Tag Archives: pet adoption

Dog Care, General Care, General Health

7 Ways To Help Rescue Dogs

May 20th is a pretty special day for our canine companions: it’s Rescue Dog Day. If you love animals, you probably have a soft spot for rescue dogs, as we do. There are still far too many rescue dogs out there who have been saved, but have not yet found their forever homes. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of pups who still need to be rescued. A Roanoke, VA vet lists some of the things you can do to help them in this article.

Adopt

The best thing you can do to help rescue dogs? Adopt one! Many people insist that the pups they rescued are the best pets ever. We’re inclined to agree! Just be sure that you’re ready to commit.

Speak Up

Do you know of a pooch that needs help? Contact local authorities or animal rescues. Many places allow you to make such reports anonymously. This can help eradicate the fear of reprisal.

Support Legislation

We’re happy to see more laws going on the books that make animal cruelty felony. For instance, here in Virginia, animal cruelty towards dogs and cats are now felonies, as of July 2019. Supporting pro-animal welfare legislation is a small task that can have big repercussions.

Foster

Another thing you can do is foster rescue dogs. Many of them need training and/or socialization before being put up for adoption. Fostering isn’t for everyone, of course: it can be difficult to say goodbye to a pooch you’ve cared for and grown fond of. Think things over carefully. It never hurts to learn more!

Volunteer

Animal shelters and charities are doing great work, and there certainly is plenty of it. Consider giving up a bit of your free time to help our canine pals.

Donate

Many animal rescues rely on donations to care for their furry wards. Monetary donations are great, of course, but you may also be able to drop off food, toys, or supplies. Anything helps!

Spread The Word

Social media has transformed the world in many ways. One of the best things about it is the fact that it makes sharing information very easy. Share posts about pups that are in need of good homes. Who knows? You may change a rescue dog’s world with a few keystrokes!

As your Roanoke, VA animal clinic, we’re devoted to providing top-notch veterinary care. Contact us anytime!

Adoptions, General Care

Adopting a Specially Abled Pet

May 3rd is Adopt A Specially-Abled Pet Day! If you’re ready to bring a new pet into your home, please don’t overlook that cute blind dog or the kitty with one eye. These imperfect pets are just as loving and affectionate as any other dog or cat. A local Roanoke, VA vet discusses adopting one of these lovable pets below.

Get Your Home Ready

In many cases, setting your home up properly may be half the battle. If you’re adopting a blind dog or cat, pick up anything that your pet could trip over or hurt themselves on. You’d want to use baby gates near stairs, and put things like thorny plants and fragile vases in high, secure spots. If your new kitty is blind, setting out carpet runners and putting up scent markers, such as air fresheners, may help her navigate her new home.

Consult Your Vet

One reason that specially-abled pets often get overlooked is that people just assume that they need a lot of extra care. You may also assume that your new furry friend will need more veterinary appointments than other pets. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. As far as home care, you may just need to do some things differently. And while your pet certainly will need proper veterinary care, this doesn’t necessarily mean they need to come in more than other pets. If your new canine pal is missing an eye, there just may not be a need for extra medical care once he’s healed. That said, every pet is different, so you’ll need to consult both your pet’s current caretaker and your vet.

Do Some Research

Just learning a few tips and tricks can make a huge difference. For instance, you may be able to train a deaf dog to come when you wave a flashlight or laser pointer. Check different online groups and forums, and ask your vet for advice.

Pat Yourself On The Back

If you’re bringing home that unlucky, unwanted pet, you definitely have our support. Giving one of these cute dogs or cats a home is an extremely kind and selfless thing to do. You’ll be repaid with love, cuddles, and purrs or tail wags. What more could you want?

Contact us, your local Roanoke, VA animal clinic, for more information on caring for a specially-abled pet. We are always here to help!

Adoptions, Cat Care

Adopting a Stray Cat

Have you made friends with a stray kitty? Perhaps Fluffy just showed up on your doorstep one day. Or, maybe you’ve spotted her in your yard on occasion. Chances are, it didn’t take long for your new feline friend to melt your heart. Why not give her a forever home? A Roanoke, VA vet offers tips on adopting a stray cat below.

Considerations

Not all strays will make good pets. Others need a lot of time to go from homeless furball to purring lap cat. It’s worth noting that there is a big difference between stray and feral cats. Strays have been around people before. In fact, many of them are former pets themselves! Feral cats, on the other hand, are completely wild. (An interesting note on this: there’s no physical difference between stray, domestic, and feral cats. However, only domestic kitties hold their tails up. This may be Fluffy’s way of announcing that she has humans.)

Convincing Fluffy

Cats all have their own purrsonalities. Some strays are quite friendly, and will nonchalantly stroll into your home and sprawl out on your couch. Others will be quite scared, and may spend a lot of time hiding, especially at first. A trip to the vet’s is definitely in order, but aside from that, just give Fluffy time to settle in.

Settling In

You may want to keep Fluffy in a quiet back room at first. A spare bedroom or utility room is perfect. Make sure your pet has comfy bedding, food, water, toys, treats, and, of course, a litterbox. You’ll want to spend time with her, but don’t force attention on her. Also, let her come to you. This is very important for building trust! Sit on the floor, cross-legged, hold a treat out, and call her to you. We strongly recommend keeping your cat indoors, however. Play with your kitty daily to burn off excess energy.

Building Trust

It may take some time for your new furball to truly learn to trust you, and realize how comfy the life of a pampered pet is. Offer Fluffy lots of great care and TLC. Many former strays become so comfortable and happy with their humans that they lose all desire to go outdoors. You’ll have that little motor going before you know it!

Please reach out to us, your Roanoke, VA vet clinic, anytime. We’re happy to help!

Cat Care, Dog Care, General Care

5 Easy Ways to Save on Pet Care Costs

It would definitely be nice to save a little money here and there when it comes to our pets. How do you do that without sacrificing—or, even better, benefiting—your four-legged companion’s health? Here are five quick tips from your Roanoke, VA veterinarian:

Practice Preventative Medicine

Keep your pet up-to-date on essential vaccinations to ward off diseases like parvovirus, influenza, distemper, hepatitis, leukemia, Lyme disease, rabies, and others. It’s also important that your pet wears preventative medicines to keep fleas, ticks, and parasitic worms at bay. Preventative measures like these are both more effective than treatment and far cheaper!

Spay and Neuter

Did you know that spaying and neutering your pet early on in life is a great way to save money? Not only does it prevent unplanned litters and the costs associated with them, but it benefits your pet’s health by eliminating various cancer risks, as well as the likelihood of more common ailments like urinary tract infections. These health issues will be expensive to treat or manage later; avoid the cost and hassle initially via the spaying or neutering procedure.

Use Portion Control

Overfeeding your pet wastes food, meaning you’ll have to buy more food more frequently. It also contributes to dangerous obesity, which is costly and time-consuming to reverse. Obesity can even lead to a host of other health issues, including heart problems and arthritis.

Portion control is a simple way to avoid all of these issues and save yourself money. Ask your veterinarian for advice on an exact serving size for your particular pet.

Adopt, Don’t Shop

Here’s a way to save money on pet care before you’ve even brought your companion home: adopt from a rescue organization rather than purchasing a pet from a pet store or breeder. The adoption fee is almost always far less than a price tag!

Skip the Novelties

It’s easy to get caught up in pet novelty items, like fun costumes or pet perfumes. These types of purchases are fine to indulge in every once in a while, but be aware that overdoing it will put a real strain on your wallet! Remember: your pet will be perfectly happy with the essentials. If you’re trying to save money, you might want to skip that name-brand pet parka!

Does your animal friend need preventative healthcare measures or a veterinary exam? Schedule a visit at your Roanoke, VA pet clinic today.