Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital’s Blog

The sight of a snake slithering across their path evokes a variety of responses in people. While some of us appreciate their beauty and power, many of us react with fear or even panic.

Of the roughly 35 species of snakes in California, six of them are highly venomous, making snake safety for pets an important topic to our readers. Whether you find these reptiles fascinating or revolting, it’s important to recognize the very real threat they pose to our four-legged companions.

The Low Down

Rattlesnakes are widespread in California and make their homes in every type of habitat, including river banks, parks, golf courses, and more. Once their venom is injected, it acts immediately, compromising blood vessels near the bite and causing intense pain and swelling. The venom also affects the blood’s clotting properties, which may lead to the loss of large amounts of blood.

A rattlesnake bite can kill a pet if left untreated – it should be considered a life-threatening emergency.

When you think of pet toxins, items like antifreeze and chocolate probably come to mind. Those things are definitely high on the list of “no-no’s” when it comes to your pet, but one of the most dangerous pet toxins can be found in your pantry, fridge, or medicine cabinet without you even realizing it.

Xylitol, a popular sugar substitute, is found in everything from cough drops to peanut butter to toothpaste, and it doesn’t take much to severely affect or even kill a pet. Keep reading to find out more about xylitol poisoning and what you can do to prevent it.

No one wants mice, rats, gophers, or other critters invading their home or yard. Rodenticides are chemicals used to kill these small animals, but unfortunately, anything that can kill a rodent can also kill a dog or cat.

Rodenticide poisoning in pets is a serious problem, and the team at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital wants to make sure pet owners know how to protect their furry companions.

Fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters aren’t uncommon in California, and many of us have a plan in place for ourselves and our families. However, if you’re a pet owner, caring for your furry companion takes the emergency planning up a notch.

The team at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital wants to make sure you have the knowledge and skills you need to make disaster preparation for pets a breeze!

The temperatures are kicking into high gear, and in our neck of the woods, that means seeking shade, a cool dip in the pool, or an ice cold treat. What does it mean for our pets, though?

Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital is revisiting summer heat safety for pets, and we have a few tips for best practices indoors, as well as when outside. Plus, a few bonus recipes for yummy summer pet treats that won’t add inches to your pet’s waistline. This is going to be fun!

First Thing’s First

First, a bit of awareness: pets don’t sweat the way we do to dissipate excess heat. It’s important not to let them get overheated in the first place. Dogs and cats have fur coats to boot, so taking precautions on warm days is definitely in order. When it’s hot outside for you, it’s even hotter for your pets.   Continue…

California living is hard to beat, but one thing that many of us could live without is the worry of rattlesnakes. If you have lived here very long, you have probably learned a little bit about rattlesnake safety and how to peacefully cohabitate with the reptiles in the landscape.

Every year, though, our staff at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital treats pets who have been envenomated by rattlesnakes. Understanding your pet’s risks is helpful to determine how to better protect them from having this happen and to determine whether rattlesnake vaccination is appropriate for your pet.

A Calculated Risk

Snakes are cold-blooded critters, which means that they are most active in the warmer, dry months. Here in Northern California, we are in snake season. Beginning in April and extending into October, we consider this part of the year to be high risk for snake exposure. Continue…

Fractured teeth are a common veterinary dental crisis, especially in dogs. So what is an animal lover to do if their pet’s  tooth breaks? Don’t worry, your partners at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital will help you be prepared should you encounter a broken tooth in a pet.

When Good Teeth Break

Pets may experience a broken tooth secondary to some type of trauma to the tooth itself. This is not limited to things like being hit by a car, but more frequently occurs when the animal bites down on a very hard object. Dogs who chew on things like deer antlers or marrow bones are very likely to fracture a tooth.

Any tooth can break, but most commonly affected are the canine teeth and the big premolar tooth. A broken tooth may have obvious exposure of the internal pulp cavity, visible as a red spot on the tooth, however sometimes fractures are less obvious.

A broken tooth in a pet is a painful occurrence no matter how apparent the fracture is. The pulp of the tooth contains sensitive nerves, and there is no question that this condition hurts. Continue…

Having an emergency involving your pet is bad enough, but having one when you are not there is even worse. It is important to have a plan in place in the event of an animal emergency. If you are going out of town and leaving your pet in the care of someone else, it is even more important.

Put your pet emergency plan in place this holiday season, before you enjoy the festivities.

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Despite our best efforts, life is anything but predictable. We never know just what turn the future may take, and a little planning does a lot to help smooth the road ahead. Because our pets depend on us for so much, it is important that we remember them when planning for life’s unexpected events.

When expecting the unexpected for our pets, be sure to:

Gather Your Pet’s Information

Having all of your pet’s important information in a centralized, easily accessible location is vital. In this information be sure to include:

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While we hope you and your pet never have to face an emergency, we do believe that it is important to know how to recognize and respond to a pet emergency. Not all pet emergencies are as obvious as others, and knowing how to respond to your pet’s condition isn’t always as straightforward as you might like it to be.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to identifying a pet emergency, the following signs and symptoms should help you identify the severity of your pet’s crisis. However, if your pet’s symptoms aren’t listed below, but in your gut you know something serious is wrong, please don’t hesitate to call us (or one of our emergency referral partners) for a consultation. Continue…