We do not easily realize how much our pets help us balance our everyday lives until something goes wrong with them. Ever had a pet suddenly fall ill? Your life goes all topsy turvy… not because of the running arounds that you have to do, but because you suddenly fathom that a part of your life is just not working properly.

Avik, who is a regular contributor to our blog, informed me this morning that his dog, Phoebe, is not keeping well. The problem is that he doesn’t know what’s wrong, and it is driving him crazy. To quote Avik:

“She keeps howling and running around as if something is hurting her inside, and
I just can’t put a finger on what it is. It just worries me to no ends that she
is hurting and I am not being able to help”.

What makes it even more painful for him is that this is not the first time he has seen this happen. The dog he owned before he got Phoebe has also once developed similar symptoms, and had passed away suddenly. Still, he is putting on a brave face and hoping for the best. Phoebe is only barely two, and very healthy.

So what do you do when a lightning like this strikes you? Unfortunately, there’s not much to do. However, like it holds true for us, humans, the saying: “Prevention is better than cure.” also holds true for our pets. So you need to have checklist of things you should do to make sure nothing goes awry in your life.

Here’s a start:

  • Vaccinate your dog in time. You need to repeat vaccines for canine distemper and rabies every year.
  • Maintain a regular check up schedule with your local vet.
  • Deworm your dog every six months.
  • Learn to cook for your dog. There are several nutritious pet food that can be made at home. Recipes are available for purchase, if you are willing to pay for them.
  • Avoid pet food bought from stores unless you are extremely sure about its quality.
  • Be aware of the things that dogs should not eat. Take active care that they do not get one of them in their mouth,
  • Find out what your dog is allergic to. Keep them away from those stuff.
  • Read. It helps to know what’s good for your dog and what’s not.
  • Make sure your dog gets enough exercise.
  • Make sure your dog always has enough water to keep itself hydrated.
  • Always keep your dog on the leash while taking him/her for a walk. Dogs tend to run without looking.
  • Always make sure your dog does not sniff around in unfamiliar areas. You never know what infection it can catch.
  • Always keep your dog well groomed.
  • Always give your dog enough attention and love. You would not want to regret later. Plus, they are an absolute joy.
  • All dog lovers should remain informed about the common ailments dogs suffer from and how to tackle them: indigestion,vomiting, loose stools, loss of appetite, fever, ear infections, skin infections, eye infections are common occurrences among dogs.
  • Never give a dog who has been showing signs of an upset stomach (vomiting, loose stools etc), milk to drink.
  • Check for water entering their ears during a bath or during walks in rainy season.
  • This is from my personal experience — My dog, Tommy started to limp all of a sudden one day. I pressed his leg joints to identify where the pain was coming from, but he did not whine at all. I kept wondering what it was when, my friend suggested that I have a look into the crevices underneath his paw: I found he had developed a boil in there. The morale of this story – keep a close watch because the ailments can come from unexpected quarters.
  • A dog skipping one or two meals is OK , but owners should be vigilant about the dog’s stool, urine, and activities. Keep a thermometer separately for dogs, and check his temperature when you see one of the obvious signs. If the dog is not eating even his favorite food, and has become lethargic, checking out for wet nose, and feeling their ears for temperature do not always give an accurate picture.
  • Check if the dog is drinking more water than usual without any apparent reason(after any form of exercise or because of excessive heat). Excessive thirst is a sign of canine diabetes.
  • Check out for ecto parasites: ticks, fleas etc. Ticks cause tick fever, which is a silent and deadly disease.
  • Owners should keep reading books on dog health issues, I feel, or consult their vet from time to time.

Is there something you would like added to this checklist? Please let us know. We would like to build on this for our readers and their pets… because a dog’s life is only as good as its owner makes it.

*** The points in blue are later additions sent in by Dr. Manik Godbole – A regular Paws Awhile contributor.

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