WHAT GENERALLY HAPPENS? 

No matter how much we humans might love the monsoons, that brings along with itself the ability to relieve us from the scorching heat, the same monsoon season might be a nightmare for our little furry creatures. From birds to dogs, the showers affects them all, and ends up leading to a dampener of all activities. There so many diseases under the umbrella of this rain that might affect them, of which one must be wary of. Allowing for your pets to run around in this kind of weather might only lead up to more health complications which in turn might lead to dire consequences as well. The pleasant weather might not be so pleasant for them, as however much we even try to get sore throat and cold out of our heads, it’s even more difficult for a pet who end up going through problems regarding indigestion, fungal infections, skin infections and a lot more!

PETS LIKE DOGS WHO STAY OUT IN THE RAIN CATCH MANY DISEASES

Being vulnerable to many diseases during this monsoon season, there are a host of different problems that might be faced when taking care of our beloved pets, and it is even harder to take in to account ALL such problems and their remedies, which is why one’s knowledge will always be restricted, but the most common of all problems and remedies are given as follows for directional purposes when it comes to taking care of pets:

1. DIET PLAN:

It is vital to make a meal plan for your pet and it is even more essential to follow it up- REGULARLY!

• DO – make your pet eat HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS FOOD compromising of nutrients like chicken/lamb eggs, fat, fish oil etc. Boiled, and filtered water is a must and it should be taken care of that the pet does not eat/drink unhealthy, unauthorized food, water.

• DON’T- have your pets eat corn, soy or wheat.

2. REGULAR NUMBER OF MEALS PER DAY:

Food is one of the most important things when it comes to nutrition of a pet and it becomes imperative to give your pets, ideal number of food supply every day at least till the monsoon ends.

• DO – make your pet eat twice or thrice a day (for adults) and four to five times for a new born

• DON’T – overfeed your pet!

3. RAINY FUR COAT:

One of the common problems all pet owners face are the dirty fur that their pets carry around after it rains, dirty paws lead to yeast/fungal infections, dirt fur if not scrubbed or washed properly may even lead up to the death of the dog triggered because of the dirt present around. The mud that a dog likes to play in, might go inside their mouths which may end up causing problems in their stomach.

• DO – Wash/Scrub/Comb your pets fur two or three times a week of heavy monsoon rains, if your pet is incapable of staying put at your homes, and is very restless that he/she sneaks out for a little run-  it is imperative on your part to make sure their fur is clean and dry. One may use a blow drier or heaters to help serve that purpose.

• DON’T – direct heat from the heater/ blow drier might electrocute your pet and scrubbing everyday might even result in rampant hair fall – both the things must be done only and when required.

4. PLAY TIME?

It becomes extremely crucial to make a pet stay put in a house during the monsoon season. For one who may afford a big lavish mansions wherein the pet has free enough space to survive in, it might not be a huge deal but for the others it might be!

• DO – Lesser walks, indoor playtime with Frisbee/ ball, making the pet climb up and down the stairs or leaving it out in the open in the inner garden will let the pet remain active for a long time.

• DON’T – take them out for usual regular long walks, especially when it is pouring down.

5. PSYCHO PETS:

Scientists reveal that the most amount of fear for an animal is generally triggered by – THUNDERSTORMS. It might shake up the most peaceful and calmest of animals and end up making them have nightmares and howl throughout the night time.

• DO – hug your pets, make them feel as comfortable to you as possible, keep them cosy enough and try sleeping them if possible! Anti- anxiety pills must only be used in the rarest of rare cases.
• DON’T – leave the pets alone in such dire situations which results in excessive aggressiveness, howling, barking, chewing up of furniture etc.

6. FURRY CARE:

It is believed that not only dogs but even birds face issues with body odor, sweat and gastroenteritis. They must be taken regularly to their respective vets/ doctors for regular check-ups in such a weather and must be taken care of

DO – for dogs, clean their claws after they come back from a walk, changing water in their pails is necessary. For fishes, their aquariums must be drained out regularly and should be cleaned with fresh water added at least twice a month; making sure that organic foods and all the dirt is cleansed out, thoroughly.

DON’T – Let the dogs stay out, let the water be contaminated for long, Spectrozol; an anti – bio tic lotion that allows for humidity not to affect Birds must be used regularly.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST:

A dog’s claws are prone to get very dirty and nails must be trimmed regularly so as to avoid yeast infections or skin infections. One might judge if their pet lie a dog is really uncomfortable if they keep on licking themselves, or are scratching their paws against their heads a lot which is an indication of ticks being present in their body.

These pet care tips are vital for any pet care takers and must be takin to account thoroughly so as to provide for a healthy, suitable environment for their pets which was promised to them in the very first place in this dirty, vulnerable weather of MONSOON RAINS!

The post PET CARE DURING THE MONSOON! appeared first on Pet Attack.

My Angel
This season, a cup of hot chocolate on the table is enough to keep Angel running around the table. Unfortunately, she isn’t allowed to have hot chocolate, so she’ll have to manage with its aroma. Angel is a 5 year old, black and tan, female Daschund, who’s presently sitting on the window sill, enjoying the rain outside the window.

While the rain is a refreshing break to the scorching heat, it does affect our pets in a number of ways. The thing she hates the most, this season, is her walking time being cut-short. On the other hand, she sighs in relief when she knows she wouldn’t be bathed as frequently as before. She has a habit being prepped-up for a walk, with two pairs of rubber boots and a light-weight water resistant windcheater, to avoid getting foot-infections, digestive problems, skin-infections, and a wide variety of other health problems.

Bruno, a 5 year old, golden, male Labrador, is one among the very few lucky pets to be able to roam around the city in an SUV. Bruno has a habit of looking out of the car-window, often getting some “Awww, so cute” reactions from the pedestrians. He roams around the city zipping past other street dogs in his SUV, because his owners do not want to risk getting Bruno infected by taking him for a walk. How many of our pets are this lucky?

Daily problems in monsoon
Medicated talc and deodorants (consult your vet before using any of these) come handy when your pet starts to become smelly. This is due to the high levels of humidity which gets trapped in the fur when your pets become wet. Anti-bacterial lotions (like Spectrozol) help our winged wonders (birds) cope up with feather loss. To avoid fungal/bacterial infection, mix a tsp of antiseptic liquid in luke-warm water and apply to the foot-pads and dry the spaces between their fingers. Their ears must not be forgotten, as monsoon also invites various ear-infections. Keeping their ears dry and airy will help. Use of some commercial products including powders and liquids can help you get rid of the ticks and fleas. Worm infestation is yet another nightmare for pet parents. It causes many diseases like anaemia, general dullness of coat and other problems. Hence, deworming the pets is essential. For adult cats and dogs, the deworming can be done once in three months. Angel’s bath frequency had to be reduced, but contrary to this general belief, many pet-parents increase their pets’ bath frequency. It is always suggestible to consult your vet before taking any such decisions. Please don’t play ‘the doctor’ in such situations.

Brutus, a 2 year old male Pug, has got a different problem. Thunder, lightning, and blowing winds frighten him. This is called storm-anxiety. The symptoms include intense shivering, biting, hiding and chewing. A cozy and protective ambience is mostly what it takes to help Bruno overcome the anxiety. But in severe situations, he has to be administered with Anti-anxiety drugs.
If you feel your pet shows any of the above mentioned symptoms, try to create a cozy and soothing environment this will suffice, but if necessary, your furry friend needs to visit his vet.

Hypothermia should pop into your head when you plan to leave your pet outside for longer periods of time on a cold day. Hypothermia is a condition which displays a characteristic low body temperature. In severe cases, it might also lead to death. It is always advisable to keep your pets indoors when the air outside is below 20 degrees. And talking your miniature pets for a long-stroll is a complete no-no when the air outside is cold enough for you to wear your winter-wears.

Not to be taken lightly

A thing that mostly concerns us, pet parents, is the diet. It is always possible for the pet to develop some allergy to certain foods, this season. Observe your pet’s appetite and poop for any signs of allergy or indigestion. Aria, an 8 year old female Lassa, has a habit of eating grass! Her vet considers it to be normal. “Eating grass provides her with the required amount of fiber” says Dr. Shivaji .H. Talekar, (Associated Professor& I/C Hospital Superintendent TVCC, Govt. of Gujrat).
This habit might worry some of the pet parents, but your pet won’t turn up to grass, if fed with high fiber food. For a lighter and healthier diet, you might consider adding a banana to your pet’s diet (if your vet allows you to do so). Like humans, even pets turn allergic to milk, buttermilk might be a good substitute (if your pet is not allergic to lactic/dairy products). “You might want to store the excess dog food/cat food/bird feed in air-tight food containers to avoid the attack of moisture and the fungus. Risk of Water-borne infections are very high in this season” says Dr. Shivaji. A covered bowl of water at your pet’s side would prevent any insect larvae hatching in the pail. The water should be changed in their pails every three to four hours. Aquarium keepers should not forget to clean the tank and remove all organic materials like leftover food/uneaten food and fish-waste at least twice/thrice a month.

Buzo, a 3 year old, greyish white, male Lhasa-apso, undergoes a ritual. He has to sacrifice his beautiful locks (fur) once in every 2 months to avoid getting “knots”. The “knots” tend to increase in this season.

Comfy Bedding
A glance at my Angel, who is now sleeping on her bed, reminds me of Dry bedding. A clean, soft, warm and dry bedding is a must for your pets this season. Angel has a 2X2 mattress for herself which is cleaned regularly. If you have a cold flooring, do take some extra care of the bedding because a cold floor might give your pets joint-pains.

Trained pets save much trouble

Training your pets to be ready for this season is no easy a task. But monsoon ready pets save a lot of trouble, for themselves and for their pet-parents. Once accustomed to the newly introduced ‘monsoon schedule’, your pets would automatically cut-short their stroll and potty-break time.

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