How to Keep Pets Healthy at a Pet Store

Keeping pets healthy at a pet store takes advanced preparation. Because pets are living animals, they require constant care. Many states have laws in place to insure the health of any pet at a pet store. Some of these laws are very strict but, others are more lenient.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Think about your space limitations before purchasing pets. All pets should have ample room to move around. The bigger the animal, the bigger the space required. Overcrowding animals, including fish, is an almost sure way to spread disease.
2. Clean the pets' living area daily. Feces and urine will help disease spread quickly. If you are selling small animals, reptiles or birds change the bedding often. Fish tanks should be cleaned often and dead fish should be removed at least daily. If you are selling dogs or cats, clean messes as soon as they happen.
3. Feed the animals a proper diet. Malnutrition can cause disease. If you are unsure of the proper diet for the animals in your care, consult your veterinarian.
4. Give the pets plenty of fresh water. Dehydration and an unclean water source will cause any animal to get sick.
5. Quarantine sick animals immediately. This will help to prevent the sickness from spreading to other animals. Ideally, quarantined animals should be placed in a different room from the other animals. They should also have a separate ventilation and filtration system, if applicable.
6. Take sick animals to the veterinarian as soon as possible. If the pet is sick from a disease that can be treated at the pet store, begin treatment immediately. If you are unsure of the illness, you can call the veterinarian to see if you can get a diagnosis over the phone.

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