Oakland Veterinary Referral Services Blog

Most of us want to stay inside when it is cold outside. The house is cozy and warm. Add snow, ice, or other inclement weather to the mix, and who the heck wants to go out? Your puppy may also be reluctant to go out into the snow and ice, but they have to “do their business” regardless of the chill. When you are housetraining your young pup, the winter months can add more challenge to an already challenging task.

Oakland Veterinary Referral Services sympathizes with the process of housetraining your little one. We are here with 5 tips for how to potty train your puppy during the brisk days of winter.

Small dog breeds are popular with many pet owners due to their small stature and big personalities. Top breeds like Pugs, Chihuahuas, Terriers, Pomeranians, and other tiny dogs are trendy with those with limited space and a passion for their convenient and adorable size. Small dogs, though, are at greater risk for specific health conditions that primarily affect the minuscule breeds.

The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to explain some of the conditions that affect small dogs. Understanding the challenges of small dog breeds can hopefully help you better care for your best friend.

Kittens and cats are prone to a variety of parasites, both internal and external. Cat parasites are not pleasant dinner conversation, but they are something you should be aware of and discuss with your veterinarian. These invasive foes can lurk in your pet’s body without you even knowing it until your cat’s symptoms worsen.

To help protect your precious feline from exposure, the OVRS team is here to provide more information about cat parasites.

Treats are an important part of rewarding your dog or cat. In moderation, cat and dog treats are great. They offer motivation during house training and basic commands, offer appeasement during times of stress, let you to bond with your pet, and are just generally tasty. But food-based rewards can also lead to obesity and health problems. 

Your team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services understands the importance of pet treats. This blog is to give you insights into pet treats and suggest forms of reward that are healthy alternatives to treats.

Preparing your pet for surgery can be stressful. There are many things to consider and you may be dealing with a companion that is injured or feeling under the weather. Being prepared prior to surgery will give your pet the best odds of a swift, safe, and successful recovery. 

Oakland Veterinary Referral Services has a team of board-certified surgeons and surgical staff. They perform many advanced surgeries to help, treat, and cure our beloved fur friends. Here are a few tips to help you in preparing for the big day.

Can you feel it? The frazzle with the dazzle that comes this time of year. Chances are, if you are feeling a little overwhelmed by the holidays, your pet may be feeling it too. Stress during the holidays is common, and you may have found ways to cope with it, like meditation and yoga. But what about your pet? 

Oakland Veterinary Referral Services aims to give you our suggestions for keeping the chaos from causing issues with your pet. Here are some of our favorites for giving your pet a stress-free holiday.

When the days are short and the nights longer, it’s easy for most of us — including our dogs — to get bored and restless. Add the cold and busyness of the holiday season, and those long winter months can lead to boredom, behavior problems, and general lethargy. Our pets need daily exercise and enrichment to stay at their best, but winter can throw a wrench in those activities. 

We’ve written about fun cold-weather activities and indoor enrichment. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is back with eight more suggestions to help keep your dog active in winter. With a little bit of creativity and effort, your furry friend won’t be bored through the cold months.

Wondering how to choose the right cat for you? Looking for a new best furry feline is an exciting time. Whether you already have a lovable cat at home and want to add another, or this is your first time adopting a cat, you are in luck. Cats make wonderful companions with their curiosity, warmth, antics, and unconditional love. Cats have varied personalities and activity levels. A kitten, an adult cat and a senior cat are very different. Here’s how to choose the right cat for you.

Choosing a cat is a big decision. Choosing your new cat from a shelter is an especially loving act. Many shelters and rescues are overtaxed with the number of animals they must care for. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants to help you find your perfect meowy friend for a match made in heaven.

What steps should you take to address behavior problems in your dog? In a perfect world, our beloved pooches would be wonderful in every way. They would always respond to our commands and never cause trouble. The reality, though, is that most dogs do have a few behavior issues. You can easily address some behaviors with basic training and socialization, but sometimes that isn’t enough. What steps do we take in addressing more serious behavior problems in dogs?  

The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to address behavior problems in dogs and offer some helpful solutions.

Adopting a new pet is an exciting time, especially when you’re also doing good by choosing a shelter dog or cat. Adoption helps free up rescues and shelters, provides love, housing, and care to homeless pets, and creates an awareness of the importance of adopting versus buying pets. Some of our most loving and loved pets have come from shelters or rescues, but these pets can also come with challenges.

The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants to cover a few common challenges with shelter pets or rescues, in order to better prepare you for a successful and informed adoption process.