Ask the Expert – Old

Q: I have a one-year-old GSD male. I would like to know what food should be given to him in summer and if any special care needs to be taken in the hot months. He sometimes is not very keen on eating food though otherwise his appetite is not much of a problem. I would also like to know certain tips on the overall health of this particular breed. How many times should we bathe him in summer? -…

Q: How do we groom cats? Are there any cat grooming parlours in our country? - Adil B Khan, New Delhi A: Dr K G Umesh: A clean shiny coat is a sign of good health and nutrition. By grooming your cat, you can, however, help to encourage growth and shine of the hair. Cats are naturally clean animals, so your cat may need little grooming, particularly if she has short hair. Longhaired cats…

Dr. K. G. Umesh (MVSc, MSc (UK)) is a Postgraduate in Clinical Medicine. He has been a lecturer in clinical medicine at Vet College in Bangalore for 15 years, and has won the 'best teacher' award in the year 2000. He is a member of European Society for Vet Dermatology and is presently working for WALTHAM as Regional Associate for south Asia Q: My six years old GSD is having an infection on her…

Q: My 9-year-old cat Princy is having trouble urinating. Please help. – Priya, Goa A: Dr KG Umesh: Such urinary problems can result from behavioural or medical disorders. Behavioural causes are associated with toileting preferences/aversions and marking. Typical aversions/preferences may include substrate, location, cleanliness, and style of box. When there is a toileting issue, the cat…

Q: I am planning to get a Doberman pup and I want to get his ear cropped. What care should be taken before and after the cropping? – Chaitanya Raut, Yavatmal, Maharashtra Dr KG Umesh: Ear trimming or Ear Cropping (Cosmetic Otoplasty) does not need to be performed except on the pet owner’s request. However, it is banned in most countries. The procedure should be done (only by qualified vets) in…

Q: What are the behaviour changes in cats with respect to climate and food? Dr Sunil Kumar C, Thalassery, Kerala Dr KG Umesh: Cats are true carnivores. They generally prey items, which are rich in water, protein & fat and low in carbohydrate and have no requirement for plant materials. Cats can not taste sugars/carbohydrates. It is generally believed that food at body temperature is…

Q: Joey, my six-year-old Pomeranian was well toilet trained but since past six months, she has forgotten everything. In fact she loves our carpet in the drawing room and relieves herself there. Please advise. – Tarun Bhatnagar, Chandigarh Dr. K. G. Umesh: It is not unusual for dogs to have an occasional accident in the house. If this behaviour is occurring on regular occasions, there can be a…

My Lab takes homemade food, please, do let me know, is this diet right and how can I train him? - Ayush Bissa, Jodhpur Our research indicated that most home made diets/baby foods fed to dogs in our country are inadequate and do not meet recommended nutritional requirements. Prepared pet foods from reputable pet food manufacturers like Pedigree come with a guarantee of nutritional adequacy, quality…

Q:Blacky, my seven-year-old mixed breed, weighs around 30-32 kg. She has become fat; her stomach is big and soft even though her food intake is less. She also drinks less water and her urine is yellowish in colour. Her periods are quite irregular and she has never been mated. Her liver tests are as follows: S.G.P.T: 112.0 U/L, Serum Creatinine: 0.60MG/DL and B. U. N.: 9.30 MG/DL. Please advise. –…

Dr. K. G. Umesh (MVSc, MSc (UK)) is a Postgraduate in Clinical Medicine. He is working for WALTHAM as Regional Associate for South Asia. Q: I have five Persians, how do I groom them? Adil B Khan, Delhi Dr K G Umesh: Cats need a balanced diet to keep fit and healthy, research developments over the last sixty years have shown that cats have very specific requirements. There are a variety of Whiskas…

I took out almost 70 ticks from my two dogs – Zack, a Golden Retriever and Cody, a Spaniel, who are 4 months old. Please do advice me a safe method. Is a tick bath safe at their age? Do we have spot on for puppies? Is there a vaccine for ticks- is it safe and what age can it be administered? What can I do to prevent those ticks on my puppies? - Shaynaya Doyle, Gurgaon To control ticks or fleas on…

Q: My cat Krishna, who is two years old, ate a cockroach recently and had some digestive problem thereafter. Please advice if the problem was due to the cockroach or any other factor. How should I prevent my cat from doing the same in the future? z - Ajesh. V, Malappuram A: Dr. K. G. Umesh: Cats are true carnivores (meat eaters) and their diet consisting of small preys such as rodents,…

My five-year-old Spaniel is not neutered. Once when I took him for a walk, without any reason, he snarled and tried to jump at a passer by. This has happened three times in a month. Can you advice me why this sudden aggression and what can I do to remedy it? – Harshil Mishra, Baroda The two most common manifestations of aggressive behaviour toward humans are fear biting and dominance-related…

Dr. K. G. Umesh (MVSc, MSc (UK)) is a Postgraduate in Clinical Medicine. He is working for WALTHAM as Regional Associate for South Asia. Q: After using the litter box my cat comes out and drags her backside on the carpet. Why do you think she is doing this, how do we remove this habit? - Ritu Puri, Delhi Dr. K. G. Umesh: This behaviour is sometimes seen in cats and is usually due to anal…

Rufus is five-year-old and his teeth have become yellowish. How can I take care of his teeth? – Vikas Gupta, Meerut Just like human being, dogs need to get their teeth brushed and cleaned. But the fact is, probably the number one health problem for dogs, apart from being overweight, is periodontal disease. More than 80 percent of dogs over two years of age who haven’t received regular dental care…

Dr. K. G. Umesh (MVSc, MSc (UK)) is a Postgraduate in Clinical Medicine. He is working for WALTHAM as Regional Associate for South Asia. Q: My six-year-old kitty Clara has started urinating frequently and does not seem to be feeling hungry. Do advice. - Deepak Joshi, Mumbai Dr. K. G. Umesh: Although cats have justifi ed reputation of ‘clean’ animals, eliminating in inappropriate places is one…

Noorie, my GSD, who is 8-year-old, is having urinary incontinence, she is otherwise very well trained but at night relieves herself in the house. Do advice. - Mrs Bose,Gurgaon There are many possible causes for urinary incontinence. First, a detailed history is necessary as it provides important clues on the type of incontinence and assists in decisions on the diagnostic workup. Although…

Q: My 6-month-old kitten loves to play with string toys and sometimes even chews on the string. It is a cat toy but is this dangerous? What are the safe toys which I can give her to play? - R Geroge, Coimbatore A: Dr. K. G. Umesh : Cat play is an important activity for cats. Toys (particularly hanging or moving), feeding puzzles, making use of resting places at a range of heights and different…

Dr. K. G. Umesh (MVSc, MSc (UK)) is a Postgraduate in Clinical Medicine. He has been a lecturer in clinical medicine at Vet College in Bangalore for 15 years, and has won the 'best teacher' award in the year 2000. He is a member of European Society for Vet Dermatology and is presently working for WALTHAM as Regional Associate for south Asia Q: My Lab takes homemade food, please, do let me know, is…

My dog Joey, who is a12 years old Lab has a lump on the back of his leg, I have been advised by my vet to go in for Chemotherapy. My concern is my dog’s age, to undertake the treatment at his age. Please do advice me what should I do. Also, I have two more dogs who keep playing with Joey - are they at any danger? – Akshay, Delhi If your vet does find a lump or tumour, a biopsy will be sent to a…