Vet’s Views
Dr Kaushlendra Kumar
The doctor has been practising in Lucknow for the past 20 years in canine and other pet animal medicine and surgery
Q: I have a three-year-old Spitz bitch that has not been bred even once. My friends tell me it is necessary to breed a female dog. Is that so? How do I know when I should get a mate for her? Are there any particulars I should know?-Joy Menaz
Reproduction or breeding in dogs is an essential component of life for a female dog/bitch. Almost every dog breed comes into the heat cycle/ oestrus cycle twice a year or at least once. If breeding or mating in this period is not done, bitches undergo a hormonal cyclic change leading to different conditions that in the later stages of life become difficult to handle like pyometra- pus in the uterus, mammary infections, and pseudo pregnancy. Therefore, it becomes important to breed your dog between two to five years. The bitch should not be bred after six years. In case the pet owner is not interested in getting the litter, sterilization/neutering of bitch should be done by a specialist veterinary surgeon. Breeding of bitches is solely your choice because it requires lots of hygiene and health care for the mother and the pups. Breeding is done in general between the 8th and 15th day of the heat cycle but scientifically it is done by the estimation of progesterone hormone in the blood serum.
Q: I have just acquired a kitten that strayed into my home. Is it okay to feed her ‘people’s food’? -Preeti Bhatia
Nutrition these days is a more important branch of science either for human beings or animals. Nutrition in the early age of life, particularly for kittens is very, very important. It is also important to know that the nutritional needs of each species of animal are different. This depends upon the different pH levels and enzymes present in the body. Therefore, our human food can't be properly digested by kittens or cats. Cats' or kittens' gastrointestinal systems are not suitable for digesting lots of carbohydrates. You should therefore prefer to give a maximum high protein-rich diet to kittens or cats. 90 percent of a cat's food can be of protein in nature. Nonvegetarian foods are an easy source of protein for these animals. Many balanced foods are available in the market for kittens and cats that are very good and convenient for you to feed.
Q: My Labrador bitch is showing symptoms of false pregnancy, I think. When would it end? Are there any medications to ease her situation? -Ruchika Kumar
Pseudo or false pregnancy is a pathophysiological change in the body of a bitch after say about 20 days of the heat cycle. This period can stand for about 20 to 40 days. It is a condition in which the bitch is showing all the symptoms of pregnancy except actual delivery of pups. These are digging of floors, and beds, hiding in corners, mammary gland development, let down of milk, dark vaginal discharge, etc. This happens solely due to hormonal changes in the body. Yes, there is a proper remedy for this. But treatment is again hormonal and involves lots of monitoring. You need to have a proper consultation with your vet. For pain relief, hot fomentation and expressing of milk give lots of relief to the bitch.
Q: My mixed-breed dog eats grass. Should that be a cause for concern? -Rajesh K Singh
Eating grass is a habit shown by dogs when they have pain in the stomach because of gastritis. They eat grass that cools the stomach lining but, since it is irritant to the stomach, they immediately vomit. Gastritis is a general problem against many conditions like worm infestation, food poisoning, viral infections, etc. Many times, it happens once in a while and is not a point of worry to owners but when it becomes a habit, definitely it is a cause for concern.
Q: My pet- a female Labrador-has difficulty in passing stools. Otherwise, she eats and behaves normally. What can be wrong with her and is there a treatment? -Meenal Srivastava
Constipation, or difficulty in passing the stools, is a lower intestinal motility problem in turn associated with other systemic problems of the body. Heavy worm infestation, low-fibre diet, and unbalanced food intake can lead to sluggish intestines. Nutrition plays a vital role in managing these cases. Balanced nutrition with optimum nutrition having all vital nutrients with good quality fibre content is very important for the passing of stools. The hydration level of the body should also be maintained. You must see that your dog is taking normal food and water. Exercise also plays an important role in maintaining a healthy gut. Patients with constipation take normal feed till a stage called megacolon comes into formation and that becomes an emergency stage. Keep your dog healthy with balanced food, rich fibers, good exercise, and clean water so that good bacteria are developed in the gut. This will help relieve the problems of constipation in the long term. Other medical situations need further monitoring and can be handled only by your vet.
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