Bhopal: Summers is affecting not just humans but also their loyal pets.The pet owners have restricted the timings of walks for their pets to early morning or late evening. At noon, they are kept near coolers or ACs. Pet owners have changed the food menu too and they are offering only light food and liquids like Chhach, rice, bread with curd, ice-cream and plenty of water to their pets.
Among other pets dogs lack sweat glands and so are very vulnerable to heat. Foreign breed dogs need extra care, because they come from colder regions of the world. Free Press spoke to some pet lovers in the city to know how they are helping their pets to survive in the scorching heat.
Rahul Bhagchandani, student
We have a nine-year-old dog of dachshund breed and his name is ‘Magic’. The dogs of the breed feel more heat than others. They are very delicate. So, we have to be very careful. We keep him near AC. He is vegetarian and likes to have more liquids than foods in summers. We offer him liquids like chhach, curd with rice, chilled milk and ice-cream. Normally, we give him a bath once a week but in summers, we give him a regular shower in the gap of two or three days. We also administer anti viral vaccine to prevent itching and patches on his body.
Poonam Mathur, homemaker
We have a Pomeranian-‘Snowy’. Pets have fur on their body so they more sensitive to heat than us. So, we always keep him near coolers. We don’t allow him to come out during the day. We have to take special care of his diet in the season. We give him light foods like pedigree, milk with roti and cool water. We also give ice-cream on doctor’s advice.
Prajul Sahu, student
We have a one-year-old pug-‘Koko’, it weighs nine kg. Normally, we give egg and non-vegetarian foods daily which is his favourite. In summer, we reduce the portions and give one fourth egg. We give curd daily to maintain its body temperature. We also give ice-cream daily but not more than one scoop. We keep him near cooler, and don’t take outside at noon. We take him for walk in the early morning and late evening.
Ayush Shrivastava, vice president, Paws & Care, NGO
We have 12 street dogs, two cats and rabbits. We keep them at a farm. Especially in summer, we have made a shelter and provided small coolers for them. In winter, they eat eggs and biryani, but their diet has changed in summer. Now, we give pedigree in breakfast and dinner while roti with milk in lunch. They are served dinner between 8 and 9 pm. We have kept two caretakers for them.
Dr. Brajesh Gupta, veterinarian, Pet Clinic
Pets can’t sweat so they feel more heat. And the chances of heat stroke in pets are more than us. The pets of foreign breeds need extra care, because they are extremely vulnerable to heat. So, we should always keep them near coolers and ACs. Mostly liquid diet like curd-rice, ice cream and cool water is good for them. They should be taken out for toilet in early morning and late evening not at noon.
