Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital’s Blog

The holiday season is not known as a time of year where many of us lose weight. Between the buttery, sugary desserts and rich, savory meat dishes, we’re lucky if we keep weight gain to a solid five to ten pounds. Pets are no exception to this trend, but with some healthy pet snacks waiting in the wings, you can keep them satisfied and safe all season long.

Despite their reputation, snakes contribute to our ecology in important ways like helping to control rampant, disease-carrying, crop-destroying rodent populations. Fear and inexperience drives our perceptions of snakes, however, this doesn’t mean that snakes aren’t deserving of our consideration and respect. With natural snake repellents, pet owners can subtly drive snakes away while protecting their pets from potentially dangerous interactions.

We are no strangers to danger noodle encounters at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital, and we want to make sure you know how to keep your pets safe from their hurt juice. Although we see many different types of sneks in the Rocklin area, danger noodles are the ultimate bad tube dudes. They slither, rattle, and tell you to back off with their teeth first. If you and your pupper or meow meow come face to face with a danger noodle, be sure to do the following:

Here in California, the recent wildfires have been ravaging our lives in ways that we couldn’t imagine just a short time ago. Besides affecting our day to day activities, they are also affecting our health. 

We know that you have thought about how wildfires are affecting you and your family, but the staff at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital wants to be sure that you are thinking about how your furry friends are impacted as well. 

Protecting your pets from smoke during the wildfires is important, and it is something that you can be proactive about when little else is in your control.

It is one of those magical canine moments. The rush is full of olfactory stimulation. It is deeply satisfying and immensely enjoyable. What are we talking about? A ride in the car, of course! 

Most dogs regard an open car door as the best invitation of all time. They willingly hop right in (as opposed to many feline friends), switch from one side of the back seat to the other, and even hop right up on the dashboard for a better view. But should your dog stick their head out the car window?

Californians are fairly well-versed at looking out for snakes while enjoying our state’s open spaces – especially while hiking or camping with our pets. Even though we know we share a close proximity (sometimes too close!) to various types of wildlife, it’s often a surprise to run into snakes in our own backyards. Fortunately, most snakes don’t pose a threat, but keeping pets safe from snakes remains a top priority this summer.

Equal Access

Snakes are important members of California’s ecosystem. Responsible for major pest-control, snakes deserve their place in the food chain. They reduce nuisance populations of rodents, insects, lizards, and amphibians. By virtue of their very healthy appetites, snakes can even minimize the spread of disease to humans via rodents. 

Summer may be winding down, but in our neck of the woods the heat is far from over. High temperatures will continue for weeks, if not months, and keeping our pets (and ourselves) protected from heat-related dangers should remain a top priority.

Because pets don’t regulate their internal temperature as efficiently as humans (think panting compared to sweating), heatstroke is a serious concern during the summer months. Your Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital team wants you to be able to spot the signs of heatstroke in pets, know how to help your pet, and, most importantly, prevent the condition in the first place.

Who doesn’t love a trip to the coast? It’s a wonderful way for us to escape the summer heat or winter blahs and is, of course, best shared with our furry four-legged family members. But, are there specific things to know to keep your dog safe at the beach? 

Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital is your partner in pet health and safety, so join us as we explore this question. 

It can be thrilling to catch a glimpse of a wild animal, but unless you are at a safe distance their actions can be highly unpredictable and incredibly dangerous.

Raccoons, skunks, foxes, porcupines, and opossums are certainly not rarities, but neither are local sightings of rattlesnakes, bears, coyotes, cougars, and various birds of prey.

The bottom line is that when pet safety remains a top priority, we can all move closer toward peaceful (or at least uneventful) co-existence.

Safety is important to pet owners and is something we keep in mind when purchasing food and toys for our pets. Most of us feel secure when we purchase something from a pet supply store – after all, they wouldn’t be selling it if it wasn’t ok for our pets, right?

Not necessarily. Like most of the products in our modern world, the majority of pet toys, chews, and even food products come from China. In light of recent allegations of lead and other contaminants in Chinese-made pet products, the team at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital wants to make sure pet owners understand the importance of safe pet products and how to find them.