Help your animal friends beat the heat!

Vets and animal activists say pets are at high risk of contracting heat-induced diseases during the sweltering summer months. Poornima Swaminathan tells you a few simple ways of keeping your beloved animal hydrated and fighting fit

With the mercury soaring, everybody seems to be feeling the heatu00a0-- not just your friends and family members, but also the plant and animal life around you. So, if you have a pet at home, this is the time to pay special attention to its needs. Stay alert and try to gauge if your pet is trying to express some kind of discomfort or fatigue through its physical gestures.

It does not matter if you don't have a pet of your own. You can do your bit for the animal kingdom by providing care and succour to the stray dogs, birds and other animals in an around your neighbourhood. Summer is indeed a difficult time for animals. They have a coat of fur, which makes them retain more of the atmospheric heat. Moreover, they don't have the luxury to sport cool glares, pretty parasols, or light coloured clothes to shield them. They have to walk directly on hot surfaces under the naked glare of the sun. All these factors can make their body temperatures shoot up, putting them at a risk for a host of illnesses.

"All pets should be made to drink lots of water in the summer months," said Dr Deepak Khot, who runs a mobile pet care clinic in the western suburbs. "They should also be given drinks containing vitamin C. This will ensure that they are well hydrated," he added. The same tips apply to stray animals. So while you sip on that cool orange juice to beat the heat, maybe you can thoughtfully place water bowls in street corners for stray dogs and cats, and in balconies for birds. "Another way of helping stray animals is by placing water-soaked jute sacks in the neighbourhood, where the animals can relax," said Nilesh Bhange, founder of Plants and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).

If you spot an animal suffering from heat exhaustion or dehydration, move it to a shaded place ufffd either under a tree or in an air-conditioned area. "One could apply ice packs or cold towels to their head and chest, or even place them in a tub containing water at room temperature," said Dr Amrita Pant, a Powai-based veterinarian. After the animal cools down, offer it small quantities of water, or even small ice cubes to lick. If the animal's condition does not improve, it is best to seek medical advice.

Tell-'tail' signs: According to vets, animals are at a high risk of dehydration or heat-induced exhaustion during summer. These are the signs you should watch out for:u00a0
>> Heavy panting
>> Glazed eyes
>> Rapid pulse
>> Unsteadiness
>> Staggering gait
>> Vomiting
>> Deep red or purple tongue

Cooling off
Adopt the following tips to ensure that your pet doesn't suffer from heat-induced exhaustion:

1 No car rides: Avoid taking your pet for rides in your car during the summer. The car temperature can rise rapidly, affecting your pet.
2 Fur trims: It is best to trim the pet's fur during summer.
3 Cooling gadgetry: Get a cooling mat filled with water or gel. Cooling vests and collars also go a long way in lowering the pet's body temperature.

Do your bit
During summer months, a large number of birds and stray animals die of thirst. You can put up birdbaths in the lawn, roof or balcony of your house. If you don't want to take that much trouble, simply keep a bucket of water outside your building for the stray animals to drink from. Make sure that you use earthenware and not metal vessels to keep water, as the latter may rust, harming the animals.

Project Water Bowl
In Defence of Animals, an NGO that fights for animal rights, has initiated a project called 'The Water Bowl' under which it distributes free cement water bowls to animal lovers, who can ensure that stray animals don't die of thirst. Here's how you can join the project:
u00a0
Email Sarita Raturi at saritaraturi@hotmail.com with your name, address and mobile number. She will revert with information about where you can collect your bowls. There are distribution centres spread across the cityu00a0-- at Kandivli, Dadar and Deonar.