Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital’s Blog

There’s plenty of pet care advice out there, but when it comes to your pet’s health and longevity, we think dental health is a top priority. That’s because it’s one of the best ways that you, as a pet owner, can give your pet a great quality of life. 

By the time pets are 4 years of age, over 85% of them have some form of dental disease. And while totally preventable, dental disease in pets is also painful for them and can bring about a whole host of complications, from tooth fractures to gum disease and tooth loss. 

The best plan you can make is to begin a daily regimen of brushing your pet’s teeth. You heard us right.  Learning how to brush your pet’s teeth, and doing it on a regular basis, is one of the best ways to prevent tartar and plaque buildup on their teeth and stop gum disease in its tracks. 

Are you rolling your eyes or giggling a bit? Read on to learn how easy it is to brush your pet’s teeth, from Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital. 

It’s not unusual to completely forget about something until there’s a problem with it. Like the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, we are all accustomed to prioritizing needs in order of what’s pressing or necessary in the moment. Pet paw care can sometimes fit in this category, but ignoring your pet’s feet can really land them in trouble.

Not Obvious

Even the most dedicated and thorough pet owners are guilty of allowing their pet’s paw care to slide to the backburner. However, certain issues with the paws can cause discomfort, pain, and suffering if left alone for too long.

Thanks to our relatively mild winters in Rocklin, there’s often little excuse for staying indoors in front of the fire all season long. Because most pets are thrilled to be outdoors regardless of the temperature, winter pet grooming considerations should take center stage in order to keep our little guys and gals healthy, happy (and pretty!) all season long.

Why Winter Pet Grooming?

Cold rains, chilly winds, and the occasional snow and ice that classify winter in Rocklin can wreak havoc on our pet’s skin, fur, and paw pads. Winter pet grooming means making sure that these important areas of our pet’s bodies are protected and cared for.

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There are many misconceptions about our feline friends. Most commonly, people believe that cats prefer to be alone, dislike exercise, and shun human efforts to train. However, of all the myths surrounding feline behavior, the most dangerous might be that cats don’t require grooming.

With that specially barbed tongue, cats are fastidious self-cleaners, but for optimal health and wellness, you will also need to groom your cat. Without regular maintenance, your cat could develop unfortunate (but preventable) health problems. Continue…

Have you looked at your pet’s nails lately? Nails that are too long can not only make walking uncomfortable for your pet, it can actually contribute to knee and hip problems by forcing your pet to walk on the outside of his or her paw pads.

Many pet owners are understandably apprehensive about trimming their pet’s nails. Because each nail is home to a blood vessel, also known as the “quick”, it’s easy to accidentally hurt your pet while trimming. This can create a pretty negative experience for the both of you, and make you and your pet apprehensive to try again. Continue…