HEALTH CARE
Vaccinations
Get your new puppy or dog checked out with a veterinarian
and establish a schedule for his immunizations. Puppies need to be inoculated
at the age of one and a half months with a six-in-one vaccine that protects
against distemper, parvo, canine, parainfluenza and so on. At two and
a half months, they are due for a booster dose. The rabies and Corona vaccines
are separate and given at three months. All vaccines need an annual booster.
A pedigreed dog will need regular veterinary intervention.
Symptoms of sickness to look out for are excessive thirst, loss of appetite,
frequent diarrhea, bleeding from the mouth, nose or anus, strain to pass urine,
weight loss, shivering, confusion, lameness or difficulty in moving. Make
a note of the symptoms and furnish all the details to the vet so that he can
make an accurate diagnosis. Some of the common pet diseases are
Ticks and fleas
Ticks are best controlled by manual removal and keeping
the surroundings clean and uncluttered. They are usually seen on the head and
neck, on and in the ears and between the toes. Wear rubber gloves while removing
ticks to avoid contact with blood. Use a chemical dip or a solution of Butox
or Asuntol both on the dogs and its environment to kill fleas and ticks. Flea
collars are ineffective and contain dangerous chemicals.
Ticks and fleas transmit worms and cause skin irritations and
allergies. Severe infestation of flees can cause anemia as fleas feed on blood.
Dogs pick up tapeworms from fleas. Round worm infested puppies may be very thin,
have a pot belly, Diarrhea and a cough. Medication should be given for
the particular type of worm infested. Canine Distemper Symptoms of canine distemper
include coughing (a puppy can die of pneumonia in the first or second week of
distemper), diarrhea, listlessness and fever. Prognosis depends upon severity
and early diagnosis and treatment. This disease is highly preventable with
vaccine usually taken at one and a half months of age.
Parvovirus
This is a highly contagious viral disease that is dangerous
primarily to puppies. Bloody diarrhea is the most important and easily recognised
symptom; others include loss of appetite, vomiting, fever and listlessness.
Parvovirus can kill an adult dog in two to four days; 8 to 12 wee old puppies
can die in a few hours, so early diagnosis is important. A preventive vaccine
is 80 to 90 percent effective.
Canine Para influenza
This airborne viral disease more commonly known as
'Kennel cough' is highly contagious, but much less severe than distemper. It
is the most common respiratory illness in dogs. The incubation period is 5 to
10 days. Common symptoms include discharge from the nose and a persistent dry
cough, which usually disappears by itself within 2 weeks. This disease only
becomes serious if left untreated and a secondary bacterial infection sets in
leading to pneumonia. This disease is not transmissible to humans, and can be
killed with bleach. The best prevention is a standard Vaccination along with
parainfluenza vaccine which is often combined with canine and parvovirus vaccines.
Rabies
Rabies is spread by the bite or through the saliva
of an infected animal. Symptoms are sensitivity to light, foaming at the mouth,
personality changes, loss of appetite and aversion to water. Prevention
is only by a highly effective vaccine which may be given as early as three months
for puppies. Once infested rabies is fatal and the extreme danger is transmission
to humans.
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Dogs 
