Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Problems dog canine population too

Staff Reporter

Pet-owners seldom care to follow basic practices to keep animals in good health

PET PEEVE: Besides pampering, dogs need regular medicare too. — PHOTO: Ch. VIJAYA BHASKAR

VIJAYAWADA: Stroking the soft and silky fur, they smooch their nose and play with them every day. Talking endlessly about their pet dogs may be a pet subject for many pup-raisers in the city, but not all of them follow the basic management practices that are necessary to keep the animal in good health all through the year.

Not many realise that it is important to make the puppy learn early what is considered acceptable behaviour at home. Failure to teach the pup the rules of the house can result in an unmanageably grown dog. Leave alone concentrating on their behavioural patterns, many pet-owners fail to show as much interest in following the health chart prescribed by the veterinary doctor as they do in meeting the animal's peripheral needs.

"There are nearly 5,000 pet dogs in the city, according to an estimate. But not all owners are good care-takers," says K. Srinivasa Rao, assistant veterinary surgeon in the Government Veterinary Hospital, Patamata. Mr. Rao treats at least five dogs every day for gastro-enteritis, which is caused due to factors like sudden change in the diet of the animal, bacterial infection, worm infestation or consumption of contaminated water.

Another common problem among his `patients' is skin diseases, such as allergic dermatitis, eczema (fungal disease) or manze, which is caused due to external parasitic infection.

De-worming for every pup up to six months is mandatory. After crossing six months, the process should be repeated once in three months. "But most pet-owners do not follow this rule," says Mr. Rao. Similarly, every pup should be given Paro vaccination in the first six weeks. After completing two and half months, the pup must be given `seven-in-one' vaccination.

Mr. Rao thinks that the failure on the part of pet-owners to follow this timetable is partly due to ignorance and partly because of negligence.

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