Healthy Paws Pet Clinic

24/03/2024

Meet "Meteor" A Cute Little Baby .... HavingBoth Hind Limbs Down Due To An Accident

19/01/2024

09/09/2023

Relax! Your dog will reflect your emotions.If you are anxious, your dog will likewise react. Relax and be calm. However, try to keep in mind that the quicker you can go through the process of giving medication, the easier it is for the both of you. It does get less stressful with time and experience.

Prepare all of the medications that you are about to give, before you call for your dog. Tablets and capsules should be individually set out and liquids drawn up into an oral syringe. Tablets and capsules may be wrapped into a small piece of meat, bread or cheese that is tasty to your dog. Check with your veterinarian or pharmacist first, though, because not all medications are compatible with cheese products.

When you are ready, call your dog to come to you in a happy voice. Bring your dog into a corner of the room and position his rear end into the corner, so that he cannot back away from you.

With one hand, grasp your dog's muzzle from above. Position your hand so that the tips of your fingers are at the corner of the mouth on one side and your thumb at the corner of the mouth on the other side.

While gently tipping your dog's head back so that the chin points upward, squeeze behind the canine upper teeth with your fingers. This should cause the lower jaw to open a little bit. With your other hand, push on the lower front teeth to open the jaw further.

Quickly place the medication as far back in the mouth as possible. Preferably on the back of the tongue. Do not place your hand too far into the mouth, however, as this may cause your dog to choke and gag.

Gently lower your dog's head and keep his mouth closed by wrapping your fingers around his muzzle. Gently rubbing or blowing on your dog's nose may stimulate swallowing, if it is necessary.

If giving a liquid, do not tilt your dog's chin upward. Place the liquid filled syringe into the side of the mouth, jus past the lower teeth. Slowly sq**rt small amount into the mouth, pausing between sq**rts to allow your dog to swallow the medication without gagging or choking.

Give your dog plenty of praise, always using your happy voice, and possible give him a treat. A positive output from you will hopefully make the next time go easier and smoother.

Remember, it is important that your dog gets all of the medication prescribed by your veterinarian for the entire length of tie that therapy has been prescribed. If you continue to have difficulty getting all of the medication into your dog, contact your veterinarian for advice and assistance.

Full Article
https://www.vet.cornell.edu/hospitals/pharmacy/consumer-clinical-care-guidelines-animals/giving-your-dog-oral-medications

03/01/2023

Can Dogs Drink Milk? Here's Why I am Afraid Why it Might Not Be the Best for Your Furry Friends………

Dairy products can have great benefits for humans. They’re rich in vitamin D and calcium, which can help keep your teeth and bones nice and strong. It has cholk full of benefits for humans, but, when it comes to their four-legged counterparts, is there a similar answer to the question: Can our beloved pooches have milk, too?

After all, your furry friends drink their mother's milk, but when it comes to dairy substitutes, it is a big Noooo. Milk is not toxic to your furry friends, meaning your four - legged friend can have a lick! Most dogs love dairy products, meaning that milk and other milk-based products remain popular additions to canine diets. But, it's not recommended that they drink it regularly, and the reasons might surprise you.

Is Milk Safe for My little Putzi…….

Does your four - legged furry friend give you those hard-to-resist eyes while you are indulging in a glass of milk? But as you take another sip, you might wonder "can my furry friend drink milk?"

Milk contains a sugar called lactose that requires an enzyme for proper digestion known as lactase. A newborn puppy that's nursing produces a lot of lactase, which is an enzyme that allows it to break down lactose, a sugar found in milk. That's why puppies can drink their mother's milk easily with no side effects, like an upset stomach.

As puppies become weaned, and are no longer dependent on their mother's milk, they will produce less lactase in their digestion system, and, in fact, that’s why they become lactose. The lactose in milk is blamed for diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, flatulence, and other symptoms associated with lactose intolerance.

Is Milk Safe for My Adult Furry …….

Canine companions love dairy products. They even went mad for that. Milk is a safe treat in small quantities. A few tablespoons of milk on an occasional basis can be a nice reward for your four – legged friend. But, you should probably hold off on offering your pooch an entire bowl in one sitting. Though drinking milk is not toxic to your furry friend, it may produce a lot of significant problems. Many dogs are lactose intolerant to some degree, which means they have a difficult time digesting dairy products.

Your furry friend can't tell you when they're unwell, so it's important to keep an eye on their behavior to recognize the signs of unwell. You may check for the following signs for tracing the health of your pooches…

 Loose stools
 Bloating
 Vomiting
 Abdominal Pain
 Diarrhea
 Flatulence
 Cramping
 Dehydration
 Lethargy
 Lack of appetite

Sometimes, lactose intolerance is confused with a dairy allergy in pets. It refers to the inability to tolerate the proteins in milk and can be far more serious. Dogs with dairy allergies may display signs such as:

 Red, inflamed skin
 Itchiness and scratching
 Hives
 Facial swelling
 Difficulty breathing
 Licking their paws
 Hair loss

Because of the high fat content of most dairy products, especially whole milk, consumption can lead to pancreatitis for your dog, which is a highly serious condition.

Is My Furry Friend Eating Ice-creams …….

Your furry friends love frozen dairy treats like you, but frozen dairy treats may not love them back. Ice cream made with cow’s milk is likely to be high in lactose, also sweetened with sugar, high in fat, and artificially flavored. Which may be toxic to your furry friends? Always check the ingredients; some contain xylitol, maltodextrin, polydextrose, sorbitol, which is seriously toxic to your furry friends.

You could prepare a healthier alternative like freezing plain yogurt in ice cube trays you may also add fresh fruit, peanut butter, or other sugar-free flavorings before freezing along with wooden sticks for holding the treats for your furry friends.

What I do if my furry friend consumes milk…………….

While the occasional lick of your ice cream cone or lap from your mug should not be a big deal unless your dog is allergic, you should avoid allowing your pet to indulge in large amounts of milk and other dairy products. If your dog gets its paws on a large helping of milk, monitor for signs of abdominal distress. Gastric upset will generally occur within about twelve hours after your furry friend consumes milk but can last for much longer, so prepare for frequent trips outside so your poor pup can relieve himself. If you notice these signs of lactose intolerance, or a change in behavior possibly caused by dairy's adverse effects, call your vet right away.

02/01/2023

The value of a physiotherapist when you need to restore fitness after an accident or injury is unparalleled. Sometimes it may be ‘tough love’ but the end result makes the discomfort and effort worthwhile. –by Dr Ashwani Kumar Singh and Dr Kumar Manglam Yadav

When your much-loved four-legged furry friend is in pain from a surgery or injury, physiotherapy is a good way to get their strength back. The veterinary phy siotherapists do the same work that human physiotherapists do. Veterinary physiotherapy for dogs involves adapting human physical therapy techniques to increase the functioning and mobility of their joints and muscles.
Signs that your pet needs physiotherapist

Back, neck, pelvic pain
Injury or accident
Obesity
Lost enthusiasm for playing and running
Recovery after surgery
Joint problems: arthritis, stiffness in joints, elbow and hip dysplasia
Unexplainable behavioral problems
Stiffness and weakness in legs
Difficulty getting up from sitting or lying
Spinal stiffness/soreness, intervertebral disc disease
Muscle, tendon and ligament (cruciate) strain
Difficulty with functions – jumping, climbing stairs
Trauma, soft tissue injuries to tendon, ligament (cruciate), muscle
Lameness or limping
Snapping, growling or crying when touched
Reduced mobility in elderly dogs

When to start?
For best results, physiotherapy should commence as soon as possible after surgery, injury, or diagnosis. When started after surgery, certain physiotherapy techniques help stimulate and speed up healing, soothing pain, and reducing swelling and stiffness while reducing the risks of muscle atrophy and bone degeneration. Your vet will advise you.

Techniques used in Canine Physiotherapy
Cold Therapy: In an acute injury, such as a fall at a competition, ice is the best thing to place around the injured area. The ice should be wrapped in a fabric so that it does not come in direct contact with the fur. Ice will also help reduce swelling around the injured area.

Heat Therapy: Heat applied to an injured or paining area can be very soothing. This is particularly applicable to injuries that are in the healing phase or that have been going for some time such as arthritis. Wet heat is always better than dry heat so a wet flannel placed in the microwave for several seconds makes a good warm wrap for stiff joints.

Massage: Massage is great way to relieve muscle spasm and pain. It increases blood supply to the area. Many different techniques are available and most are simple to do. With some specialist massaging techniques experts can speed up the recovery from injuries. You can also give light massage to your pet at home. Talk to your vet about the right way to do so.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy: This technique passes current through copper coils. This generates a magnetic field. The electric current is pulsed to produce a pulsed magnetic field. This pulsing of the magnetic field is thought to interfere with nerve (pain) transmission.

TENS: It is possible to use a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machine in dogs but getting the settings correct is difficult as they cannot communicate that tingling feeling. Also the pain relief from TENS only works while the machine is in place.

Joint Mobilisations: Through flexing, extending, and stretching joints to their limits, physiotherapy experts can achieve passive range of motion, which is used to encourage your pet to use their full range of motion in their joints.

Balance Exercises: By the help of specialised equipment it is possible to strengthen weak limbs and build up limbs affected by atrophy. These techniques are particularly useful for helping dogs to recover from surgery, but can also help dogs recover from neurological conditions such as strokes.

Strengthening Exercises: If your pet is suffering from hip dysplasia or degenerative joint disease, strengthening exercises can be used to increase the flexion of the hip joint. Techniques include uphill and downhill walking, the use of stairs, and encouraging your pet to sit on two or three legs.

Ball Exercise: Get a large ball or buy a Swiss Ball. Place the ball under your pet’s torso so that your pet is draped over the ball. Hold onto your pet with both hands for safety. Roll the ball slightly forward so the hind feet are just off the ground. Then roll it back so that they touch. Repeat. This encourages the instinct to stretch the toes to the floor and provides weight bearing exercise.

If your pet is a small breed dog, use both hands to hold him safely in a standing position on top of the ball. Now move the ball slightly forward, backward, and sideways to encourage and maintain his balance.

Stair Standing: Get your pet to stand at the bottom of a staircase, with the front two feet up a comfortable number of stairs. You can also do it with his front legs on a stable sofa or chair. This exercise can be done as a simple stand to increase weight bearing in the hind legs. Increase the complexity and fun by walking your pet sideways a step and back, or gently nudging the hips so that he needs to reposition his feet for balance.

Body Balance: Depending on the size of your pet, you may use a foam cushion or an air mattress for this exercise. The purpose is to have all four paws on the mattress, and your pet standing firmly, working on his core muscles to maintain balance.

Animals are incredible athletes. When they have had traumatic or surgical injuries, their ability to return to their previous level of exercise and flexibility is impacted by their ability to rehab their muscles. This includes the ability to fully stretch and flex muscles, and the retraining of muscles to be strong enough to support and sustain various actions.

Physiotherapy is important for recovery. You should continue to do it even if you see little change in your pet’s condition. Nerves regenerate very slowly, but healing does occur. Your dedication and patience to your pet’s physical therapy programme will ensure your pet makes the best recovery possible. So, keep motivating your pet onto the path of speedy recovery.

26/12/2022

Vaccines help prepare your furry friend immune system to defend it from disease-causing organisms. Vaccines contain antigens, which mimic disease causing organisms in your furry friend immune system, but not actually causing the disease.

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25/12/2022

“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.” – Ernest Hemingway

Cats are known for their emotional opaqueness and standoffishness; they may even seem mysterious to some. But when you start paying a little attention you can decipher them and their antics. From time to time, they use special noises like growls, howls, chirps, meows, hisses and body languages like eye movements, position of the ears, and motion of tail to tell you when they are happy, angry, or in need of some delicious food.

Your feline friends talk to you all the time. But they don’t have the benefit of a spoken language, so understanding them might get a little challenging sometimes. Paying attention to your kitty’s sounds and signals deepens your understanding of her, and strengthens the bond between you and your feline friend.

Here are some clues that’ll help you to figure out the feeling and intention of your lovely furry feline friend in a
better way.

To understand her, you need to know her love language!
Think your kitty’s meows, chirps, yowls, and purrs are just random gibberish? Think again. She’s actually communicating to you informing about her world and about how she feels towards you. Next to birds, cats possess the widest range of vocalisations in any domestic pet. Whether your pet is happy or in pain she has a feline sound for each of these emotions.

Magnificent Meows: Kittens are more likely to meow than adult cats. Because kittens are born unable to hear and see, they make this noise to alert their mother that they need attention. Adult cats rarely meow at each other, but they may meow at humans for the same reasons. Your cat may be saying ‘meow’ as a greeting or a command (‘Take me up, put me down, more food’), or an objection (‘Touch me at your own risk’). Some people have watched their cats walking around the house meowing to themselves also!

Poignant Purrs: It is the most enjoyable and hypnotic of cat sounds. The purr is a soft, deep, throaty rumble, most often made when your cat is in the best of mood. Cats purr whenever they’re happy, even while they’re eating. Sometimes, however, a cat may purr when they’re anxious or sick, they can use their purr to comfort themselves, like a child sucking their thumb.

Chitter Chatter: If your pet sits in the window staring at squirrels outside, ears erect and eyes focused, but she can’t get outside to chase them, she may make a chattering noise. The chatter is thought to be an indicator of a cat’s predatory excitement and of her stress at not being able to get to the prize.

Chirps and Trills: Chirps and trills are how a mother cat tells their kittens to follow her. Aimed at you, it probably means your pet wants you to follow her, usually to their food bowl. If you have more than one cat in the house you’ll often hear them converse with each other using chirps and trills.

A Yowl or Howl: Female cats in heat make this desperate cry, hoping to attract Tomcats to ease their pangs of kitten-making desire. The scream, a variant of the yowl, is the final vocal warning before a serious fight begins. Be watchful of these!

Sneaky Scream: If the un-spayed female is roaming outdoor, her caterwauling will draw in a male, whereupon mating will surely occur. She can scream to attract attention. You should talk to your vet about this.

It is true that love needs no language. But not you know the feline love language! So here’s hoping that your bond strengthens and filled with love.

(Dr Ashwani Kumar Singh, BVSc & AH, is a veterinary physician & surgeon based in Kanpur)

23/12/2022

Arthritis is a debilitating disease that causes stiffness and pain in the joints.The most common type in dogs is osteoarthritis, and it usually affects middle-aged to older pets.
Breeds prone to Arthritis

Medium to large breeds — Labradors, Retrievers, Rottweilers and German Shepherds — are usually susceptible, because of their weight. Very active dogs can simply wear out a joint by the time they reach middle age, while younger animals can injure a joint and develop arthritis if they aren’t treated in time.

Symptoms
Arthritis makes your dog unable to jump on to his favourite couch. Some pets hide their arthritis pain, but you’ll notice they don’t want to play because it’s difficult to run and wrestle. They can’t leap on or off the bed or climb into a car without help. So, you have to keep a keen watch in order to determine whether your pet is suffering. A few symptoms to watch out for...

Limping:
You may see your pet limping or preferring to use one or two of his legs, depending on which legs and joints are arthritic. In some cases, the limp may seem worse when your pet wakes up in the morning. It becomes less noticeable as your pet ‘warms up’ by moving around.

Difficulty in moving:
Your pet may also become reluctant to do things that were previously easy for him to accomplish – get into and out of the car, going up and down the stairs. Arthritic cats, on the other hand, may stop jumping onto countertops and perches.

Spinal issues:
Arthritic changes can occur not only in the legs but also in various parts of the spine. These changes may result in a sore neck, an abnormal posture with a ‘hunch’ in the back, or lameness of one or both hind legs.

Tiredness:
Your pet may tire more easily. For dogs, this may mean that walks become shorter. Your pet may spend more time sleeping, resting.

Irritability:
Arthritic animals may become irritable. They may snap and/or bite when approached or handled, particularly if the petting or handling takes place in a manner that increases their pain.

Muscle atrophy:
Arthritic pets often develop muscle atrophy. A pet with atrophied muscles has a leg that looks thinner than a normal leg.

Licking, chewing, biting:
Pets affected with arthritis may also begin to lick at, chew or bite at body areas that are painful. This may even reach the point of causing inflamed skin and hair loss over affected areas.

Coping with Arthritis
As a responsible pet parent, you can help your pooch to deal with this painful condition with the following practices:

Slimming down:
If your dog is overweight, help him slim down. Extra weight places extra strain on joints, worsening the pain. Feeling guilty because your dog is looking longingly at his food bowl? Mix a little pumpkin (unsweetened, not canned) into his dinner; it’s healthy, low cal, and will help him feel full.

Gentle exercise:
Your dog still needs regular exercise; it is a must to keep him moving or s/he will stiffen up. Just make sure it’s controlled, gentle, low impact, and short in duration.

Ramps and pet steps:
Help your arthritic dog get up steps, on to a bed, or in and out of cars with a ramp or pet steps.
Improved traction: Arthritic dogs are less steady on their feet. Offer them stability with secure rugs for traction.

Canine massage:
Massage eases sore muscles, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress for both the giver and receiver. Plus, it’s great for bonding and a wonderful way to examine your older dog – you can check for new lumps, bumps or sore points.

Acupuncture:
Veterinary acupuncture stimulates the release of the body’s own pain relieving and anti-inflammatory substances.

Sweet heat:
Heating pads relieve aches. They help in pain relief, muscle relaxation, stimulating acupuncture points, releasing trigger points, and healing injuries.

A supportive bed:
A firm orthopedic foam bed that distributes the dog’s weight evenly reduces pressure on the joints and can help an arthritic dog to curl up with his favourite toy.

Prevention
Keeping your dog fit with exercise and proper nutrition may, in some cases, help prevent the disease, or possibly slow its progression.

If your dog is a large breed, it’s necessary to monitor the type and amount of food given when his bones are still growing. However, arthritic conditions cannot always be predicted or prevented, especially those that are inherited. But with your love and care, you can always make life easier and comfortable for your pooch.

- Dr Ashwani Kumar Singh and Dr Kumar Mangalam Yadav

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