6 minute read
Choosing a family pet
KIDS AND PETS GO TOGETHER LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY: THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER IN THE BEST WAYS.
BEFORE YOU COMMIT TO A PET, consider your family’s lifestyle and budget. Are you a go-go-go group, or a chill-at-home type of family? Do you have the budget for veterinary care, food, pet sitting, toys and supplies? How much effort do you want to put into the care and feeding of a pet? It’s a lot to take in.
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When making your choice, consider the annual needs, said veterinarian Dr. Josiah Moses of Eastgate Veterinary Clinic in Corvallis. “General annual recommendations include an exam, about two to four vaccines (depending on the year and age of animal), annual lab testing to check for parasites and other early disease monitoring, and monthly flea and heartworm prevention,” said Dr. Moses.
You also need to factor your own experience level, and how much you and your family will need to learn (which can be quite fun for all of you). “For children, taking care of a pet develops compassion, caring and responsibility,” said veterinarian Emily Kalenius of WilVet Salem.
But once you choose your pet, you get to enjoy the beauty of the human-animal bond.
Cats and why they win the internet
Is it their beseeching eyes, sweet purrs and general allaround adorableness that made cats the keepers of our hearts? Their antics in play and affection certainly make them wonderful family pets. Cats are also easy to leave at home for stretches of time, as long as food, water and litter boxes are available. The minor drawbacks such as fur on your clothes and the 4 a.m. zoomies are all forgiven when you look at their adorable feline faces. This phenomenon has been described as kitty mind control, or being owned by a cat.
While kittens are undeniably adorable, they grow up quickly. Consider adopting an older cat, as they often have much love to give. Want some short-term kitty goodness? Try fostering through a local humane society. It gives your family a chance to learn what it’s like to have a pet in the house...and whether you want to commit to scooping litter regularly.
Dogs: An ongoing love story with humans
What started with cave humans tossing a few scraps of leftover meat to wolves turned into dressing your dog in a tutu and having a professional photoshoot. Our years together have evolved, to say the least, into a beautiful and enduring friendship. In terms of effort, dogs require a solid investment of time: they need to be exercised,
so daily walks or trips to the dog park are key. They are incredibly bonded to us and need love and attention, which can be an issue if you and your family don’t spend a lot of time at home.
The joy dogs bring us is undeniable: these loyal friends are just happy to be with us. Consider size: is a small dog right for your household, or a bigger dog better? How much fur you want to deal with is another question: short-haired dogs like boxers, greyhounds, Boston terriers and many mixed breeds have minimal grooming needs with little shedding. Doodle dogs — poodles mixed with another breed or more — are having a moment, but know that the poodle lineage can often mean higher grooming needs.
Training is a must, as you want a doggo who knows some basic commands and doesn’t jump up on visitors. Adolescents and teens do great in structured dog training classes.
The fascinating world of reptiles
Got allergies to furry creatures? A reptile such as a bearded dragon, chameleon or gecko can be an engaging pet. There’s a learning curve to the habitat you’ll need for them, but a reputable reptile business or organization can offer guidance on enclosures, lighting, water misting, etc. For your kids, learning about reptiles and the care they need can be a fun project.
Note that some reptiles will need live food, like crickets and mealworms. It’s not for the faint of heart.
If a tortoise or turtle is more your family’s style, remember that they live a long time — like 50 years for a well-cared for tortoise and 30 for a turtle.
A little birdy told us
Bird lovers enjoy the companionship of feathered friends for good reason: pet birds can be social, smart and affectionate.
Birds work well in small spaces, and the cost of feeding them is low, making them a budget-friendly pick. They can be quite loud though, as bird noise in the wild is meant to travel over distances, so be mindful if you share walls with neighbors.
Also be prepared that birds can live a very long time, as in decades or even over 100 years for some parrots.
How to train your goldfish
An ode to the humble goldfish: give them a roomy bowl full of water and some fish flakes, and these guys can live happily ever after. Believe it or not, you can train a goldfish to do tricks, like swimming through a hoop.
You can find goldfish that do not require bubblers or temperature regulation. Once you launch into more exotic fish, however, you enter the land of freshwater vs. saltwater, temperature regulators, algae control, etc. It can get complicated, so best left to an adolescent or teen who is motivated to learn the details and put in the effort.
Pocket pets: small size, big personalities
The term pocket pets encompasses small animals such as guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, etc. They are often school classroom favorites, as they are easy to care for and fun to interact with.
Nutritional needs are specific and varied; chewing blocks or other supplies are often called for to keep teeth from growing too long. Chinchillas, hedgehogs and sugar gliders are nocturnal, so they’ll be more active at night. Habitats for pocket pets are quite specific, so have your setup ready before bringing one home.
Prepare for the unexpected
As with many things in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so it makes sense to keep your pets up on regular veterinary care. But sometimes the unexpected happens — the dog eats a superball and needs surgery, the cat develops a weird lump — these events can come as a shock emotionally and financially.
“Depending on the severity, the diagnostics, treatments and hospitalization situations can have a very wide price range. It can be very simple and inexpensive, to upwards of a few thousand dollars,” said Dr. Moses.
Dr. Kalenius sees emergent cases only at Wilvet Salem, such as pets hit by cars, or those suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, or infections. Dogs and cats can be curious eaters, and on the list of oddities pulled out of stomachs via endoscope include: 7 L.O.L dolls, socks, foam bullets, ear plugs, ribbon and hair ties.
No one likes those surprise bills of thousands of dollars, so pet insurance or a savings account just for your pet needs might be worth looking into.
When are children old enough to help with pet care?
Notice we say help with and not take on 100 percent of pet care duties. If you’re looking to put all the responsibility of pet care on your child, rethink your decision. Consider your child’s age and maturity before you commit to a pet, and make peace with yourself that at the end of the day, you are the overall responsible party for both pets and children in your household.
Emily Kalenius, DVM
Wilvet Salem
Josiah Moses, DVM
Eastgate Veterinary Clinic
