While monsoon provides relief from the rising temperatures of the summer months, it comes with problems of its own. The inevitable rains often interfere with our day-to-day plans as well as bring many hygiene issues.
Symptoms of kennel cough:
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Runny nose
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Watery eyes
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Sneezing
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Loss of appetite
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Mild fever
Kennel cough is caused by bacteria of the Bordetella genus. Therefore, the best prevention is the bordetella bacterium vaccine, which most dogs receive before they turn 6 months old. You can give them booster shots too.
Ear Infection
Symptoms of ear infection:
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Constant head-shaking and scratching affected ear
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Pain and itchiness in their ears
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Dark-colored discharge from the affected ear
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Scabs in the affected ear
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Redness and swelling in the ear canal
How to protect your pet from ear infection?
Since excess moisture is the prime cause of all canine ear infections, you need to dry their ears thoroughly after a bath, swim, or rain incident.
While paper or cotton towels are safe to use for their outer ear, it is best to use an absorbent gauze to wipe their ear canal. It will also prevent the risk of any fibers left behind while cleaning. Do also remember to check your pet’s ear dryness by swabbing the ear with a cotton bud every night.
Intestinal Parasites
Is your doggo keen on drinking from the water puddles on the streets? Well, then they run the risk of being infected by intestinal parasites. There are many types of parasites that could infect your pet’s intestines but the common ones thrive in the moist, humid environment of monsoon months.
Symptoms of intestinal parasites:
If your furball has intestinal parasites, here are symptoms to watch out for:
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Dehydration
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Lethargy
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Vomiting
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Diarrhea
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Poor condition of fur coat (clump formation, loss of hair)
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Constant pain in the abdominal area
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Pot-bellied appearance
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Blood in stool
How to protect your pet from intestinal parasites?
Worms can cause substantial damage to your pet’s health. To protect them from these parasites, here’s what you can do:
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Avoid leaving them alone outdoors, even if it’s just your lawn or garden
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Keep an eye on anything they put their mouth to when outside
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Discourage them from drinking water from puddles using the reward-punishment approach
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Keep them hydrated at all times, especially before taking them out
Fungal Dermatitis
Also referred to as yeast or malassezia dermatitis, fungal dermatitis is an inflammatory skin problem found in both dogs and cats, caused by the fungus malassezia pachydermatis. Your pet is more likely to catch them in monsoon, especially when they go out to play in the garden or streets and come back wet as these fungi thrive in humidity.
Symptoms of fungal dermatitis:
Fortunately, it’s fairly simple to diagnose fungal dermatitis in your pet as all its symptoms are easily visible. Here are some signs that can determine whether or not your pet has it:
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Redness or irritation in the skin
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Skin inflammation
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Flake or crust deposition on the skin (particularly around their nails, armpits, skin folds, and anal area)
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Frequent itchiness
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Possibility of ear infection
How to protect your pet from fungal dermatitis?
Most of the symptoms above often occur on the skin around your pet’s paws. Therefore, to protect them from fungal dermatitis, it is essential to dry their paws properly after they’ve spent time outside. If you own a long-haired breed, the same rule applies to their thick, long fur coat as well. For more information, you can check our article on how to keep pet dry during monsoon.
