Pocket Pet Veterinary Care in Granby CT

Pocket Pets:

Many exotic pets suffer from chronic malnutrition and other preventable health issues due to inadequate diets and housing or improper grooming. At Salmon Brook Animal Hospital, we want you to bring in your pocket pet for annual exams so that we can make sure they are the healthiest they can be!

Rabbits:

Rabbits can make great family pets. They can be easily litter box trained and can have a long and happy life when properly cared for. We highly recommend sterilizing your rabbit in order to prevent problems down the road, especially if you have more than one pet rabbit. Unaltered male rabbits will fight and can cause physical injury that will need to be surgically repaired, while unaltered female rabbits are more prone to developing uterine cancer as they age. Sterilizing your pet rabbits will also prevent any unwanted litters and make them easier to litter box train.

While pet rabbits are generally low-maintenance pets they do have some special needs. They need to be brushed daily in order to reduce the risk of hairball ingestion and formation in their gut. They also require regular toenail trimmings in order to keep their feet healthy and strong.

When you bring your rabbit in for a wellness check we will make sure to go over all the necessary information so that you are fully informed about your pet’s dietary, housing and grooming requirements as well as any special needs they may have. We want your pet rabbit to live its best life.

Rodents:

Includes guinea pigs, gerbils, mice, rats, chinchillas, and hamsters.

When handled regularly and cared for properly, rodents make great pets. The one drawback to most types of rodents, such as guinea pigs, mice, rats and hamsters is their short life span, which ranges from 2-4 years. The exception is the chinchilla which can live 15+ years when cared for properly. As with rabbits, we highly recommend sterilizing your pet rodent in order to prevent unwanted offspring or behavioral issues between multiple pets.

When you bring your pet rodent in to us for a wellness visit we will assess their diet, living arrangements and grooming needs in order to make sure your are fully prepared to care for your pet and provide the best life possible.

Ferrets:

Ferrets can make great family pets. They are very active, playful and curious. They can be easily taught to use a litter box and walk on a harness. The only drawback to ferrets is that they tend to have more health problems than other small pocket pets, which is why we recommend regular wellness checks.

It is very important to “desex” your ferret not only to control indiscriminate breeding but also to reduce aggression and prevent hormone related diseases that are commonly found among ferrets.

During your ferret’s wellness exam, we will discuss any questions you have but will also go over the health risks facing your ferret along with how to optimize their quality of life through their diet, housing and grooming.

You should bring your pet in immediately if they exhibit any of these symptoms:

• Alopecia/Hair loss
• Behavioral Changes
• Swelling/Bumps/Lumps
• Changes in urine or stool production
• Change in food or water intake
• Change in energy level