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 four-month-old GSD female has developed a tendency to urinate in sleep. She pees in her bed while in deep sleep, but doesn't realise it. Can it be a sign of some health issue, and how do I address it? Nimisha Saxena
Urinary incontinence in a small pup can be a sign of mineral deficiency, too much water consumption, excess carbohydrate consumption, and, rarely a sign of early urinary tract infection. Balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body, more protein in the diet, giving filtered water, and cleaning the genitals regularly with normal saline will help get rid of this problem easily. Try to give dry food in the evening. Apart from maintaining regular and timely deworming and vaccination.
Q: I have a 5-year-old retriever whose teeth are all yellowed. He doesn't allow them to be cleaned during spa or bathing sessions. His breath also stinks. Please advise what to do? Shashwat Sen
Dental affections are both a sign of oral hygiene as well as internal organs' health conditions. Look into the oral hygiene, if not by cleaning, then by giving proper chewable hard food containing fibres. This will help clean the mouth regularly. Normal saline can be used to clean the mouth. Giving a pinch of salt daily into the diet also helps in this case. For a 5-year-old retriever, complete blood counts, liver, and kidney profiles should be checked once a year because internal organs' health is also reflected by bad breath and the yellowing of teeth. Any affections detected can be taken care of well in advance by giving vet-prescribed medicines.
Q: I have just adopted a 2-year-old beagle from a shelter (through an adoption appeal). It is very weak. I want to know what a balanced diet should I give her and should I exercise her? Faiz Rehman
Congratulations on a new member, and the method you have adopted is adoption, which is appreciable. Beagle is a dog with certain genetic problems, like an allergy. You can visit a vet and get some tests done. That happens because of dietary issues, as most of the foods don't suit them. You need to assess and formulate a proper meal plan. Non-allergenic foods or hypoallergenic foods will help her gain some body weight. Deworming, vaccination, and balanced diets will help her gain normal health. Let her play normally; do not force her to exercise immediately.
Q: My pet dog is not showing interest in food these days. She mostly skips the morning meal and eats unenthusiastically in the evening, that too when I cox her. Could she be ill? She is 2 a 2-and-a-half-year-old Pomeranian. VK Kumar
In this weather, dogs do not eat much. Most of the time, they are panting. Lots of drooling (discharge of saliva) is also seen. This all leads to dehydration and listlessness, which further suppresses their urge to eat. Try to keep your pet in a cool and dry place and give lots of cool water to drink. Add a few pinches of electrolytes and give a sweet carbohydrate to meet the minimum energy level. Even in a humid climate like in the rainy season, they dehydrate a lot. Giving coconut water will help relieve the problem and later on maintain the normal appetite. Keep changing the water and food, as they stale very fast, and pets don't show any interest in consuming that.
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