I've been a vet for eight years. I've held puppies through their first vaccine, talked families through the grief of losing an old dog, and yes — I've seen the same avoidable mistakes repeat themselves every single week in my clinic in Dehradun.
This isn't a lecture. I'm also a pet parent myself, and I get it. Between work, family, and life, it's hard to stay on top of everything your furry family member needs. But some of what I'm about to share could genuinely save your pet's life — or at least save you a very expensive vet bill.
So grab your chai, sit with your dog or cat or rabbit on your lap, and let's talk.
1. Your pet needs a vet visit even when they're "fine"
This is the one I repeat the most. In India, most pet parents only bring their animals in when something is visibly wrong. By that point, we're often already dealing with a problem that could have been caught months earlier.
Dogs and cats are wired to hide pain and illness — it's an evolutionary survival instinct. By the time your pet is limping, refusing food, or visibly uncomfortable, whatever is happening has usually been going on for a while.
What to do: Schedule a wellness checkup at least once a year for pets under 7, and twice a year for senior pets. Think of it like your own annual health checkup — not optional, just routine. For older animals especially, our senior dog care guide explains why the early signs matter so much.
2. Vaccines are not a one-time thing
I still see pet parents who vaccinated their dog as a puppy and assumed that was it. Vaccines wear off. Boosters exist for a reason. Here's a quick reference for dogs in India:
• 6–8 weeks: Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis (DHPPiL combo)
• 10–12 weeks: Second DHPPiL dose
• 14–16 weeks: Third dose + Rabies
• Annual: Boosters for all of the above
For cats, the core vaccines cover Feline Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis, and Calicivirus — again, with annual boosters.
Pro tip: Keep a written or digital record of every vaccine your pet receives. Our full puppy vaccination schedule guide walks through the timing in detail, and PawVerse has a built-in digital Health Suite — vaccines, vet visits, weight logs, medications, all in one place and shareable with your vet.
3. Grooming is health, not vanity
Every week, someone comes to me with a dog whose matted fur has caused a skin infection underneath. Or a cat with overgrown nails curling back into their paw pads. These are painful, preventable conditions.
Regular grooming isn't about making your pet look pretty for Instagram. It's about:
• Checking for ticks, fleas, or skin issues early
• Preventing painful matting and nail overgrowth
• Monitoring lumps, bumps, or changes in your pet's body
• Keeping ears clean and eyes clear
In Dehradun specifically, the humidity in monsoon season makes skin and coat problems much worse. If you have a long-haired breed — a Golden Retriever, a Persian cat, a Shih Tzu — please don't skip grooming between July and September. Our monsoon pet care guide covers this season in full. And on PawVerse you can find verified groomers in your city, read real reviews from other pet parents, and book directly from the app.
4. What you feed your pet matters more than you think
The Indian pet food market has exploded in the last five years, which is mostly great — but it also means a lot of products with questionable ingredients are out there. I've seen dogs develop skin issues, digestive problems, and even kidney trouble from food that looked fine on the packet.
General rules I tell every patient's family:
• Avoid food with artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin)
• Protein should be the first ingredient — look for "chicken," "fish," or "lamb," not "meat meal" or "animal digest"
• Table scraps are a bigger problem than people think — onion, garlic, grapes, raisins, and chocolate are toxic to dogs and cats
• Hydration matters — many cats on dry food alone are chronically under-hydrated, which causes kidney issues over time
5. Your pet needs a social life too
This one surprises people, but it's real. Dogs especially are deeply social animals. A dog that's isolated — even in a comfortable home — can develop anxiety, aggression, destructive behaviour, and depression.
This doesn't mean your dog needs to attend a dinner party. It means:
• Regular walks where they can sniff, explore, and encounter other animals
• Playdates with other dogs (especially important for puppies during their socialisation window of 3–14 weeks)
• Engagement and stimulation at home — puzzle feeders, training games, toys that make them think
In Dehradun, we're lucky to have beautiful outdoor spaces — Rajpur Road, the forest trails, the riverside areas. Use them. Your dog will be a different (better) animal for it. If you're looking for places to take them, our guide to pet-friendly cafés in Dehradun is a good start, and PawVerse has city-specific communities where playdates and local meetups are already happening.
6. Adoption is underrated — and our shelters need your support
India has a serious stray and abandoned pet crisis. Shelters in Uttarakhand, including here in Dehradun, are consistently at or beyond capacity. Every dog or cat adopted from a shelter frees space for another animal in distress.
Adopted pets are not second-best. In my experience, they are often the most loyal, most grateful, and most loving animals. They just need a chance. If you're considering getting a pet, please explore adoption first — our Dehradun pet adoption guide lists local shelters and walks through the process. PawVerse also has a dedicated Adopt & Rescue Board where rescue organisations and foster families list animals looking for homes.
7. Never lose a health record again
One of the biggest frustrations in my clinic — and I hear this from vets across India — is when a pet comes in and the owner has no idea what vaccines they've had, what medications they're on, or what their last blood work showed.
Health records get lost. Vaccination cards fade. Clinic files don't always transfer when you move cities. This is exactly why PawVerse built a digital health passport for every pet on the platform: every vet visit, every vaccine, every medication, every weight check — stored, organised, and accessible whenever you need it. You can even share it directly with a new vet.
The bottom line
Being a good pet parent doesn't require being perfect. It requires being informed and consistent. Regular vet visits, up-to-date vaccines, proper nutrition, grooming, socialisation, and good records — these aren't complicated things. They're just easy to forget when life gets busy.
That's what PawVerse is being built for — to be the one place where India's pet families can manage, celebrate, and connect around their pets, without having to juggle five different apps. We're still growing. We're bootstrapped, we're Dehradun-based, and we care deeply about every animal on the platform.
If you're a pet parent, join us. If you're a vet, groomer, trainer, or pet business, we'd love to have you too.
Dr. Atul Uniyal completed his BVSc from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, and runs a small animal veterinary practice in Dehradun. He writes to help India's pet parents care for their animals with a little more confidence and a lot less guesswork.