30 Vets Share The Best Pieces Of Advice They Wish All Pet Owners Knew

Vegans feeding their carnivore pets no meat based diets. If you do this, you're a c**t.

I would like to add knowing what the breed is for before you buy it.

Of course your dog is bringing you dead rats, he's a Terrier.

Your husky needs to run a lot, don't keep it on a chain.

A German Shepherd being over protective? Go figure.

Of course the Australian Kelpie won't eat lamb, it's a sheep herding dog. You want her to herd the sheep not eat the sheep. If sheep are tasty then you're going to have a lousy sheep dog.

Your St Bernard doesn't want to come in from the cold. He buried himself in the snow.
This is his favourite weather and "You can't catch me" is the name of the game

Please give your unwanted pets up for adoption, or at least put a little effort into giving your pets a future home. Summer is season for abandoning pets in the wild, even though many wont survive in nature, let alone the cold climate in some countries.

You have responsibilities ffs... Just because the poor pet suddenly doesn't fit into your lives, it doesn't mean it has to suffer.

This might not be the most ignored, but it’s the one that if ignored cause the most suffering.

Deciding the time to put your pet to sleep. Some people tell us that “they aren’t ready”, which is sad, and I know it’s going to be the hardest choice you’ll ever need to make regarding your little one.

But the hard truth is, it’s not about you.

If your pet is crying all night, not eating without you force feeding one bit at a time, and can’t even walk on it’s own, it’s time. Most of the time our animals tell us when they’re ready, and they trust that you’ll do what’s best for them.

We have an amazing opportunity with animals, which is to let them go when their quality of life just isn’t there anymore, and selfish owners that refuse just because they “can’t handle it yet” is half the reason why working in the industry will not be long term for me.

Burned paw pads during summer walks. Please, please, if you live in a country where summers are hot, make sure that you walk in the morning or evening with your dog. And ALWAYS check if the asphalt road is too hot to walk.

Put your hand on the road to check. If it is uncomfortable for your hand to be placed on, it'll be uncomfortable for your dog as well.

Not a vet but a very enthusiastic cat person.
DECLAWING HURTS THEM

It takes out their top finger bone and puts the poor kitty in pain for the rest of their lives. Trim their claws if they're too sharp, do not declaw them.

I believe that the finest thing you can do for your new pet, particularly a puppy or kitten, is to handle it frequently when it is young. Getting them used to having their feet handled, nails trimmed, mouths opened (even more benefit if you get them used to brushing their teeth daily - gold standard for at-home dental care), ears touched (especially breeds prone to ear infections - huge benefit in the future if you have to administer topical ear medication)... Restraint is also crucial. I constantly advise my clients to train their animals to be restrained. Because it hasn't learned to be okay with restraint, that wriggly puppy that is cute when it nips when you hold it grows up to be a massive dog that can't be properly examined.

Not neutering their animals.

Exercise. Like 90% of the behavior problems I see are because your two 20 minute walks a day are not enough for your large breed canine athlete in the house.

Preventive care. (Vaccines, deoworming, wellness exams, laboratories, x rays and dental cleanings etc.)

Not a vet, but I kind of know a bit about animals. People who own goldfish usually think “A goldfish should get a small bowl” are wrong, especially when they get sad that it dies in 2-3 weeks. Actually, they can live for 30 years if given a 20 gallon tank, and with right health conditions.

A lot of people don't seem to realize that parrots (and fish) can potentially life for decades. They're just like "oh I want the funny talking bird" and don't realize that they will be living with a talking animal for 65 years.

I mean my last zebra finch just died, obviously finches aren't parrots, and he was at least 11 and a half. Birds can live way longer than a lot of people expect

Brachycephalic health issues. A lot of owners of Pugs, Pekingese, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs and other short headed dogs are always so surprised when the summer heat appears and they end up at the vets with overheated, nearly suffocating dogs.

No, dogs aren't supposed to sound like they're choking on their every breath. And no, it's definitely not normal that your pup can't walk half a block without fainting.

Please please please plan ahead financially. You may be getting a $20 bunny, a tiny gecko or a 2k fancy cat but that’s not where the finances end! Get your pet insured - you’ll find yourself in an emergency situation where your pet will need a 1k surgery and hospital stay (maybe they swallowed a sock, maybe they have a pyometra, maybe their teeth need pulling), but please have that money available.

It’s devastating to see clients desperation when we do a bill estimate… unfortunately medicine is expensive, our schooling is very expensive and with surgical intervention it’s not just the surgery itself - it’s the induction, the drugs, the space in the clinic, the vet that has studied and practiced for hours to do the surgery, the nurses that stay and care for your pet before during and after surgery!

Don’t just mindlessly adopt animals when you cannot give them the care that they deserve.

Husbandry advice, but dietary advice in general.
I see a lot of animals being fed inappropriate diets, which owners will refuse to stop feeding because "the animal likes it."

Pet Hoarding. These animals suffer abuse due to mental disorder of owners

Not a veterinarian but my heart aches every time I see a kid, or even adult, post a picture of a Red Eared Slider (RES) turtle and one of those sh**ty plastic 'beach' habitats.

Turtles in general, but specifically RES need a lot of water to thrive. Your turtle is miserable and their bodies will atrophy if they don't have enough room to swim around. Also, lettuce is not enough, nor are pellets. They eat live prey, fish.

But the worst isn't even that. They also need two kinds of lights if you're gonna have them indoors. A UVB and a UVA to bask with. Which have to be replaced every 6 months or so too.

They need vitamins, constant water cleaning/changing (They're nasty, this has to be done regularly), they need the water to be at a certain temperature, a good filter... AND they live for up to 25 years, and grow several inches long. And I mean up to 12 inches or more.

A pet turtle is much more of a time, money and care investment than a dog. But it's one of the animals least properly cared for. DO NOT give turtles away to people who didn't ask for one or haven't looked into it. Please.

Look up what plants are toxic to your pet! You'd be surprised what common house plants are incredibly deadly to your fuzzball.

An example is lilies for cats, getting some pollen on their fur and licking it up or drinking water out of the vase is enough to cause deadly kidney failure in a few days. Check the plants you have and deal with the toxic ones. I got rid of my peace lilies before I got my cat. You could also place them somewhere your pet can't get at them (off limits room, behind glass, hang it out of reach, etc.) Though that carries a risk of accidents

Not a vet, but worked at a clinic. vaccine schedules. You want to go as soon as your pet is due, don't wait a few months or even a few weeks. We had a clients dog die of lepto because they were behind in the vaccine. Preventatives are another. You need them year round, bc fleas and ticks still come out and heart worm is not something to f**k with

I think in a lot of countries the healthcare we provide is still seen as an act of charity rather than our actual jobs.
“What do you mean Fluffy’s xrays cost money? I thought you were supposed to be animal lovers!”

It’s ridiculous how often I’ve heard variations of this and I’m still just a student on placement. It gets even worse when owners start arguing with you when you have appointments back to back and have been on call all weekend.

Please understand that unless you specifically go to a charity or a place that advertises certain procedures/treatments as free, you will need to pay.

Yes I love animals and I think your pet is adorable. I still want to be able to afford to pay my rent though.