By Ms. Pommy Jain
As a devoted pet parent, I have been involved from the get go in my pet Benny’s journey and how he has evolved over the years. I have learned from some of the difficult experiences that I have witnessed my favorite companion go through and I feel that as a pet parent, it is my responsibility to share the insights I have habored over the years.
Recently, there was a day in which Benny was behaving in an unusual way, completely opposite of how he is on a daily basis. He wasn’t eating, drinking also showed no reactions on the door bell or any such movements in the house. On a standard day, he is a force and is so full of life. He is always spreading mischief and joy wherever he sets his sight to. This was unusual and a matter of concern for me to witness hence I took him to the vet. Post examination and necessary blood tests he was diagnosed with tick fever. Thereafter the doctor quickly put him on a recovery protocol. The vet appreciated my timely action and not waiting for an emergency.
This health issue was well managed in time due to which Benny recovered within a few days.
The place where I want to shed light in this experience is not delaying reaching out to the vet as due to the culture of information being so accessible, we are quick to imbibe some of that in making assessments rather than approaching the right person with set expertise. In this scenario, the first immediate thought that would pop up in anyone’s head before the diagnosis, would be that my dog is experiencing winter blues.
This is where you hone your superpower as a pet parent- intuition. As a pet parent, you will always know it when something does not feel right and in that case, always reach out to the veterinarian after a day’s worth of observation. Do not delay it. Even if you are busy and think you are being paranoid, your pet is just being lethargic, I would still suggest a veterinary visitation as it does not hurt anyone.
Beyond that, I am opposed to the idea of self medication. Dogs have a whole different world that we are not fully privy to and when it comes to making assessments and taking actions accordingly, we have to maintain more caution. This is not to blame pet parents because all of it stems from a place of worry and care for our beloved creatures. However, If I could reiterate one thing to pet parents is that no matter how much knowledge we gain, books we read, or people we talk to, a professional intervention in times of unusual symptoms is mandatory.
I reach out to pet parents for comfort and advice all the time. I will always believe in creating this community where we help each other out to understand how we can all provide safety to our pets and be better pet parents. At the same time, it is important to be discerning and know when to reach out to the right professional. All of this comes from putting their needs first and though, our intentions are the best, we might not have all the answers. Circulation of information in domino effect might not always yield the most positive results. Always trust your intuition and book a timely veterinary consultation when needed. You got this!