Commitment for Life— ‘I DO’ in 15 Ways!

Pet passionate professionals share 15 Essentials that are super beneficial for your pet and will make their life happy and healthy. From battling dreadful diseases to grooming and training we got you covered all. Read on and make pet parenting more joyful and fun.

Dr Neelu Khanna
1. Keep skin diseases at bay
Skin is one of the largest organs of your pet’s body and it is so sensitive that you need to take extra care. Avoid skin diseases by regular brushing, check coat and skin for any ticks or skin allergy, and give your pet a healthy balanced diet enriched with Omega 3 fatty acids.
–Dr Neelu Khanna, Panchkula

Dr Hemant Jain
2.Signs to watch out for when your pet is in pain!
Keep an eye for signs to know if your beloved furry pal is trying to say something to you and asking for help. If your pet is in pain, he might try to growl or bite when you touch the affected area. He might also hide and not let you touch the area where it’s painful. His facial expressions, eluctance to walk or play, being irritated or agitated and limping can be signs that show your pet is in pain. When in pain, dogs become sad and depressed. They’ll not wag their tail, their body language changes, breathing pattern is altered, and they might also get fever. –Dr Hemant Jain, Nagpur

Dr Ankur Narad
3.Make sure your pets get cool and cosy place in summer
“Sweltering summers might make your pets fussy eaters! Provide a comfortable resting place that’s cool, cosy, and silent. Make sure your pets get fresh clean drinking water at all times. Try feeding them early in the morning and at night when it’s cooler. Give them home-made treats like cucumber, yogurt, ice candy with fruits, etc.” –Dr Ankur Narad, Indore

4 . Turn monsoon from manic to magical
“High humidity and moisture during monsoon can cause fungal infections and maggots to dogs. The challenge is to keep your pet dry. If your pet gets wet in the rain, dry him immediately using a micro fiber towel to soak the extra moisture. You can also use a hairdryer to thoroughly dry his coat, especially for long-haired breed.There are higher chances of gastrointestinal infections during monsoon. As a preventive measure, regular de-worming is a must. Make sure your pet doesn’t eat grass or mud during his walks. Avoid giving raw food like veggies and fruits. Feed him good quality kibbles. ‘My dog is scratching his ears’— this is a common complaint heard from almost all pet parents during monsoon. This happens because of increased ear wax or fungal or bacterial infection. Dogs constantly shake their head and as a result the ear flaps tend to become swollen. To prevent this, a good ear cleanser should be used regularly. Never insert ear bud inside your pet’s ears as it could be harmful. Contact your vet for the same.”
–Dr Suranjan Sarkar, Ranchi

Dr Vikash Sharma
5.Get them regularly vaccinated
Don’t make your pet vulnerable to deadly diseases. Get them vaccinated and follow the schedules regularly to safeguard against rabies and other zoonotic diseases. Keep them safe from life threatening diseases like Parvo, Distemper, etc. There are so many seasonal infections that might affect your pet. Preventive vaccines can help them fight those infections and maintain their overall health.
–Dr Vikash Sharma, Patna

Dr Preeti More
6.De-worming on… Dreadful diseases gone
For first one month, try to feed your puppy only mother’s milk. After weaning till the age of three months, de-worm the puppy with a good de-wormer every 14 days. Then from 3 months to 6 months, de-worming should be done every month. After that it should be done every 3-4 months. –Dr Preeti More, Kaithal, Haryana

Dr Aeknath Virendra
7. Handling troublesome ticks is no longer a big task
When you start looking on your pet, there are three different types of ticks you may encounter. First, Ixodes, also known as Deer Tick, which range from lentil to beetle size, have black legs, a black thorax, a black head, and a tan-coloured body. Second, Rhipicephalus, which look similar to Ixodes, but instead, have brown legs, and dark stripes on the underside of their tan bodies. Thirdly, Dermacentor, which look like Rhipicephalus, but are more bean-shaped. Many pet parents cannot differentiate between a tick and a flea. If you find a tick, it will not run away like fleas. Ticks generally attach themselves to your pet’s skin to draw blood. Full or feeding ticks may look different because they are engorged in blood. Full ticks can appear as large as a bean or grape and may have a grey, red, or brown abdomen area once it is filled with blood. In order to find ticks easily you can get your pet’s fur trimmed, especially during summer and monsoon. Make sure to only trim it and not to shave off. –Dr Aeknath Virendra, Jabalpur

Dr Prachi Kshatriya
8 .Be cautious about cancer and give it a tough fight
“Check for any lumps or bumps on your pet’s skin. If your pet has a benign tumor, get a chest X-ray done as it reveals a lot about malignancy. Neutering helps in saving your pet from mammary gland tumors and prostatic cancer.”  –Dr Prachi Kshatriya, Bangalore

Dr Priya Chettri
9. Avoid horrific heatstroke in summer
“During summer time, never ever leave your pet inside a car, not even for a few minutes. For your pet, there should be fresh drinking water accessible to him at all times. Take your pet only for short walks during early mornings or preferably late in the evenings in hot summer days.”  –Dr Priya Chettri, Sikkim

Andriya Khurana
10.Fairy tale always starts with a furry tail
“Keep those tails wagging with happiness and joy! The tail is an extension of the spine, do not pull or lift your pet with it, you may dislocate the tail by doing so. Be careful with large breeds with floppy tails. When wagging in happiness, they might drop something and injure themselves. Keep them safe in an obstruction free area so that they can express their joy without getting injured. Dogs with fluffy tails need their tails brushed regularly to avoid mattes and tangles. Extreme matting can obstruct the blood supply to the tail, resulting in excruciating pain.” –Andriya Khurana (Groomer), Mumbai

Yeffna Poonacha
11. Keep those eyes shiny and healthy
“Let those puppy eyes always swoon your heart away! Keep then shiny and healthy. For routine care of your dog’s eyes, use wipes which are specially formulated to gently remove tear stains from around the eyes. Gently wipe around the eyes and in the corners, making sure not to touch the eyeballs. If your pet has white fur, use the wipes daily, otherwise 2-3 times a week is a good routine. Use a tearless shampoo to wash their face and head so that the eyes are protected from burning sensation. Ask your vet about eye drops that you can put in for maintaining eye health and vision in senior dogs.”  –Yeffna Poonacha (Groomer), Bangalore

Poorvi Anthony
12. Awesome Pawsome – Paw care made easy
“Dog shoes or boots are a great way to protect the paws of your pooch from heat while walking on hot pavements during summer as well as from muddy water during rainy season and getting cracks during winter. Regularly trim the hair under the paws so that they get proper grip while walking. Also, get their nails clipped regularly and apply paw butter to keep their paws soft and prevent from cracking.”
–Poorvi Anthony (Groomer), Ahmedabad

Vaidehi Naik
13 . Go ga-ga over goodness of grooming
“Bathing your dog is an integral part of grooming. He’ll feel clean and fresh and smell good. And a well-groomed dog will always look more friendly and inviting, so will be able to socialise more. Grooming gives a chance to go through your pet’s body. While brushing and combing, you can find cuts, wounds, or bumps hidden under the coat. You’ll also find any mattes that may be causing him pain. When you are cleaning his teeth, you might discover sore or bleeding gums and bad breath that may indicate a health problem. When you are trimming his nails, you may come across a sensitive spot or something caught in his paw pads. All of these potential issues will come to light when you are consistent with your grooming. Think of it as a weekly health check. Moreover, the most fun reason to keep on top of your grooming duties is that it’s a great way to bond with your pet.” –Vaidehi Naik (Groomer), Pune

Priti Chauhan
14 Banish boredom with fun and engaging games  at home
“Dogs feel happy, satisfied and bonded with us when we spend quality time with them. Apart from their walks, which are always a must- you can keep them busy indoors by:Nose work exercises—these exercises encourage your pet to use their nose to find treats, it mentally stimulates them, several board games are also available in the market for the same. A game of ‘Hide & Seek’ helps in bonding indoors. Play ‘Find It’ – Teach your pet the command, then simply hide the toys in different rooms for him to go hunt. Wait in the main room to receive him with cheers and claps, make him feel important, it will go a long way.” – Priti Chauhan (K9 Behaviourist and Trainer), Pune
Madhur Gautam
15 .Say ‘I Love You’ in special ways
“Try to understand the body language of your pet; it is such an important indication. It helps in building a very good relation between you and your pet and also to understand their natural instincts. Amalgamation of good diet, exercises, and play sessions is integral. It helps in building good companionship. Regular vet check-ups are a must. They’ll help you know about any illness or health condition. And when caught at the right time, the treatment would be easier and your pet would not have to go through pain and discomfort.” –Madhur Gautam (Trainer), Noida

(Compiled by Kajal)