Health

There is no room for improvisation in feeding your dog or cat. Pet health requires daily care with a balanced diet that provides all the essential nutrients (the elements of food that are essential for the organism to function: proteins, carbohydrates, fat, fibre, vitamins, minerals and trace elements). Production of nutritional food is like completing a complex jigsaw puzzle with more than 50…

Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) or flea bite hypersensitivity is the most common dermatologic disease of domestic dogs. It is caused by flea bites, specifically the saliva of the flea. It also predisposes the pet to development of secondary skin infections. Here’s more on this disease. Symptoms: Clinical signs associated with Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) are variable and depend on frequency of flea…

Blood transfusion has always been an emergency and a life saving procedure in veterinary practice. Lack of blood typing kits, blood collection bags, storage equipments and donors in crisis continue to be a constraint for the needy animals. Jeevashram has established a dog blood bank, which would be instrumental in saving the lives of pets. Dr Vinod Sharma answers a few FAQs pet parents have on the…

Although pet parents are becoming more and more educated about their pets’ health, care, management and behaviour, many still believe some of the common myths that veterinarians have been trying to debunk for years. Following are some of those myths and the actual facts. Myth: Mutts are always healthier than purebred dogs. Fact: Both mutts and purebred dogs can be either healthy or unhealthy.…

All those who have seen the recent Bollywood flick Vicky Donor would agree how important it is to have a healthy donor for cases of artificial insemination. The same holds true for canines as well. The process… Artificial Insemination (AI) is the process of collection of semen from the male and depositing it through artificial means into the receptive female dog for conception. It can be done…

That small tiny little parasite - the commonly found tick, can be the source of dreaded tick paralysis. Here’s how to prevent and treat it. Tick paralysis is a very serious and fatal disease caused by certain species of ticks. Paralysis ticks (Ixodes holocyclus) are amongst the most dangerous parasites that can affect your pet. It is estimated that hundreds of dogs and cats are paralysed in India…

The word ‘fleas’ often gives us nightmares – they can make life miserable for our furry friends. Since life cycle of fleas is complex, it is important to know about their life cycle to get rid of them. The risks… Fleas are cosmopolitan ectoparasites with a large variety of hosts. For companion animals and humans, the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis and the dog flea Ctenocephalides canis represent…

By the time they are three years old, 80 percent of dogs show signs of gum disease, caused by a build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth. Regularly brushing your dog’s teeth is a great way to prevent this problem and help his teeth and gums stay healthy and it can be an enjoyable reward for your dog. Small breeds in particular are more susceptible to gum disease as they live longer so there is…

Stages, causes and consequences Vomiting (or Emesis) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one’s stomach through the mouth. Although it probably evolved as a mechanism for expelling ingested poisons, vomiting may result from many causes not related to poisoning. Here’s more on it. Stages of vomition… There are six stages of vomition. In general, a vomiting episode is preceded by a state of…

Pet’s health has to be monitored and anything out of the ordinary has to be taken care of immediately. Diarrhea is a common cause of panic. Abnormal stool calls for a visit to the vet, but it is important that the causes of diarrhea are understood so that treatment and sometimes even prevention are possible. What is diarrhea? Diarrhea is a symptom and not a disease by itself, characterised by…

Why neuter my dog? Neutering has unquestionable benefits, both in terms of animal behaviour and health. Changes in sexual behaviour: About twice a year, when females come on heat, males and females are strongly attracted to each other and will show great ingenuity in finding ways to get together and mate. This behaviour is highly likely to lead to an unwanted pregnancy. Figures also show increased…

Periodontal disease is the most common oral disease in pets. Unfortunately, if left untreated, periodontal disease only gets worse, until eventually it undermines the general health of your pet. Here’s how to take care of your pooch’s jaws. The mouth is said to be the most biologically active area of the body. Bacteria from a disease in mouth can affect various organs of the body and the nervous…

If a pet is injured or suddenly developed an acute, life threatening disease, she needs prompt emergency care as a little negligence can be a great threat to the pet’s life. It is strongly advisable to take them to the intensive care unit where they will be attended to without delay. Common emergencies in pets that require critical/intensive care Cardio-pulmonary shock Congestive heart/failure…

–Understanding canine vector-borne diseases Canine Vector Borne Diseases (CVBD) have become a global issue.Many of the parasite transmitted diseases affect humans as well as animals. The dog as man’s best friend plays an important role being effected by and serving as a host for some of the zoonotic pathogens. Here’s more on the CVBDs. The vulnerable dogs… Blood-feeding parasites can transmit a…

What are the phases in periodontal disease? Phase 1. Dental plaque: The micro-organisms naturally present in the mouth cavity combine with the saliva and food debris to form a film on the tooth’s surface: dental plaque. As it is invisible to the naked eye, it needs to be dyed in order to be disclosed. Phase 2. Tartar: After brushing, plaque reappears after six hours. If plaque is not removed…

“Docking of tails and cropping of ears for pups are already banned long time back in many developed European countries. Cropping of ear is a highly painful procedure (3rd degree pain) which requires deep anaesthesia and effective prolong post operative analgesia (pain killer). In India, this procedure is mostly being carried out by unauthorised personnel who use mild sedation for the procedure.…

Skin and coat supplements for pets are basically essential fatty acids. Here are a few FAQs on what these supplements are and how are they beneficial to the pets. Q: Are skin and coat supplements essential for pets? A: Pets may require certain nutrients that help in maintenance of healthy skin and coat. Moreover, some pets may need more supplements of nutrients than other dogs. Usually, most of…

Acute (sudden) pancreatitis in dog can be detected if the animal shows symptoms like vomiting, severe pain in abdomen, weight loss, weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, etc. Many a time, the animal finally needs to be treated under a critical care setting. Here’s more about this disease. The disease… The occurrence of acute pancreatitis is associated with the activation of trypsinogen to trypsin…

Deworming is basically getting rid of worms from the pet’s stomach, which is a ‘periodical process’ that is carried out every 3-4 months. But, it is important to deworm the pups during one month of birth. Here’s why? There are many types of worms (endo-parasites), of which roundworm is most common in dogs and can cause severe problems. The eggs of this worm normally get into dog’s stomach via…

Tumours in dogs could be of different types, but canine mammary tumours represent 50 percent of all canine tumours and it’s the most common among female dogs. However, this dreaded disease occurring primarily in older dogs is curable. Here’s more on the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. What is canine mammary tumour? Canine mammary gland tumour (MGT) is one of the most common diseases…