30 days & 30 ways of pet parenting

By dnp-team On Jan 21, 2013

Here are 30 tips to keep your pet fit and fine all the month round.

While adopting pedigreed pups, a veterinary examination of the pup is mandatory and the pup must be a registered with The Kennel Club of India.
Pup should be weaned from his mother at the age of one and half months of age. At this age, the pup receives maximum milk and antibodies from his mother.
Pup should be vaccinated at the age of six to seven weeks of age for diseases like distemper, hepatitis, viral gastro, para influenza, adeno virus, leptospirosis, etc. These should be followed by corona virus vaccine and then rabies vaccine.
Get your dog regularly dewormed.
Before giving bath, both the ears of the dog should be plugged with cotton to prevent infection and entry of water into the ear canal.
Give daily exercise, depending upon type of breed and age of the dog.
Diet of the dog should be decided as per his age and breed.
Daily grooming should be done.
Give bath once in a month or needed but only with dog shampoo.
Get a habit of handling and cleaning the dog teeth with soft brush by using dog tooth paste.
Periodically get the ear cleaned and the nails trimmed by your vet.
Do not apply Dettol, oil, lotion or any human soap or shampoo to dog’s body as it may cause allergy.
Pups below three months of age need not require bath. Clean them with a moist towel.
Do not give sweets, spices, salts, sugar, oil and chocolates.
Do not give chicken or mutton bones as it may cause obstruction and injuries in the bowels.
Do not give raw meat or chicken as it may transmit parasitic and infectious diseases.
Do not give raw egg as it may cause hair loss and biotin deficiency.
Do not feed them table scraps.
Do not allow your pet to come in contact with other stray dogs.
Always clean the feeding utensils and always give fresh food and water.
In long-haired breeds, such as Lhasa Apso, Afghan Hound, etc, hair around the ear opening should be clipped periodically to maintain good ventilation.
Always take your pet dog on leash while walking on the street.
Start training your dog early to make him an obedient dog.
Check the foot pads, ears and body for ticks and fleas.
Never keep your dog alone in a car. When travelling in a car, ensure that there is good ventilation.
Minimum 18 months old stud dog should be used for breeding purpose.
Consult the veterinary surgeon if your dog suffers from vomiting, diarrhoea or any infectious disease.
Protect your dog against extreme heat and cold.
Skin infection such as scabies, demodectic mange and fungal infection are transmissible to human beings. In such case consult the vet and treat your dog immediately.
Do not neglect or tie your dog.

(Dr Hemant Jain, MVSc (Surgery) is a dog, cat & bird practitioner who runs Dogs, Cats & Birds Clinic in Nagpur).