Tick treatment is vital for pet health

Vet’s Views

Dr Kaushlendra Kumar

The doctor has been practising in Lucknow for the past 20 years in canine and other pet animal medicine and surgery

Q: My Pomeranian dog gets ticks during the summer and rainy season. Noticks powder doesn't help.  Is there a way to deal with this menace?  Reena Shah

Ticks in the summer season are a long-standing problem. Different varieties of ticks in different sizes attach to the pet's body when they go for a nature call. Ticks in the present time are managed by using medicated shampoos and powders. We have medicated body sprays also. Advanced technology SPOT ON therapy is also readily available. Few tablets are also there in the market that protect against ticks for a period of 1 month to 3 months, but must be given according to body weight and health condition. Tick management is very, very important, and ignorance may lead to varied symptoms from anorexia to anaemia and finally even to death. The tick fever is also a fallout.

Q: I have recently adopted a Spitz pup. It is otherwise healthy, but its nose keeps running. The puppy is three months old, eats normally, and also does not sneeze. Why does it have a running nose? Is it a sign of some ailment? Namita Joshi

A running nose in a 3-month-old pup is an allergic symptom.  It is called Allergic Rhinitis. It's mainly due to low immunity in a puppy. Proper deworming, vaccination, and a healthy and balanced diet may help your pup build an optimum immunity to fight certain allergens and infections. Temperature needs to be regulated. These pups generally show a low body temperature. Hence, provide a limited dose of calcium preparation of good quality. Strong immunity boosters are also available, and all these can be prescribed after a proper examination. A very special vaccine of kennel cough should also be given to improve his immunity to fight against respiratory infections. 

Q: I have a three-year-old female pug dog. She has a quaint habit of snoring loudly while sleeping. Is this normal? Shikha Pandey

Snoring in a pug as a habit is an anatomical anomaly. Pugs are brachicephalic, whose snouts and nostrils that are compressed, making the airway passage very difficult. The second anomaly is the size of the glottis. Increased size of the glottis also obstructs the air passage. Some simple cosmetic surgeries improve the condition immensely. Undergoing these surgeries can help pugs out of snoring sounds and they can breathe properly. 

Q: My young Lab, otherwise a robust eater, isn't eating properly. She keeps panting, and her tongue seems unusually pink, darker than usual.  What should I do?  Kamaal Rizvi

Anorexia and lack of appetite these days in the summers for any breed is very common. Because of heat, the body undergoes homeostasis. Tongue is out, drooling, and panting. This is the way dogs try to cool their body. And they leave food also. The internal temperature of the body is very normal, but the external temperature is hot. The cooling mechanism fails, and the dogs leave their food. You must provide cold water 24 hours and food rich in carbohydrates. The protein diet should be less in quantity. Cooling of the body can be done by keeping them in AC rooms, sponging with ice water. Give ORS liquid.  All these may improve their appetite and health.

Q: My dog holds pee/poop for very long hours when it rains and hides under the bed. He also dirties the house occasionally instead of going out. My efforts to take him out meet with aggressive behaviour. What should I do? Meeta Ghosh

 Poop and pee training comes under routine training of the dogs. Early age training is very important.  In certain weather, they don't want to go to their jobs. Train them to get excited about going out. Ask to ride in cars, and we will go to the park. Give them treats once they return home after completing their jobs. It's purely your call since the beginning. If training is delayed, they become stubborn. Refresh the training sessions with trainers to smarten their behaviour. All these may help with your problem.