Take Care of Dogs during Diwali Festivities-Veterinary Experts
Pashudhan Praharee,Ludhiana 12 November 2020
Diwali is the greatest festival in Indian culture. The modern way of celebrating Diwali includes bursting fire crackers that produce high pitch loud noises. Dr. R.K. Sharma, HoD Veterinary Animal Husbandry and Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana informed that the pet and stray dogs are very sensitive to this continuous noise and become restless, run away and exhibit signs of anxiety or stress. It happens as auditory pain threshold in dogs is approximately 95 decibels which is quite less than humans with 130 decibels. Fireworks usually produce sound of 190 decibels. Some dogs develop a permanent sound phobia or excessive fear of loud noises and may develop epilepsy and other nervous signs. These dogs unreasonably hide from people, urinate, defecate, drool, pant and develop separation anxiety. For rest of life, dogs could be scared of even harmless sounds like door opening or sound of doorbell and may remain in door. Stray dogs may get seriously injured because of accidents. Moreover, the poisonous gases and harmful particulate matter may lead to severe lung oedema in dogs. Dogs accidently may chew the firecrackers, leading to vomiting and diarrhoea. Carelessness while bursting crackers can also cause serious burns, wounds or other type of mutilations in dogs.
Dr. S.S. Randhawa, HoD Veterinary Hospital, GADVASU suggested that to check any harm to your pet and stray dogs, stop using firecrackers/fireworks and enjoy green Diwali, Keep your pets indoors, Keep the radio or television set on to distract dogs from loud noises, Accompany the dog on the festival night to reduce the stress level, Play with your pets to distract them from outside noises, Keep firecrackers out of reach of pets, Ensure that the stray dogs or other pets are quite away from the place where the crackers burst, Give rigorous exercise to dogs during day time so that they fall asleep in the evening before time of bursting crackers, Cover the pets with blankets during sleep, Children should not be allowed to harm any stray animal out of fun, Keep first-aid kit ready with dressing material, antiseptics, analgesic and medicines, Secure the lost pet in a safe place till it is handed over to its genuine owner, One must know the signs of anxiety/ stress that can develop in a dog when he happens to encounter loud noise and Sought immediate veterinary intervention whenever needed.
Make your Diwali memorable and enjoy along with your pets. Emergency veterinary doctor will be available on Diwali day and night in the Teaching Veterinary Hospital of GADVASU he added.
