How to read a dry food label
Ingredients, protein and fat figures, feeding charts and dates: what to look at before you choose a bag.
Paws, coats and ticks in the Kerala monsoon
From June to September, damp is the enemy. Drying, paw checks and tick searches that keep monsoon walks easy.
Kerala’s monsoon is hard on dogs and cats in ways that summer is not. Coats stay damp for hours, paws are wet for most of the day, and ticks and fleas thrive. Here is the routine our own pets follow from June to September. It is everyday care, not treatment; if anything looks wrong, see your vet.
Dry your dog properly after every walk. A quick rub with one towel is not enough for a thick-coated dog. Use two towels, one for the body and one for legs and belly, and finish with a hair dryer on the cool setting for breeds like retrievers and spitz. Damp fur against the skin for hours is when rashes and smells start.
Check paws every evening. Spread the toes and look for redness, cuts or a sour smell between the pads. Wipe them with a clean, damp cloth and dry them well. Keep nails trimmed so the paw sits flat and dries faster.
Search for ticks twice a week, running your fingers slowly against the coat, especially behind the ears, under the collar, between the toes and around the tail. Remove ticks with a tick hook, twisting gently, never by squeezing. Ask your vet which tick and flea prevention suits your pet, and keep doses on time through the rains. Wash bedding weekly and dry it in whatever sun you get, or with an iron on a damp day.
