Dogs and cats are among the most common pets kept in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and they are often valued for their companionship and their beauty. Cats rank as the most popular pets for a household, with dogs as a close second. Other types of pets are often kept too, such as small mammals (rabbits, mice, hamsters), along with birds, fish, snakes, lizards, and even tarantulas. All of these animals need proper care and supplies, from specialized food (which may even be live to specialized cages or tanks. Fish must be kept in a water-filled tank with a water pump to keep fresh oxygen cycling in, and birds and small mammals tend to be kept in wire cages to keep them from escaping and getting lost or hurt. Reptiles and tarantulas may be kept in glass or plastic tanks with heaters and simulated terrain where they may hide or sunbathe as they like. Meanwhile, a vet clinic is a common destination for pet owners, often for cat or dog owners, and a vet clinic may offer care, medicine, and advice for pet owners. One may wonder how to care for a dog wound, or how should you take your cat to the vet clinic? A pet owner may find a veterinary hospital or search “vets near me” to find something local and helpful.
Cat and Dog Problems
Why might someone’s pet cat or dog be taken to the vet clinic? Any number of wounds or illnesses may afflict a cat or dog, whether young or old, and some common pet problems are the same as human health issues. Older cats and dogs are known to suffer from arthritis, and inflammation of the joints that may cause great discomfort and limited mobility. Like people, pets suffering from arthritis will have slow and careful movements and may sometimes be in distress. In other cases, a running dog may injure its leg bones or joints while running or playing (or even fighting), and these injuries call for a visit to a local vet clinic. A dog owner will soon notice that their canine friend is limping or refuses to put much weight on a leg due to distressed joints or even a fractured bone. Such a dog may refuse to run or even walk.
Cats and dogs may suffer from pests. Fleas are common, as are ticks, and are likely to attack pets who go outside and are exposed to these harmful insects and arachnids in grass or other vegetation. Such pests feed on the pet’s blood, and while the blood loss is negligible, these pests may transmit harmful diseases to a pet just like they might to a person. Such disease may be difficult to spot at first because the pet’s fur may cover the skin rashes or bumps. Other common issues include ear mites, which irritate a pet’s ears. These are easily indirectly observed when a pet owner sees their cat or dog excessively scratching at their ears. Worse yet, a pet may be infected with parasitic worms such as heart worms, which affect the pet’s health in a variety of ways. Issues such as these and others may be diagnosed at a vet clinic, or a pet owner may spot them, too. Whenever a dog or cat needs attention, a checkup, or medicine updates, it may be taken to a local clinic.
At Vet Clinics
a dog or cat owner may take their pet to a local clinic, where a veterinarian will give the animal a physical exam and check for issues such as a hurt joint, strange bumps or rashes, a fever, discolored gums, discharge from the eyes, and much more. A pet may need only a routine checkup to confirm good health, and the pet owner may be given medicine to administer to their pet to prevent fleas, ticks, or parasitic worms from attacking them. Cat owners may bring their cats inside a carrying crate, and the owners of well-behaved dogs may bring those dogs into the clinic on a leash. Stressed or aggressive dogs may be kept in the owner’s car until their turn comes for examination, so they don’t become upset or antagonize other dogs or people in the clinic’s waiting area.
