March is almost over, and Summers have officially kicked in! Summers are particularly difficult for dogs. Unlike us humans, dogs cannot perspire to cool down. Even though dogs sweat through their paws and nose, their primary method of heat exchange or ‘cooling down’ is by panting. And it takes a lot longer for a dog to cool down relative to a human.
 
Overheating is dangerous and can lead to heat strokes in dogs. Hence, it’s important that we keep our dogs cool and safe during the hot season. Here are 6 summer care tips to keep our dawgies cool as a cucumber this summer. (Ps: Cucumbers are great for dogs in summers!)

6 Hot Tips to Keep Your Pet Dog Cool & Safe in Summer

Keep Your Dog Indoors in the Summer

Don’t lock your dog in a hot car, or leash him on a sunny terrace or anywhere outside. Keep him indoors as much as possible or otherwise in shade. Don’t muzzle him up. It obstructs panting and stops him from cooling down. Prolonged exposure to heat and the inability to cool down can lead to heat strokes in dogs.
 
Thick-coated or snow dog breeds such as Huskies, Mastiffs, Akitas, and St. Bernards should be kept in an air-conditioned area. Dogs with shorter snouts like Bulldogs, Pugs, etc may experience trouble breathing during the hot season.
 
Take your dogs out on walks during colder hours like early mornings or late evenings. Avoid hot surfaces like asphalt or concrete that can burn their paws. If the surface is too hot for you to step on barefoot, it’s definitely too hot for your pet. Dog boots or other similar products can help, but it’s best to avoid walking in the sun.
 

Hydrate Your Dog Often In the Summer

Water is the most important nutrient for your pet during the summer season. Always ensure the continuous availability of fresh drinking water for your dog. Keep his bowls clean and change water periodically to ensure there are no insects. It’s normal that your dog may eat less or stop eating completely due to the heat, but make sure he’s getting the fluids.
 
Unsweetened and unsalted lassi (yogurt + water), buttermilk, coconut water, watery fruits and berries like watermelon, melons, papaya, strawberries, raspberries, cucumber, etc are great to keep your dog hydrated. Here are 6 great fruits that your dog can safely enjoy this summer.
 

Get Your Dog a Summer-Friendly Haircut

Get your dog a summer-friendly haircut. A light but breed-appropriate coat can help your dog feel cooler. But remember – the same coat that makes them feel hot also protects them from the sun. A shaved (or over-trimmed) dog is prone to sunburn, among other skin issues in summers.
 
It’s also important to brush your dog frequently in summers. Brushing your dog’s coat removes the dry/dead skin and makes way for air to reach his coat. This helps to cool down your pet. Dogs are also susceptible to many skin infections during hot weather. Frequent grooming can keep a check on that.
 

Try Water Sports to Cool Your Dog in Summers

Take your dog to a pool or just treat him to a puddle full of mud. He’ll know what to do! This is a great way to cool your dog down. But make sure your dog gets a nice wash after every pool or puddle-session. The chlorine in the pool water may cause skin irritation, if not washed off properly.
 
Your dog would love to sit in damp corners in the house. But make sure he’s always clean and dry after all the wet-fun. Any amount of moisture in this weather can grow into a yeast or fungal infection. Read more about itching & skin issues in dogs.
 

Treat Your Dog to Frozen or Icy Treats in Summers

Dogs love ice and frozen treats in the summer. But it’s not advisable to treat them to a human ice-cream bar every time. Instead, you can try simple DIY recipes to make delicious and healthy frozen treats for your dogs this summer.
 
Not only they help your dog stay cool and hydrated, but they’ll also make a nice Snapchat or Instagram story for you. A simple YouTube search will list out some of our favorite recipes.
 

Watch Your Dog’s Food and Poop this Summer

As mentioned earlier, your dog may act fussy with his food in summers. He may eat less or eat nothing at all for a few days. But don’t let that worry you. Keep his food light, and include loads of fluids in his diets. Try cold foods, fruits and otherwise easily-digestible food items.
 
Observe his poop and report any signs of parasites to your vet. Bacterial and viral infections often make their way to your dog’s body by means of spoiled food during the hot season. Read more on what your dog’s poop can tell you about his health.

Summers may be an uncomfortable time for your pooch, but these simple tips will ensure he’s ready to take on the heat like a boss. Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments below!

Summers are one of the harshest seasons of the year; temperatures soar as high as late-40’s in most parts of the country and the scorching sun takes its toll on plants and animals alike. While you may be blessed with a home where you can chill with your furry best friend, things are not the same for the strays outside your home. Here’s how you can make summers a little easy for the stray animals who may not have a house but have a home in your heart.

Offer Water to Strays

It can be incredibly tough for stray animals to locate water in summers. In the urban settings, animals may have to walk miles before they can spot a puddle of water safe to drink. You can help them by placing a bowl of clean water outside your house. Since the sun is on the rise, you can expect the water to dry up quickly; so try to refill the water bowl whenever possible. Do clean the water bowl on a regular basis to avoid contamination and diseases. A water bowl a day hydrates a lot of strays!
 

 

Open Your Gates (and Hearts)

Animals living in urban setups are used to walking on layers of asphalt, concrete and rubble. However, these can become an ‘aag ka dariya’ to walk on during summers. Animals often end up with charred paws by walking on extremely hot surfaces. A cool place with shade can be a huge respite in such a weather. You can open your gates and let them in the front porch of your house, garden, garage, or verandah. Or provide a little bit of accessible space where these animals can rest to protect themselves from the heat.
 

 

Introduce Fruity Treats

You can put out a small plate with some summer-fruits like Watermelons, Muskmelons (Kharbuja), Cucumber, Tender Coconut or other similar hydrating fruits; and watch the furry angels feast upon these and lick the plate clean. Remember that all animals are built differently; make sure you look up if what you are serving is safe for the animals you’re trying to help. Feeding fruits can go a long way to provide strays with the minerals and vitamins they may need to make it through the summer.
 

Look Before you Drive

Stray animals often take shelter under cars and parked vehicles as it provides them with shade. A number of times they don’t know when you’re starting your car and rushing off, and get hurt or run over. Before you enter your car, check underneath it for animals and greet them. It’s a small effort, but it can save a stray’s life.
 

 

Empty the Pool

If you live in a society that boasts of a swimming pool or has any other kind of an open reservoir, make sure that the water is either drained out or the reservoir is kept covered during summers. This is because the sun’s heat can cause the water to turn into steam and raise the temperatures of the surroundings. Animals on the lookout for water may often get burnt skin or coat owing to the enormous heat in the water. If you can’t get the reservoir drained out or covered, at least fence the area so the strays keep away from them.

MUST READ: 6 Hot Tips to Keep Your Pet Dog Cool & Safe in Summer

Stay Alert, Save a Life

As an animal lover, you must be on a 24×7 vigil to watch out for stray animals who may need your help. You may come across cases where you see animals in distress. Call for help immediately when you spot such a situation. There’s a myriad of communities on social media with good hoomans willing to rush and help; use them.

Always remember that animals need our love and even more so in the toughest of times. So this summer, get your water guns out and help a stray in need!

Regardless of how tough the year has been – the sights and sounds of Diwali, the love, camaraderie and good cheer that pervades the atmosphere, diminishes sorrows and manages to rekindle hope in the hearts of even the most seasoned cynics. Diwali is a celebration of life and all the good that it has to offer, it is a time for togetherness and bonding.

But what are festivals without our family and loved ones? We call our pets a part of our family; but often forget that some of our festivals, such as Diwali may cause extreme discomfort to our furry family. While we’re busy enjoying the festivities of the evening, our pets often spend their time hiding in furniture, closets, or anything else they could fit under/into.

Diwali week often triggers extreme behavioral changes in pets and homeless animals, including fear, aggression, anxiety, etc. They’re scared, confused and often in a lot of stress and pain. Some run and hide, some bark, while some others stop eating. Often the results continue until much after the festival. Breeds with shorter snouts are susceptible to severe respiratory issues during the period. Several dogs go missing and some owners never succeed in tracking down their much-loved pets.

As for homeless dogs, when firecrackers are lit on the streets, they go into hiding, venturing out only after the celebrations are over. In the process, they lose a chance to search for food and often go hungry for several days. Those with newborn litters might lose them to the fireworks when the young ones scamper away. Many are injured due to firecrackers, many other come under moving cars and vehicles while running in panic.

Diwali is difficult for dawgies. Dogs can hear the explosions several times louder and smell the smoke a million times stronger than us. If you’ve ever been baffled by the extreme noise of a firecracker or choked at its smoke, image what your dogs go through.

Diwali should be about joy, people coming together in celebration, and not about troubled breathing, and one-upmanship on how much money we can send up in smoke. So why not pledge for a Dawgie-Friendly Diwali this year?

Here are 7 ways you can enjoy a safe and happy Diwali with your furry baby:

1. Firecrackers are NOT for Dawgies

Diwali has always been the festival of lights, never of incessant noise and smoke. Pledge to celebrate it without firecrackers this year and educate others against them. Help the planet and its inhabitants breathe. For those who still wish to indulge, must do so in designated areas away from dogs and other animals. Firecrackers and other Diwali items (decorations, candles, lighting, etc.) must be stored at a safe place in home, where your dawgie cannot accidentally chew or lick on them. Needless to say, your dog must NEVER partake in burning firecrackers.

2. Dawgies Gotta Feel Safe

Your baby needs you at this time of distress. He’s feeling vulnerable and scared, and he needs you to comfort him. Keep your pets indoors and make them feel safe from all the loud noises and the smoke. This will comfort the pet and reassure him that he/she is out of harm’s way. Do NOT leave them alone and NEVER rebuke them for getting scared. Pet them, cuddle them, love them. They deserve all of you at this time. Avoid giving anti-anxiety or calming drugs to your pets, they have long-term implications on your pet’s neurological system. Never give these drugs to the homeless dogs. Their senses help them stay alive in the stray.

3. Kill the Noise!

Use the television and loud music to muffle the noise outside. Buy a pair of ear muffs or cover their ears with heavy towel or bedsheet during heavy firecrackers. It’s a good idea to take your dog for a walk during the day before the fireworks begin.

4. There’s Nothing that a Bowl of Good Food Can’t Fix

Those that have finished a tub of ice cream or an entire pizza alone, would agree that good food can solve many (read: all) problems. Dogs undergo a lot of stress during Diwali. You don’t have to let your dog feast on ice cream or pizzas, but he sure deserves some of his favorite delicacies. Watch out for calories though. Stress-eating under already receded activity levels could easily lead to overfeeding.

5. Dawgies Need No Sugar. They’re Sweet Enough!

What are festivals without sweets? But your furry baby should not indulge in their consumption. Sugar, artificial sweeteners, chocolates, raisins and nuts are some common ingredients of Indian sweets – most of which are toxic for dogs. Read my previous blog on why your dog should never eat from your plate for more.

6. It Never Hurts to be Kind!

Be kind, not only to your pet, but to other animals on the street. Offer them food, clean water and safe shelter to rest during the festival. Do not burn firecrackers near them, and stop anyone from doing so. Repeat: Never give anti-anxiety drugs to homeless dogs.

7. Stay Vigilant!

Keep first aid preparations for fellow humans and animals. Be vigilant and report any abuse or injuries to the helpline numbers given at the bottom.

With these simple measures, you can ensure a safe and happy festival with your entire family. From all of us at DawgieBowl, here’s wishing you a Happy, Prosperous, Safe and Dawgie-friendly Diwali. Paw-five!

Dog Helpline Numbers (Delhi-NCR)

Friendicoes: 011 24320707/ 011 24320303/ 011 24314787
PAWS (Masoodpur, Vasant Kunj, South Delhi): 98100 36254; 011 2689 5737
Animal India Trust (Lajpat Nagar, South Delhi): 93138 84347, 98112 52592; 011-5566 9924
Sonadi Charitable Trust (Najafgarh): 011- 26275216, 92121 31218
Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre, Raja Garden: 011 2544 8062
People for Animals – PFA Delhi Headquarters, Delhi: 011-2335 5883, 2335 7088, 2335 9241

Cover Photo Credits: Doggy Advices

How many times has it happened that you were eating something and your dawgie came asking for a share with the most innocent and adorable pair of eyes and the most convincing ‘good boy’ charm ever? Countless times, I suppose. And how many times have you given in to those eyes? Countless times, too, I suppose. While as parents, it’s perfectly normal to yield to your furry kids’ demands, being a responsible parent calls for understanding the risks involved in feeding them our food.

Beside the fact that dogs may get used to the taste and smell of our food, and quit eating theirs, there are many nutritional downsides to feeding them from your plate. The food we eat is appropriate (mostly) for us, but it may not be appropriate for our dawgies. There are several cases of food poisoning reported at vets every day, identified by symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, bloating and pancreatitis, etc. Several common ingredients used in hooman food may be toxic and potentially fatal for dogs. Let’s look at some of these:

1. Salt
   Almost everything that humans eat contains salt. Table salt contains Sodium and Chloride. Sodium is required for many vital functions in the body including regulation of blood pressure, blood volume, the transmission of nerve impulses, as well as the maintenance of pH balance in the body. But dogs’ Sodium requirement is far less than that of humans. Usually this requirement is fulfilled naturally by meat, eggs, vegetables and other dietary sources. Even a small quantity of added salt can lead to a condition called hypernatremia, which means higher than normal concentrations of sodium in blood. Symptoms of this condition can include dehydration, increased thirst (polydipsia), vomiting, diarrhoea, confusion and disorientation, seizures and even coma.

2. Sugar
   Almost everything that does not contain salt, contains sugar. While sugar is not toxic for dawgies, it’s recommended to keep the intake to bare minimum. Sugar adds unnecessary calories to your dog’s diet that are often too difficult to burn off. Having sugar in their diet significantly increases the risk of yeast infection in dawgies. ALSO SEE: Your complete guide to skin problems in dawgies. Not only excess sugar can cause diabetes (PS: Excess in their case is a lot smaller than humans), it can lead your dogs into sugar addiction. Is sugar addiction a real thing, you ask? SEE: What Makes Cola Drinks so Addictive?

3. ‘Sugar-free’ sweeteners
   Artificial and low-calorie sweeteners often promoted as a sugar substitute contain a substance called Xylitol. Chemically, it is a sugar alcohol, and is found naturally in berries, plums, corn, oats, mushrooms, lettuce, trees, and some other hardwood trees and fruits. Xylitol is extensively used in sugar-free gum, candies, breath mints, baked goods, cough syrup, children’s chewable vitamins, mouthwash, and toothpaste, etc. Xylitol is safe for humans, but extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs.

SEE ALSO: Your Toothpaste Can Kill Your Dog! Here’s How.

4. Oils
   While some essential oils and fatty acids are very important for dogs, most cooking oils are not. They only add excess calories to your dog’s diet without adding much nutritional value. Wherever possible, oily foods should be avoided.

5. Spices
   Our foods may contain a range of spices, many of which may be harmful for dogs. We can be diligent to check which spices we put in our food, but we can never be sure enough, especially with restaurant-cooked or ordered-in food.

6. Onion & too much Garlic
   One of the most common ingredient in our food, onions contain an ingredient called thiosulphate which is toxic to cats and dogs. The ingestion of onions causes a condition called haemolytic anaemia, which is characterized by damage to the red blood cells. Onion toxicity can cause the red blood cells circulating through your pet’s body to burst.Garlic is another ingredient found commonly in our food. Whether garlic is good or bad for dogs is a subject of debate. Some people believe that a small amount of garlic can help with parasites and worms in dogs. Although the positive effects of garlic are yet to be proven, it’s been established that too much garlic can show symptoms of haemolytic anaemia in dogs. The problem is “too much” could be too different for two different dogs. I suggest it’s safer to just keep your pooches away from it.

7. Cooked Bones
   Bones have been every dog’s favourite treat since forever. For years, the words bone and dog have been used in conjunction. Bones provide important minerals and vitamins to a dawgie. Gnawing a bone helps stimulate saliva enzymes and prevent plaque build-up and gum diseases. Chewing on bones can also help pacify a dog’s habits such as excessive self-licking, scratching and other nervous behaviours.Almost any bone – chicken, turkey, lamb or beef – can be fed raw and is safe for dogs. However, cooked bones should be completely avoided. Once cooked, chicken, lamb, beef or even fish bones have the tendency to splinter and break into sharp shards. These shards pose a choking as well as splinter injury risk to your dogs. If you want to feed bones to your dog, make sure they’re always raw.

8. Nuts & Raisins
   A lot of our foods may contain nuts and raisins. Most Indian sweets and some gravies use nuts extensively. Some nuts like peanuts, cashew, etc. are safe for dogs, but most others like almonds, pistachios and walnuts can cause severe gastro intestinal distress and even seizures. Raisins are very poisonous to dogs. Even a small amount can cause acute kidney failure. If your dog has accidentally eaten raisins, contact an emergency vet immediately.

9. Chocolate
   Chocolate is commonly used in sweets and baked items such as cakes, muffins and brownies, and is extremely poisonous for dogs. The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine. Humans easily metabolize theobromine, but dawgies process it much more slowly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels in their system. A small amount of chocolate will probably only give your dog an upset stomach with vomiting or diarrhoea. However, large amounts of theobromine can produce muscle tremors, seizures, an irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding or a heart attack. The onset of theobromine poisoning is usually marked by severe hyperactivity.

10. Alcohol
    Alcohol, without debate is strictly prohibited for dogs. Dawgies have a small liver and even a small quantity of alcohol gives it a hard time processing it. Alcohol invokes the same kind of reaction in dogs as it does in humans, except since dogs are much smaller in size, the effect is much stronger and dangerous. Even small quantities of alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning called ethanol toxicosis. Hyperactivity, confusion, disorientation, dehydration, hypothermia, and weakened motor functions are all primary symptoms of ethanol toxicity in dogs. Signs of advanced ethanol poisoning include depression, slowed breathing and heart rate, an increase in total body acid (metabolic acidosis), and heart attack. If left untreated, this can result in death.

11. Colours & Preservatives
    Most food products, especially packaged and processed food contain a range of synthetic colors and preservatives. Though these additives are approved for human consumption, they aren’t strictly safe for us. And definitely not for our dawgies. They put immense stress on the dog’s digestive system and internal organs and should generally be avoided.

I have fed human food to my dog. And he is fine!

Sure, one morsel of food or even a plateful won’t kill your dog. Neither does one cigarette, or a pack. But does that mean we start encouraging our children to smoke?

Dawgies, as well as their hoomans, should eat a complete and balanced diet to stay active, in good shape and disease-free. The old saying “You are what you eat” applies to our pets in the same ways as it does for ourselves. Dogs need a certain combination of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water every day in order to function normally. Each and every nutrient has a purpose.

Feeding incomplete or incorrect food (including human food) to your dogs can result in nutritional deficiencies and even food-poisoning. Malnutrition can lead to conditions like reduced life-expectancy, deformities, allergies and lowered immunity, thyroid issues, organ damage, weakened bones, teeth and eyes, gastrointestinal issues, hair-loss, bad breath and general lethargy in your pets.

DawgieBowl offers 100% natural, gluten-free and corn-free diets that have no synthetic preservatives or additives. Our meals are customized to suit your dog’s dietary preferences and nutritional requirements, and is delivered fresh every day.

Not sure if your dawgie is eating right? Talk to us today! 9452 666 222 or reach@dawgiebowl.com

Cover Photo Credits: Paoli Village Shoppes

Winter is coming, and Westeros isn’t the only place where there’s much to prepare for. While winters are considered a healthy season overall, there are some key things to ensure our dawgies are energetic and agile even during the freezing cold temperatures.

Something you hear quite frequently, “How cold is too cold for my dog?”. Dr. Susan Nelson from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Pet Health Center answers, “A general rule of thumb is if it is too cold for you outside, it is too cold for your dog”.

To prepare your furry babies for winter correctly, it’s important to understand what issues trouble dogs during the colder season. Only when you know the problem, you can take steps to prevent it.

Common Dog Problems During Winters

• Respiratory infections are common for dogs in winter as they are for humans. A steep drop in the temperature could result in several ailments among pets such as fever, cough, constant sneezing, and nose discharge. During this season, dogs stay mostly indoors and lack of fresh air could increase the chances of allergies. Dawgies with shorter snouts, like Pugs, Shih Tzus, Maltese, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Bulldogs, and some Mastiffs are at particularly higher risk. ALSO SEE: Brachycephalic syndrome
• Unless your dog is one of the mountain or snow breeds like Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain Dog, St. Bernard, Chow Chow or one of their mixes, the fur on his skin is not enough to withstand freezing temperatures, particularly not if it has been soaked by water due to rain or any playful activity. Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures could lead to hypothermia or even pneumonia, which could be fatal to dawgies. Breeds with very short coats and little or no undercoat or body fat, such as Doberman Pinschers, Dachshunds, Dalmatians, Great Danes are more vulnerable.
• If you know anyone who suffers from arthritis or another chronic joint disease, you understand the pain that winters bring along. The story with dogs is no different. Winters are hard for dogs with cases of osteoarthritis or other defects of bones, joints or muscles like elbow or hip dysplasia. Breeds that are most affected are German Shepherds, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Dachshunds, Rottweilers, Mastiffs and Bernards. The problems worsen with growing age. ALSO SEE: How to Calculate your Dawgie’s Age?
• Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and/or snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin. My previous post talks about skin issues in detail: Your complete guide to skin problems in dawgies

How to Winter-Proof your Dog

Now that we understand the common winter problems in dawgies, let’s look at how we can prevent them. Winter-care for dawgies involve 3 major aspects: Shelter, Exercise and Food.

Shelter/Bed Considerations

Dogs spend a lot of time in their bed, more during winters than the rest of the year. It’s important that the place they sleep and rest for most part of the day is clean and hygienic.

• Check the place where the dog rests daily to make sure it is dry and there are no water leaks. Wet and cold are far more dangerous than dry cold. Also check the bedding is warm and dry. A dog lying on soiled bedding will quickly develop sores and infected patches of skin.
• Clean and change bedding regularly. This will reduce fleas, germs, and mess. This is especially important over the winter, when insects look for any warm places they can find.
• This is especially important for old and arthritic dogs. Consider using a heated dog bed or a hot water bottle. Once the dog realizes how nice and snuggly a heated bed feels, most accept it and even look forward to being tucked in at night.
• Keeping sick pets dry and warm is obviously as important as it is for hoomans.

Exercise Considerations

Irrespective of the time and season, ensure that dogs have enough clean and fresh air to breathe. Socializing, training and exercising your furry baby is an effective way to do so. Winters are great for outdoor activities because dogs don’t run the risk of heat strokes compared to the summer season. But few simple tips would make sure your dog’s outdoor experiences are always happy ones.

• Massaging petroleum jelly into paw pads before going out on walks helps to protect against harmful infections that might get into their body from their paws. And moisturizing after a good toweling off helps to heal chapped paws.
• Brushing your pet regularly not only gets rid of dead hair, but also stimulates blood circulation, improving the skin’s overall condition. This helps to deal with the cold even better.
• Unless your dog has a natural winter coat, like a Husky or Newfie, wrap that pup up! Find a coat designed to keep them warm while not limiting mobility. Do watch for choking hazards, such as buttons while picking coats and sweaters. Ensure they are made of breathable fabrics that doesn’t irritate the dog. Regularly washing and changing the clothes will ensure your dawgie’s hygiene and prevent infections.
• If your pet is used to going on walks without a leash, please make sure he has a reflective/glowing collar, so he’s visible to commuters even in fog and mist and doesn’t get hurt accidentally.

Diet/Nutritional Considerations

One of the most important considerations for proper winter care for your baby is his food. Dogs prepare for winters naturally by switching to a thicker coat before winters. This is why you notice excessive shedding in the months immediately before winters, along with considerable weight gain in certain breeds. The dietary modifications in your dawgie’s diet should support the changes in his body.

• Ensure that the serving size is adjusted according to your dog’s modified activity levels during winters. Too much food, and he’ll gain weight. Too little, and he won’t have enough calories to spend.
• Adequate water to drink is must. Regardless of the temperature, a dog needs to stay hydrated, even when they are cold.
• We’ve already established that skin problems are at their prime during winters. Issues like dry or flaking skin, or chapped paws are common in colder season. It’s important that your dog’s diet has an abundance of fatty acids during winters to keep his skin and coat conditioned.
• Dawgies should receive all essential Vitamins and Minerals as per their Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) to ensure a fully functional and healthy immune system which helps them fight off any infections that they’re subjected to during the season.
• Dogs suffering from joint diseases should be given special care during the winter season. Their food should be supplemented with natural anti-inflammatory substances to reduce the swelling and pain out of swelling in their joints.

DawgieBowl offers 100% natural, custom diets that are rich in Vitamins, Minerals and essential fatty acids for a healthy and happy winter dog. Our unique herbal formula gives our food antiparasitic, antimicrobial, anthelminthic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anticarcinogenic, antianemic, and antianxiety properties.

Confused about your dawgie’s winter diet? Talk to us today! 9452 666 222 or reach@dawgiebowl.com

Cover Photo Credits: NBC News

Is your dawgie shedding excessively?

Do you often see your dawgie scratching or licking his coat?

Does your dawgie get dandruff, rashes, cuts, and abrasions on his skin?

Has your dawgie been infested with ticks, fleas or other parasites?

If you’re a pet parent, you have experienced at least one of these at some point. Itching, scratching, or licking are the most common indications of a skin disorder and has possibly troubled every dog once or more times in his or her lifetime. On an estimate, 3 out of 5 cases arriving at a vet clinic are related to a skin disorder, including but not limited to sores, redness, dandruff, parasites, rashes, lumps, bumps or bald spots. If you’re one of those pet parents whose baby was recently down with one of these, you know the agonizing experience it puts your furry friend through.

The most painful part about skin disorders is that they’re prone to relapse soon after the treatment and often get chronic in nature. This is because most people try to treat the itch instead of treating the cause. Scratching is merely a symptom, not the problem. It would be like repainting a surface without fixing the underlying leakage. So first let’s understand what causes skin problems in your dawgies.

Causes of skin problems

Here are the top 5 causes of skin issues in dogs:

1. Microbial and Parasitic Infectious: Fungal conditions like ringworm and yeast infections or bacterial infections are probably the most common kind of skin problems in dogs. Ticks, fleas, lice, mites and other parasitic organisms can infest your baby’s coat and cause irritation. Tick bites can cause tick fever. Sarcoptes scabiei mite can cause mange in dawgies.

2. Nutritional: A vast majority of skin issues occur because of something your furry baby did or did not eat. Given the right nourishment, a dog’s skin and coat can heal itself of most skin conditions. It’s only a lapse of immunity due to a deficiency or an allergy due to something in his diet that causes the issue to surface.

ALSO SEE: Everything you need to know about Gluten and why your dawgie must stay clear of it

3. Behavioral: Stress, boredom or anxiety can lead some dogs to obsessively lick their skin. Excessive licking may turn their fur to a rust-red color caused by their saliva. This change in color is a key indicator that there is a skin condition. A hormone disorder or fluctuation can often trigger this kind of behavior.

4. Seasonal: Like hoomans, dawgies can be sensitive to changes in weather. Check for flaky, dry skin in winters, allergic reactions in spring and fall, and moist eczema when it’s rainy or wet (or when your dog spends a lot of time in the water).

5. Environmental: Your dog may be sensitive to the cleaning agents you use in your home or even products used for grooming, shampoos, etc.

Analyzing the cause of the skin problem

When you see your dog itching, ask yourself the following 5 questions:

1. When did the itching begin? (Age? Time of year?)
2. Does it occur all the time or just seasonally? If so, which season? (Spring/summer or fall/winter?)
3. Is it linked to a particular environment or event? (i.e. indoors/outdoors only, every time you mop the floor, spray air-fresheners, etc.)
4. Have you tried any treatments so far and if so, were they responsive? (i.e. medicated shampoos, solutions from pet store, medication from your vet, etc.)
5. How bad is it? Mildly irritating or is it driving your dog nuts?

Why is it important to find out the exact nature of the skin issue? Because the treatment in each case could be different. It would be pointless to treat an itch or a rash topically if it’s caused by an allergen in his food. The relief would be rather temporary and the issue would resurface within weeks or even days. Once the true cause is isolated, it can be treated adequately.

Most sustainable treatments, however, will comprise of a two-fold approach: locally treating the skin condition, and changing the nutritional composition of the dawgie to include or exclude certain food items. When choosing products for local application, I suggest picking products that are herbal and mild in nature. We don’t want to irritate our poor baby’s skin any more than it already is. And we certainly don’t want to take a risk of side-effects and reactions. The best bet is to choose home remedies. There are tonnes of useful things lying in our households that can treat our furry’s itching. For example, did you know that neem, coconut oil and turmeric can cure most skin issues?

When making dietary corrections, make sure natural is the buzzword you follow. Steer clear of misleading synthetic supplements and the so-called anallergenic or hypoallergenic diets available in the market and feed fresh and real food to your dawgies. What needs to go in the diet is dependent on the type of skin issue that your baby has developed. Ask your vet or post it in the comments below. If you’re looking for a more personalized advice, please contact us at the number or email given at the footer of this page.

How to avoid skin problems?

Here are 2 simple ways to prevent your dog from most skin issues:

1. Regular Grooming: You don’t have to pamper your baby to expensive spas every week, but maintaining basic hygiene is an absolute must – especially for dawgies with a longer coat. Bathe your dog regularly, but make sure he’s nice and dry all the time, especially if he loves playing in water. Brush his coat regularly to remove the lose hair and undercoat. Run fingers through his coat often and stay vigilant for any signs of dandruff, lumps, rashes, parasites, etc.

2. Proper Nutrition: 9 out of 10 skin conditions can be treated just by feeding your dog right. Ensure a healthy mix of macro as well as micronutrients (Vitamins & Minerals) in your dog’s diet. Fat is an important component of your baby’s diet. Dawgies with dry skin or a dull coat often improve with diets or supplements containing optimized levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The amount of fat intake is decided by the breed (type/quality of coat) and the age of the dog. ALSO SEE: How to Calculate your Dawgie’s Age?

Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in reducing inflammation. Omega-6 fatty acids play a key role in maintaining the integrity of your dog’s skin as a barrier, reducing water loss and bolstering the strength of the skin cells. Linoleic is an essential omega-6 fatty acid which dawgies must obtain from food sources as they cannot synthesize it on their own.

DawgieBowl offers 100% natural, custom diets that are rich in Vitamins, Minerals and essential fatty acids for a healthy and shiny coat, and an itch-free skin. Our unique herbal formula gives our food antiparasitic, antimicrobial, anthelminthic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anticarcinogenic, antianemic, and antianxiety properties.

Is your dawgie troubled with itchy skin? We can help.

Photo Credits: barkpost.com