Prepare your house for your pet's arrival. A special place should be designated for it to eat, sleep, and eliminate. Obtain any necessary accessories (eg, collar, leash, ID tag, crate, cage, aquarium and dishes) before you bring your pet home. For most pets, you will need to pet-proof your home just as you would child-proof your home to avoid accidents. Harmful cleansers, plants, electrical cords, and breakable objects should be kept out of reach. Open windows should be screened.
Roaming pets are prime candidates for fights with other animals, traffic accidents, and communicable diseases from other animals. Their life span can be expected to be considerably shorter as a result.
Most pets are strictly indoor pets and are perfectly content, as long as they have access to food and fresh water at all times. AVMA strongly recommends that for a healthier, happier pet you consider keeping your pets indoors only. If your pet must go outside, make sure you know where it is at all times, that the pet is old enough to manage on its own, that it is identified in some fashion (microchip ID or breakaway collar and tag), current on vaccinations, and not outdoors in extremely cold, hot, or inclement weather.
If you don't want your pet in certain areas of the house, start training it immediately to avoid those areas. When choosing where your pet will sleep, keep in mind some pets are nocturnal animals and will be active at night. Placing soft bedding materials in secluded corners will help your pet to feel at home.
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Cat-Safe House Plants
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Feline Skin Allergy Symptoms and Care
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Gastroenteritis in Pets
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Lengthy bouts of vomiting and diarrhea can be a sign that your pet has gastroenteritis, a common condition that occurs when the lining of the stomach and intestines becomes irritated. Since frequent diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration, a visit to the veterinarian is a good idea if you notice
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What You Need to Know About Antibiotics
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Training Tips for Your Pets
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World Rabies Day
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Why A Vet Is Your Best Defense During A Zombie Apocalypse
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8 Common Reasons Why Your Dog is Snoring
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Becoming a Service Dog: Training and Temperament Are Key Factors
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Service dogs help thousands of disabled Americans become more independent. The first service dogs guided visually impaired people, but today, the dogs assist people who have a variety of disabilities, ranging from hearing loss to seizures to cerebral palsy. Before a dog can become a service animal, it
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How to Make Vet Visits a More Pleasant Experience for Your Pet
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Should Your Dog Wear a Backpack?
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Thinking about buying a backpack for your dog? Consider these factors before you visit the pet store.
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Secondhand Smoke Affects Pets Too
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The effects of secondhand smoke on people are well-documented. Exposure to tobacco smoke causes a variety of serious health problems, including stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not surprisingly, secondhand smoke also increases the risk
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Identifying Dementia in Senior Dogs
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Could Those Sniffles Be a Symptom of the Feline Flu?
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How to Help Your Cat Get More Exercise
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When's the last time your cat worked out? Daily exercise can help keep your furry friend healthy.
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9 Reasons Your Cat May Be Losing Weight
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Does your cat look thinner than usual? One of these nine reasons may explain why your cat is losing weight.
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