In February 2009, when Louis’s condition started deteriorating rapidly, the family decided to put him on haemodialysis. The facility is available only in Chennai. “We could not make him shuttle between Chennai and Delhi for every session. We had to buy a dialysis machine for him,” adds Shreya.

With help from leading nephrologists in the country, the Sawhneys got in touch with suppliers in Germany and purchased the machine, costing over Rs 8 lakh, early this month. According to Dr Kharb, this is the first time haemodialysis has been performed on a dog in North India. The permanent catheter inserted into his jugular vein will eliminate the need to change the catheter every few weeks as is currently done for dogs in India.

“Like human beings, dogs too can lead a normal life for long on dialysis. This (a permanent catheter) allows them to undergo dialysis sessions with maximum ease throughout life,” said Dr Kharb.