusing for a dog. Even if your dog handles the transition well, he or she may still eliminate indoors on occasion.