Extremely affectionate, very good looking and a wonderful friendly personalilty- that's Champ for you. True to his Lab nature, he is not at all food fussy, loves playing ball and barks when he is hungry.
Champ is also a Pedigree. His certificates, vaccination shots and de-worming are all as per requirement. Please contact :
Asha- 96739 10361
Prashant-93256 36660; 98609 11993
Snowy is looking for a new home. Snowy was a guest at Petsitters for 5 months and I loving call him Jumping Jack. Snowy's family is moving and they wish to settle in a loving family. He is very loving and a very human friendly dog. Not very fussy with food, and just in case he does get fussy- just sprinkle a pinch of sugar and the food will be polished off in a minute. Here are his details
An Ode to Bhama...Saee is a happy owner of Bhama, a 2 year old beautiful and most loving Doberman.
Skin Problems in Dogs This issue, we would be covering the last of the 2 categories causing Skin problems
Neurogenic Skin Problems
As the name suggests, this type of skin disorder suggest something induced, controlled and/or modified by nervous factors. This disorder is characterized by persistent/ obsessive licking of one particular spot. Your dog may seem fixated on one part of his body and his intention would be keep chewing on it, destroying the cells around relentlessly until a sore gets developed. Your pet would basically not allow the skin to heal. Medically, it is termed as Acral Lick Dermatitis or Lick Granuloma.
This kind of obsessive licking is usually noticed at easily accessible areas such as the limbs and ankle.
Causes for Neurogenic Skin disorders have been identified as:
As you can see, all the above causes may lead to some stress levels in your pet. When a dog is used to a particular level of activity and that gets reduced either because of anxiety or longer durations of being alone in the house, boredom may set in and he may resort to unstoppable licking. Similarly, confinement by keeping him locked in a kennel/cage for hours or tied up leads could lead to similar results.
When getting a dog, make sure you know your limitations. Set the rules keeping in mind that he is going to be around you for may more years to come. Decide where you want to allow him and where he isn't allowed. Get him used to that from his puppy days.
If you are going to be housing your pet in a kennel, stress of new place and dogs in close proximity may also bring about Lick Granuloma. Your pet may undergo separation anxiety and hours of confinement which would result in keeping himself occupied by self licking and often leading to self mutilation. Make sure, the kennel in which your pet is going to be housed has enough play time, exercise time and personal interaction allocated for each dog on a daily basis.
Before you treat your dog for Neurogenic skin problem, try and identify what could be the possible cause for the emotional distress. Most often than not the solution lies in spending a right amount of “quality time” with your pooch and giving him the much needed attention.
10 minute activity for you and your pets:
Try and not talk on the mobile when you are taking him for a walk. Make him feel that you are out with him.
A pet who is exercised well, loved by all in the family will never get bored and feel lonely. In extreme cases, where the licking and self mutilation becomes an obsessive habit, behaviour modification sessions can be undertaken with trained canine behaviour specialist.
Infectious Dermatitis
These skin disorders basically talk about any fungal, bacterial or yeast organisms leading to skin and coat related problems. This type is more or less a combination of all the earlier 5 infections that we have spoken about.
Treatment- Infectious dermatitis is often air dried. By clipping the hair around the lesions, allow the skin direct exposure to air. Gentle topical creams- anti fungal & anti-bacterial are available. Yeast supplements are available in the market. So check with your vet and get the treatment started.
Environmental Skin Problems
Most dogs under this category are physically healthy and follow a good nutritional pattern in terms of their diet. Most times, the diagnosis for environmental dermatitis is done by elimination of Parasitic infections. A vet will usually determine this after acquiring through information on the dogs diet, environment, dog activity (which may include swimming, rolling in the mud, garden digging etc), use of floor cleaners and any ongoing medication. An analysis of the dogs activities can be a very prime piece of information to get to environmental dermatitis. Most dogs, can be allergic to something as basic as the congress grass in your lawn. Any change of soil, manure or even pesticides which you use in the garden could cause this allergy.
In hot weather, you might notice your dog has a tendency to spill the water and sit in it to keep him cool. Some dogs also have a habit of digging into your lawn or flower beds. This leads to moisture and dirt getting locked up especially in the paws, digits and even on the skin. This serves as a breeding ground for bacteria and more often than not, lead to what is called as Hot Spots (Moist red Eczema) - Red inflamed skin between digits or on the skin. Mowed lawns can also cause generalized injury. In long haired dogs- Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and even Labs, the moisture tends to remain for a longer time resulting in matted hair and thus create an infection.
Environmental dermatitis is characterized by heavy itching, red patches, hair loss and skin irritation. The dog tries to get to the itch by biting himself persistently. The itching maybe all over the body.
A few ways by which you can avoid this:
· Towel dry after his bath and/ or swimming sessions, especially between his paws.
· If swimming in a pool, give your dog a nice bath as the chlorine in the pool may also affect the dog and may cause itching
· Have a nice dry area for your dog especially in the monsoon months
· After a nice long walk in a muddy area or a digging session or a walk in the lawn, wipe your dogs paws and digits with a clean cloth to remove any traces of mud and dirt
· If you have changed the manure, the soil in your garden, restrict his play areas and do not let him play in there
If you do notice such scratching or red patches, consult a vet for treatment.
Allergic Dermatitis
Lots of money has been spent on doing research on Allergic Dermatitis. Allergies in dogs could be because of half a dozen objects in and around your house and garden. Food, carpets, pollen, molden, parasites, plastics are just a few which can set about an allergic reaction in your pet. When the agent- called the Antigen- makes contact with the dog, the dog sets about to disarm this antigen. Unfortunately, as this battle continues, the side effects may lead to tissue irritation, inflammation and cell destruction. This eventually leads to the basis of dermatitis- lick, itch, scratch and bite.
Allergic dermatitis is also very difficult to diagnose. Once the allergy agent is identified, try and avoid your dogs exposure to that as far as possible. Blood tests and skin scrapings are the most common methods of attempting to identify.
Most common of this allergy is called the Atopic Dermatitis. This is caused by inhaling antigens such as pollen, molds, dust etc. The common characteristics of Atopic Dermatitis is licking and chewing of paws, scratching their face, eyelids and ears. But this itching and scratching can be quite intense.
Treatment
Reducing the exposure to allergens. Once the allergy is identified, try and reduce your pets exposure to that particular allergen. Say, if he is allergic to dust mites, you need to make sure the bed he sleeps on is dusted or washed regularly.
Topical- It’s the most common way and also the safest. If the itching is localized, topical method may be the best method. Some ways of doing this are- leave on medications, bathing with medicated shampoos (containing oatmeal, aloevera or antihistamines), local antibacterial cream applications etc.
Fatty Acid supplements- The dogs diet has to include Omega 3’s and Omega 6 Fatty acid. Most dogs cannot produce this acid internally and therefore the need to supplement it by external means. Sunflower oil and Fish oil are good sources of these acids. These acids basically lessen the harmful effect the Antigen can have on the dog health. More often, fatty acids are used in conjunction with some additional therapy and can go a long way if your dog has a tendency for dry skin. Dull looking coats, brittle hair is also one more reason to include fatty acids in your dog’s diet. To show effect, this therapy need to be continued for a minimum period of 8- 12 weeks.
Nutritional Dermatitis
“My dog has chapattis and milk everyday for his meals since he was a pup and he loves it”.
“My dog only eats rice and chicken”
These are the most common statements we hear from dog owners. What the owners are saying about their dogs loving their food is 100% true, but is that meal sufficient in terms of nutritional values? A US based study shows, most dogs live their entire lives in a less than optimum health.
Dull looking coat, lusterless hair coat, excessive scaling (dandruff), scaly patches on the skin are some clinical signs of Nutritional Dermatitis. It’s really not about expensive or cheap foods, but more to do with what are the ingredients that make the meal.
The food along with the relative portion of each element in the food group for your pet should be based on the following criterion:
· Size of your pet- Large breed (Labs, GSD’s, Golden Retrievers); Small breed (Poms, Lhasa Apso’s, Cocker Spaniels); Giant breed (St. Bernard, Great Dane)
· Your pet’s physiological stage- Growth, Gestation, Lactation, Activity levels (Sporting, lethargic), dogs age. The dietary needs change at every stage.
· The general health of your pet- The diet has become an important aspect of any medical treatment.
You might also notice that your dog has allergic reactions to certain foods which could cause itching.
Fleas- You see your dog itching or scratching or biting more than usual. What’s your first observation? “He must have fleas”. Most of the times, this is a correct diagnosis. Fleas are about the size of pin-head. They are big enough to be seen scurrying along the skin surface trying to hide within the fur. Flea dermatitis is usually characterized by continuous itching. The itching is caused due to sensitivity to the flea saliva. Fleas thrive on dry skin. Make sure your dog diet has sufficient fatty acids to maintain a healthy skin. Repeated exposure to fleas can result in a hypersensitivity to even a single flea and also expose the skin to secondary skin infections. Pulling out fleas can be a difficult task as they fly. Flea combs work best in most cases, but you do need regular care for removing them entirely.
In flea infestation– watch for
· Patchy hair loss
· Constant itching around haunches and tails
· Flea excrement– called flea dust-brown flaky substance
· Hot Spots– Acute moist dermatitis or bacterial infection (pyoderma)
Ticks- Tick is a blood sucking parasite. They latch on to the dogs’ body and can keep sucking blood until full. Following this, it detaches itself and drops off. Tick infestation can lead to major disease transmission. In their 4 stages of life, a tick can go from being a small black speck to a full grown tick which can be the size of a raisin. Ticks migrate to an area where there is less hair so its easier to latch on like ears, paws. So don’t forget to check your dogs’ paws after every walk. When pulling out ticks make sure you pull them from their heads and preferably not with bare hands. Ticks most times tend to leave an ulcer like lesion which takes some time to heal. A tick latched on is very irritating for the dog. If you notice the dog intermittently scratching just one area, check for a tick in that area immediately.
Flea & Tick prevention
Demodex Mites- Also called Mange, these parasites reproduce under the skin surface in hair follicles and oil glands of the skin. These are more common in young dogs. In adult dogs, getting mites is attributed to poor nutrition, stress, immune system disorders and even severe weather. Demodex causes very little itching and hairloss can be seen in patches. They can be identified under a microscope by taking a skin scraping.
Prevention of walking dandruff, scabies and demodex mites
Use shampoos specifically for sensitive skin. Oatmeal shampoo works best for most skin conditions. Anti dandruff shampoos and medicated shampoos are also available in the market today. Few of these are: PetDerm, Petben, Patina shampoo, Venky’s Oatmeal Shampoo
October, 08 Newsletter
Problem areas
Dogs rarely get cavities, but like humans, dogs’ buildup tartar and plaque. Plaque is the soft and sticky substance that accumulates on the teeth from food debris and bacteria. Food particles and bacteria collect along the gums thus forming this sticky, colourless layer of harmful bacteria. Plaque if not removed regularly builds up further and forms tartar. It takes less than 36 hours for this plaque to become mineralized and harden into "tartar" (calculus) that cannot be removed with a brush. This further leads to bleeding and infected gums. Such untreated infections within the mouth can be carried by the blood stream to other parts of the body such as liver kidneys etc. But with the right preventive care, dental diseases are treatable.
Indicators of tartar buildup
Sticky food tends to remain in the mouth and thus giving ample amount of time for the bacteria to set in. Soft foods when mixed with saliva become sticky and collect along the gums. Irregular denture structure is also a reason for such formation. As the teeth are not set in a straight line, food particles tend to get stuck in them a lot more and cleaning/ brushing them is even more difficult. Non-brushing is also one of the key reasons for tartar formation. Brush your dogs’ teeth on a regular basis to avoid any periodontal diseases.
How do you prevent it?
Dog Diet- Giving your dog dry food is one way of preventing tartar buildup to a certain extent. Wet food tends to stick to the gum areas more and thus make home for bacteria. Most dog foods today have an ingredient- Sodium HexaMetaPhospate which works as an agent to remove surface stains and provides anti-tartar benefits. Dry pellets and hard crunchy biscuits work best as it is necessary for the dog to chew them. Make sure you follow every meal with a large bowl of fresh drinking water. But do not follow this for pups. Pups tend to swallow the pellets as they are resulting stomach upsets. So soaking the food in luke warm water would help them gobble up their food.
Chewies- Chewing sticks and bones are by far the most popular for teeth cleaning. Crunching on hard biscuits/kibbles/ chewing bones basically scrapes the plaque without really harming the enamel. Sticks and bones do not go soft and they also go on for a longer time. There is a huge variety available in the market for chewing sticks in terms of flavours and size. Beef, chicken, natural, mints are just few of them. So figure out what your dog likes most and stock them up. It is said that, dogs who chew more, have considerably less tartar formation.
Brushing - Brushing is recommended for dogs atleast once a week. Do not treat it like a chore, but more like spending quality time with your canine companion. Owners who start brushing their dogs’ teeth since puppy days show a very good response as they grow up. Plaque usually affects the upper, back teeth first and especially just under the gum line. Also plaque collects more on the front surface. So while brushing make sure you pay special attention to these areas.
A few products available in the market
Goldies chewing bones- Available in various sizes –Choose based on your dog breed & age of the dog
Bone-A-Mint- makes sure your dog has a fresh minty breath; It’s a vegetarian wheat free product.
Twistix- Chewing sticks
DentaPure-Chewing sticks
DentaPaste- Toothpaste for dogs
PlaqueOffTM- An oral tablet made from natural substance derived from sea weeds. It has an ability to dissolve tartar and also prevent new layers of plaque
Why professional dental cleaning
With all the home remedies in place, it would be still advisable to get your dogs dental check up done every 3 months and a dental scaling atleast once a year. If you are brushing your dogs teeth since he was a pup, the professional dental cleaning may be prolonged and you might require it much later in the dogs life. But, if you notice that tartar has already formed or teeth have started yellowing then, brushing at this stage may not help. A professional dental cleaning will remove plaque, encrusted tartar and any stains above and below the gum line and thus restoring your dogs teeth. The older the dog gets, the more important it is to avoid plaque and tartar formation. Studies show that bacteria from dental diseases can move systematically into the vital organs. Infected gums and teeth are potentially harmful to the heart, kidneys, liver, intestinal tract as well as joints. A healthy mouth therefore is an important step in your dog’s overall good health
What is involved in dental cleaning?
Dental cleaning procedure requires the pet to be anaesthetized. Your pet has to be fast for atleast 10-12 hours before for the anesthesia. The procedure is very similar to a human dental cleaning - tartar removal, checking for cavities, loose teeth, extraction of decayed tooth, , and finally, polishing. The polishing is to smooth the tooth after tartar removal, as the tartar pits the tooth. A smooth tooth will not encourage tartar formation as easily as a roughened tooth. The procedure cost ranges between Rs 1000 to Rs 2000.
Some facts
tters as in babysitters? So do you keep all pets at PetSitters? No, right now it’s just dogs, but then we do get enquiries for petsitting cats, hamsters and even guinea pigs. In fact, the guinea pig owners were happy with our setup, but they weren’t very sure how the guinea pigs would deal with barking dogs.
dog squad has also increased from one to five in these last few months. Our Chief Security Officer, Baja, also the co-founder of PetSitters, introduced us to Raja (his best buddy) and he was also immediately taken in as his Deputy. They together perform the duty of notifying us when someone is at the door or on the hill slope behind our house by barking. Next is Dhondu, our Rottie, who joined our team last year. He is a Personal Security Guard. He keeps strangers at bay. And, then our latest additions are Sophie & Kaizer- Both Labs and a part of our Welcome Committee. With the most lovable expressions, they are sure to capture your attention and come running to you.
Symptoms
* Rapid, frantic panting
* Sudden Collapse– Unconsciousness
* Inability to get up
* Widening of eyes
* Staggering
* Vomitting
* Bright red tongue with a slight purple/black tinge
How to deal with a Heat Stroke
2. Place cold wet towels on his tummy, forehead, inner thighs & groin area
3. Keep wetting his tongue
4. Use ice packs on his forehead and give him ice cubes to lick on
If you notice slightly regularized breathing, stop the cooling process as the sudden drop in body temperature may have adverse effects. Rush the dog to the vet to do a thorough checkup as heat strokes can develop delayed complications, including fatality, if not properly monitored or cared for.
