Answers to the questions Indian pet owners ask most often, written by Dr. Vaishnavi Karmawat, BVSc & AH, Veterinary Officer, Government of Rajasthan.
Vaccination and deworming
What is the puppy vaccination schedule in India?
The schedule most Indian vets follow: 6-8 weeks first DHPPi (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza); 10-12 weeks second DHPPi + Leptospirosis; 14-16 weeks third dose; 12-14 weeks anti-rabies, repeated yearly. A yearly booster of DHPPiL follows for life. Keep the puppy away from unvaccinated dogs and public parks until two weeks after the third shot. Your vet may adjust the dates for a sick or street-rescued puppy.
How much does dog vaccination cost in India?
Prices vary by city and clinic. A single anti-rabies shot is usually the cheapest of the core vaccines, and the combined DHPPiL vaccine costs more. Government veterinary hospitals and municipal anti-rabies camps charge far less than private clinics, and many run free rabies drives. Ask your nearest government veterinary hospital before paying private rates.
When should I deworm my puppy?
Start at 2 weeks of age, then repeat every 2 weeks until 3 months old, then monthly until 6 months, then every 3 months for life. Puppies are very often born with worms passed from the mother, so deworming starts far earlier than most owners expect. The dose is calculated on body weight, not age - this is the single most common mistake I see.
Should deworming medicine be given on an empty stomach?
Not necessarily. Most modern dewormers work either way, and giving them with a small amount of food reduces vomiting. Follow the instructions on the product your vet dispensed. Never use a human deworming tablet on a pet.
Does an indoor cat need vaccines?
Yes. The core cat vaccine is the tricat (feline panleukopenia, calicivirus and rhinotracheitis), given at 8-9 weeks, again at 12 weeks, then yearly. Anti-rabies is given from 12 weeks. Indoor cats are still exposed through open windows, your shoes and clothes, and any new cat entering the home.
Ticks and tick fever
What are the symptoms of tick fever in dogs?
High fever, a sudden drop in appetite, dullness, pale or yellowish gums, nosebleeds, dark or reddish urine, and small red spots on the belly or gums. Tick fever (ehrlichiosis and babesiosis) is one of the most common serious illnesses in Indian dogs and it can be fatal if untreated.
How long does a dog take to recover from tick fever?
With early treatment, most dogs look better within 3-5 days, but the full course runs 3-4 weeks and must be finished even after the dog seems normal. Stopping early is why tick fever so often comes back. Repeat blood tests confirm recovery; the platelet count is the one to watch.
How do I get rid of ticks at home?
Treating the dog alone never works, because most of the tick population is in the environment, not on the animal. Treat the dog with a vet-prescribed product, and at the same time wash bedding in hot water, vacuum crevices, and clean cracks in floors and walls where ticks breed. Do not pull ticks off with bare hands or burn them off.
Food and diet
Can dogs eat banana, apple, papaya, guava or pomegranate?
Safe in small amounts: banana, apple (no seeds), papaya (no seeds), guava (remove hard seeds), watermelon (no seeds). Pomegranate is best avoided - the seeds commonly cause vomiting and stomach upset in dogs. Fruit should stay under about 10% of daily food, and is a treat, not a meal.
Which foods are dangerous for dogs?
Never give chocolate, grapes or raisins (kidney failure, even in tiny amounts), onion and garlic in any form, xylitol sweetener, macadamia nuts, alcohol, or cooked bones, which splinter. In Indian kitchens the common accidents are onion-garlic gravy, chocolate, and leftover masala food - spiced human food causes pancreatitis, which is painful and expensive to treat.
Is milk good for cats?
No. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant, and cow's milk causes diarrhoea and stomach pain. The picture of a cat with a saucer of milk is a myth that sends cats to my clinic. Kittens need their mother's milk or a kitten milk replacer, never cow's or buffalo's milk. Fresh water is what an adult cat actually needs.
Can cats eat curd, rice, eggs or bread?
Curd: a small spoon is usually tolerated better than milk, but it is not necessary. Rice: plain, unspiced rice is safe in small amounts and is often given during recovery from diarrhoea. Eggs: safe when fully cooked and plain, never raw. Bread: harmless in a small piece but offers a cat nothing. None of these replace a complete cat food - cats need taurine from meat, and a vegetarian diet will make a cat seriously ill.
Can dogs eat chapati and dal?
Plain chapati and plain dal with no salt, no masala, no onion and no garlic are not harmful occasionally, and many Indian dogs are raised this way. But roti-and-dal alone is low in the protein, calcium and fat a growing or working dog needs, and deficiencies show up as poor coats, weak bones and slow growth. If you feed home food, ask your vet how to balance it rather than assuming it is complete.
Everyday worries
Why is my dog not eating?
One skipped meal in a bright, playful dog is usually nothing, especially in hot weather. Get a vet to see the dog if refusal lasts more than 24 hours (12 hours in a puppy), or at any point if it comes with vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, pale gums, or dullness. Check the mouth too - a broken tooth or an ulcer is an easily missed cause.
Why is my dog itching so much?
The common causes in India, roughly in order: fleas and ticks, mange mites, bacterial or fungal skin infection, and food or environmental allergy. A dog that chews its paws and rubs its face is usually allergic; a dog with hair loss around the eyes and elbows usually has mange. These need different treatment, so a skin scraping at the clinic is worth far more than changing shampoo repeatedly.
Why is my puppy biting me?
Puppies explore with their mouths and teethe until about 6 months - it is normal and not aggression. Every time the teeth touch skin, say "ouch", stop the game and walk away for 30 seconds, then offer a chew toy. Never hit a puppy for biting; it teaches fear, and fearful dogs bite harder later.
How often should I bathe my dog in India?
For most dogs, once every 2-4 weeks is plenty. In Indian summers you may bathe more often, but use a dog shampoo, never human shampoo or soap, which strips the coat and causes the very itching owners are trying to fix. Dogs with skin disease follow whatever schedule the medicated shampoo requires. Dry the dog fully, especially in the ear folds.
Why is my dog breathing heavily?
Panting after exercise, excitement or in heat is normal. Treat it as an emergency when breathing is fast and heavy at rest, when the tongue or gums look blue, grey or very dark red, when the dog stands with elbows out and neck stretched, or when it cannot settle. Heatstroke kills Indian dogs every summer, and flat-faced breeds such as Pugs, Shih Tzus and Bulldogs are at much higher risk.
Why is my puppy eating poop?
Common and usually not sinister. Causes include boredom, an unbalanced diet, worms, or simply learned habit. Clean it away immediately so there is nothing to eat, make sure deworming is up to date, and increase play and exercise. Punishing the puppy usually makes it eat the evidence faster.
Why is my cat meowing so much?
Cats meow at humans, not at each other, so it is nearly always a request: food, attention, a dirty litter tray, or a door. Loud night-time howling in an unspayed cat is usually heat. Sudden, constant yowling in an older cat deserves a vet visit - hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure and pain all present this way.
Why is my cat peeing outside the litter box?
First rule out illness, because urinary blockage in a male cat is a life-threatening emergency: a cat straining with little or no urine must be seen immediately. If the cat is healthy, the usual causes are a dirty tray, the wrong litter, a covered tray, too few trays (keep one per cat plus one), or a tray near the food. Never rub a cat's nose in it.
What should I do after a dog bite?
Wash the wound with soap under running water for a full 15 minutes - this alone removes a large share of the virus - then go to a doctor the same day for the anti-rabies course. This applies to a bite, a scratch that draws blood, or a lick on broken skin, including from a pet dog whose vaccination is not fully up to date. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms start, and almost completely preventable before then. Do not apply chilli, oil, lime or turmeric to the wound.
Still have a question?
Write to dr.vaishnavikarmawat@gmail.com
Written by Dr. Vaishnavi Karmawat, BVSc & AH, Veterinary Officer, Government of Rajasthan, and author of pet care handbooks on Amazon.
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