5. Disease And Dirt

Disease is a part and parcel of the story of life. The biological warfare with the ever-evolving pathogens are a constant reality of human life. We can reduce our chance of falling sick by minimising our contact with the contaminated. But that contact is the very foundation of our cross-species relationship with dogs. So, that contact makes us vulnerable and susceptible to contagious diseases. Dogs can be host of many diseases which can infect us and compromise our chances of survival. Rabies, worms, ticks, fleas are just a few common problems. There are more complicated diseases which we may get from the dog. Dogs love dirt and dirt is the perfect source of diseases. Dogs cause disease and precisely that’s why we need to pay an extra attention to the cleanliness of our pet.

If our dog is provided a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle then the chances of it falling sick will be minimal. Here an important question is what do we feed and how do we feed our dog. Raw meat is a sure recipe of worms and so are root vegetables. At times even a salad could be a cause of disease. Then certain eatables are not good for dogs. Many dogs are not able to digest cow’s milk. The first question about ‘what’ can be answered by saying that it is always better to feed the dog human grade food but not all that a human being can eat. Dogs are not capable of digesting all that we eat. Certain of our commonplace eatables will cause the dog real harm and might also kill it. So, we can’t feed it whatever we are eating and whatever it wants to eat. We must first consult a vet about what is permitted and what is not and in what amount. We can also ask other pet owners having success with owning a healthy pet. We can also google and update our understanding of the dog's diet. But all those things should be done before we decide to adopt because from day one of adoption, we need to feed the dog and feeding is an important part of conditioning behaviour. The dog sees us as the pack leader and as a very capable provider of food. It is our responsibility to provide it not just any food, but healthy food supported by a healthy lifestyle involving not just eating but a lot of play time. As regards ‘now’, the number of times we choose to feed really matter. That is how do we intend to break up the meals and provide nourishment throughout the day. Any routine must first depend on our routine. For different hours on different days will do a lot of harm. First we must fix a time for the meals and then stick to that routine on all days. If our lifestyle is erratic then we better not adopt a puppy, for irregular meals lead to disease.

Then it should be vaccinated on time to prevent the attack of various viruses. Vaccines cost money but we mustn’t compromise because it is not just about the health of our pet, but also about our own health and the health of our friends and family and all those who would come in contact with the dog. So, before you adopt, you must consult a vet and get a preview of the expenses involved. You shouldn’t be taken by surprise after adoption for certain vaccines are really costly. The vet will inform you about the vaccine schedule and about the approximate expenses involved. Ask yourself whether you have the money and the resources, and on getting an affirmation, go ahead with your adoption plan. But do try to understand that vaccines are preventive strategy and there might be strains of diseases immune to the impact of the vaccine. Thus, a dog with a good immune response will have a more apt and able capacity to fight contagious diseases. The best way to develop the immune system of your dog is to allow it to suckle and be with its mother dog for as long as four months. If you are in a hurry to adopt and if you don’t allow it to have its mother’s milk, then the puppy will have a compromised immune response and such a puppy will be susceptible to diseases. Its mother’s milk is its first defence against diseases and therefore, see to it that your puppy has access to that for at least 45 days after its birth. Some breeders are in a hurry to extract the puppy and such breeders do real harm to the puppy. You need to be able to make a rough estimation of the puppy's age at the time of adoption. All breeders as a rule will say that the puppy is 40-45 days old but at times breeders lie for profit. So, it is always better if you see the litter and then decide. Don’t blindly trust the breeder or the pet shop about the age of your puppy but insist on seeing the litter. Watch youtube videos about how 45 days old puppies behave and look like; and then you will be in a better position to understand the age of the puppy and not be duped by the breeder or the pet shop.

Dogs have an affinity for dirt. The dog must be kept in clean premises. The dog must be brushed, combed, powdered and bathed regularly. Brushing should be done daily but bathing might be once in two or three months depending on the weather and also on the fact whether the dog had an opportunity to wallow in dirt. Instead of powders available in the pet shop, a home-made herbal concoction can be used. Dried neem (azadirachta indica) leaves can be crushed and made into a fine powder. The internet is full of resources and even a casual search will give you a plethora of alternative remedies. This link might be useful to give you ideas about making a tick repellent using locally available resources https://www.farmersalmanac.com/7-natural-tick-remedies-work-27452. You should regularly check for ticks and fleas. The tell-tale signs are that the dog will use its hind paws and front paws to itch its body. If you decide to adopt a mongrel, then the chances of this infestation might be more and you should check carefully the fur of the puppy for tick and flea. This could also be more if you are exposing your dog to a lot of outdoor life because you can’t possibly sanitize the entire natural world. So, cleaning the dog after every outdoor sojourn is of great importance. Your house should also be clean and should have a tick and flea repelling environment. In this context prevention is better than cure and a clean house results in a less sick dog.

Dogs are living things like us and therefore, in spite of the right food and the right living environment, a dog might fall sick because of genetics or because of some organ malfunction. There are homemade remedies for some simple diseases like loose motion and ear infections but then it is always better to consult a good vet. Why good? Why not just any vet? Well, it is because like doctors for human beings and mechanics for cars, vets for dogs can also be broadly classified into two types viz., those who love their profession and those who chose it only to earn a livelihood. The former will go out of the way to suggest remedies which will do good to the dog. The later will just inject antibiotics and other such short cut cures and charge a hefty bill. There is also a third type who have all the love in their heart but lack skill and experience; and therefore experiment. So, we need to find a good vet, a vet who dearly loves dogs, believes in a balance of homemade herbal treatment and allopathic treatment, has experience of treating dogs, and above all owns a happy and healthy dog. If we decide to adopt a puppy, then we must make friends with such a vet. A good vet who is accessible is indeed a true blessing for he or she can make a real difference in blessing your dog with health and happiness. If the dog is your best friend, then the vet is your dog’s best friend. So, before you adopt, do invest time in finding a vet worthy of your puppy, your bundle of joy, your shining star, your anti-anxiety pill, your anti-depressant, your non-judgmental and ego boosting companion, your best friend, your protector, your most trusted lieutenant. But the all-important question is when to consult a vet? When you feel that your dog is sick, you mustn’t delay but immediately get in touch with the vet. How do you know that your dog is sick? The three Ls are of great help. The Ls are

1. Lethargy

2. Loose Motion

3. Lack of appetite

There can be other signs and symptoms of sickness like a dry nose or a smelly ear, but the three Ls are a sure shot way of knowing that something is wrong with the dog and the dog then must take to the vet. Don’t google about sickness and symptoms because then you will feel that your dog is sick all the time and a simple sneeze is also a sure sign of a life-threatening seizure. Instead be a good observer and note any variation in behaviour. Add your common sense to your observations. Get in touch with other pet owners and consult them. Use a concoction of three Cs to arrive at a conclusion. The 3 Cs are

1. Cognizance - Careful and cursory observation of the behaviour of the dog to mark variations in a pattern

2. Common Sense - Common sense coupled with case study, keeping records of behaviour and trying to find reasons for variation in behavioural patterns

3. Consultation - Consultation with capable friends, other experienced pet owners and a competent professional, a vet with affection in heart and acumen in head, to get a cure for the sickness causing the symptom or for connecting the symptom to a sickness or for fixing a reason for the variation in behaviour and finding a remedy for that variation, so that, the dog is again in sync with its self and its situation in life.

To sum it up we can say that three things are of importance viz.,

1. Food, cleanliness and care

2. Fleas, ticks and other parasites

3. Fever, failing health and other symptoms of sickness

If we take care of these three things, then there is nothing else to trouble us for then we will be blessing our beloved dog with a healthy life. We must understand that when we decide to adopt a puppy, it is not a passing fancy but a lifelong commitment promising care; and care is not just appointing a caretaker but getting involved in the process of providing life of joy for the dog. Believe me it is the least we can do for the dog for all its wagging, licking, love and trust. If you don’t treat your dog well, if you willfully decide not to take care of your dog, if you routinely abuse it, if you use it as a punching bag to unburden yourself of your angst, then the animal rights people won’t turn up and sue you for what you do, for what you do with the four walls of your house is visible only to you and perhaps that self-knowledge, self-appraisal, self-analysis is the greatest motivator in the moral world of being benevolent or being bad. So, treat your dog well and live a healthy life. The way we treat our pets is an indication of our EQ and our mental health; and in that mirror of morality see yourself with the hallo rather than hellfire for that speaks of good mental health and not of a human in need of psychiatric care.