Tough Love
Growing up, our parents did things that made us upset. We couldn't eat the whole bag of candy that we got on halloween in one sitting, we had to come inside when it was getting late, we had to do our chores, etc. When you are the caregiver of an animal, sometimes you have to give them the same kind of tough love.
Different breeds have different specific needs. There are rabbits and guinea pigs with longer fur. These little smallies do require being brushed, and it's not something they are used to right away. It takes time to get an animal use to being brushed, and lots of positive reinforcement. But that doesn't mean it is something that should be avoided. The knotting and mats that result in not brushing are not just full of fur... These animals are low to the ground, the ground in which they use the restroom. The mats are full of feces, urine, dead fur, dead skin, and hay. It's not unheard of for there to be bugs either. Over time, these mats also become more compact, and become closer to the skin. This causes pulling and irritation on the already sensitive skin, and can result in open wounds and infections. I haven't even begun to speak about the digestive problems that can result from ingesting too much hair. So, if your smallie doesn't like being brushed, try offering them their favorite snack while you brush them. It might also be a good idea to do it over time in short intervals. No matter what, brushing isn't an option, it's a necessity for the health of the animal.
Getting nail trims is something that I don't think any animal enjoys. But the longer nails grow, the more likely they are to cause disaster. Animals with long nails are more likely to cut and scratch both themselves and others. That's the simplest problem. Longer nails are more likely to be broken, and split or broken nails that are not monitored or treated can result in infection. They can also be quite painful. I have also seen animal's nails grow in all different directions, which has resulted in the nail growing directly into the skin, causing infections and basically a continuous painful wound. Trimming nails is admittedly not an easy task, it's certainly a skill. If you are in need of help trimming your pet's nails, ask for help!
I understand not wanting to upset, anger, or injure the animals that we adore so deeply. But by avoiding necessary care, they're being neglected and further issues and or pain may even result. If you are in need of help brushing or clipping your animal's nails, veterinary hospitals are usually more than willing to help (of course they do usually charge). If you are in the Southern New England area, we offer small animal nail trims at the RISPCA for $15 per animal, and all the profits go towards the care of the shelter smallies. I am sure many other shelters or rescues across the country offer similar services as well. So, for the sake of our beloved pet's health, we are going to have to upset them sometimes, and provide them with some tough love.
All the photos I have used in this post, were from animals that were surrendered to the shelter just in the last 48hrs.
