manish kumar, post news network, Bhubaneswar, June 26: The clouds in the sky during the rainy season may set the Kalidasa in you loose, but before you come up with your version of the Meghadootam, think once. Do you have a pet at home? It may not be as excited as you with the advent of the monsoons. In fact, the season that, at least during its early days, makes your creative juices flow, make a romantic even of a seasoned clerk, may have an absolute negative effect on your pet, with the chances of its contracting the waterborne and other diseases, peculiar to the season, increasing manifold. As the master of your pet you need to be cautious not only in terms of giving your pet more time, but also keeping a watchful eye on its health and appearance.
As the level of humidity in the air escalates and the waterlogged gardens and streets welcome the pets, chances of their getting unwell increases. Experts from the city say, the owners of the pets need to pay real attention to keep any threat to their loved pets at bay.
Beware of the diseases
Many believe that during this season, the chances of the pets getting infected increases on account of high moisture content in the air. “During rainy seasons, several pets become prone to getting bacterial and fungal skin infections, besides chances of dehydration and indigestion and other sorts of problems. Pet owners need to take special care during this season to ensure any health problems of their pets be warded off at the right time,” said Subrat Prusti, secretary of city-based Kennel Club.
Dr Niranjan Sahoo, head, Department of Preventive Medicine, Veterinary College, OUAT said, “Pets are often exposed to waterborne diseases or diseases emanating out of water contamination. Meanwhile, mosquitoes and other insects also increase during this season and create discomfort for the pets. Owners should always clean their pets nicely during the season and could even use anti-fungal shampoos for the purpose.”
Prevention better than cure
Another pet care expert of the city Dr Brijesh Dash said, “There are several preventive ways through which the pet owners could maintain the health of their pets. During rainy season, the oil content of animals sees a decline and the skin becomes more prone to infections. The pet owners need to always keep the body of their pets dry to weed out the chances of any kind of infection. They should also brush their fur regularly.”
Mind the diet too
Dash who runs a crèche for the pets said, “Pet owners also need to pay heed to the diet of their loved ones. As animals do less physical activities during rains, the owners need to minimize the usage of high-protein-rich diet and should turn their focus on more vegetables and fruits to prevent them from getting affected by indigestion problems.”
Many experts, meanwhile, have suggested that whenever possible the pets should be taken out for exercise so that their metabolic activities are in fine fettle. However, rain and mud in this season often play spoilsport. Therefore, special care is needed when pets are taken out for exercise during the season. The owners must, experts say, concentrate more on indoor physical activities of their pets.
