The best care for pets

Dogs and humans have been best friends for long. While dogs give unconditional love, loyalty and friendship to their owners, the owners are, in turn, responsible for proper and regular veterinary care, food water, shelter, safety, and exercise. If proper care is not taken it is likely to suffer from physical and behavioural problems. In this context there are few Dog care basics for the pet lovers.

· Collar your dog and attach an I.D. This will prove to be a great help when your dog is lost and it’s easy to bring your pet back to your home.

· Bathing your pet at regular intervals is necessary. Giving it a bath on an exceedingly frequent basis can dry out its skin and coat and result in skin infections. Better way is to bathe your dog once a month. In case it gets too dirty, in between rub it with a damp towel or wash just the paws.

· A pet should be groomed daily. Move a brush or comb through the hair of your dog such that its coat remains smooth and free of tangles.

· A proper physical examination of your dog should be done regularly. Check the pad of its feet, oral cavity, and ears should be kept clean as well.

· Taking care of your pet, mainly comprises of its diet. Remember a nutritionally balanced diet, with constant access to fresh water is good for your dog. Dogs are Carnivores hence meat plays an important role in their diet. A common question that arises in every individual is whether to feed cooked or raw meat? Either meat or flesh? Raw meat may spread several infectious diseases; hence cooked meat should be given to pets. This can be a good supplement of protein, fat and also vitamin B complex.

· Feeding the similar kind of food to pets routinely may eventually reduce appetite for that particular feed and one fine day may loose its appetite completely. Hence variety is to be preferred even here. Sometimes readymade pet foods or much of the times homemade balanced food will serve the purpose. Sudden change of food is also not advisable. At times; it may also lead to digestive disorders.

· In general an adult dog may require about 1-1.5kg food per day. A pup weighing about 500g requires about 90 g foods daily. An adult dog about 10 kg weights requires minimum of 500 to 650 ml of water daily.

· Well grown adult dog should be fed twice a day and pup should be fed four to six times a day.

· If your dog should be fit and healthy it should get lot of exercise depending on its breed and age.

· It is advisable not to keep your dog constantly tied up as it will lead to boredom and result in bad temper

Deworm your pet regularly with best effective dewormer. Do not repeat the same dewormer every time and avoid its use for a longer time, it is recommended to change the drug inorder to avoid resistance.

Deworming Schedule for pets:

Vaccinate your pet against Rabies, canine distemper, Infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis,canine parvo viral disease etc

Vaccination Schedule for pets:

* S/c-Sub cutaneous, * I/m-Intra muscular

The most important aspect of your dogs well-being is health. Since your dogs cannot communicate with you in words it shows some warning signs when its sick. They may include the following:

v Reluctant to take feed and water i.e. poor appetite

v Lethargy

v Constipation

v Frequent sit-ups

v Laboured breathing

v Blue, white or pale gums

v Loss of consciousness

v Imbalance or Circling

v Seizures

v Bloated Abdomen or tucked up abdomen

v Signs of acute pain{crying out very loudly}

v Body temperature over 102.5 or below 99 is also equally dangerous in pets

v Vomiting,diarrhoea

v Excessive salivation

v Nasal Discharge

In general when you notice slight behavioral changes in your dog, it is wise to be cautious than to wait. Hence immediately consult your vet when you come across some changes in your dogs’ attitude and health. No other animal that one can have as pets acts like a dog. Dog is a social being. When you get home the dog goes crazy like if it hasn’t seen you in days. Even when you are at home, the dog always wants to be around you and if it’s an outside dog, the dog will rush to you every time you go outside. Dogs have become companions of man in this modern era. Even these dogs desire to be part of family. People and dogs have become increasingly integrated and implicated in each others' lives. Humans have been with dogs since the caveman days and to this day the dog is still there at man's side.

About the Author:

Dr Cherryl Miranda, hailing from Kinnigoli, is a veterinary doctor. She obtained her graduation from the Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Science University in Bidar. She is now planning to pursue her Post Graduation in Animal Sciences at Shree Venkateshwara University , Tirupathi.

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