Summer hits pets, 20 per cent rise in number of sick animals

Stating that veterinary hospitals have been seeing a 20 to 25 per cent increase in the number of birds and animals being hospitalised or taken to the hospital for treatment this summer as compared to other seasons, a doctor from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animals Sciences University (TANUVAS) said, “Cases of dehydration are on the rise – not only among street animals but also among home pets at home too.” 

Urging all pet parents to pay heed to the needs of their pets, he said, “It is important to ensure that the animals and birds are hydrated at all times. Last week, we attended to a cat which was so terribly dehydrated that it was unable to eat any food. We had to administer IV drops before sending it back home.” 

Jayaram M, who runs a private clinic in Pallavanthangal, said, “I usually see less than 20 animals a week. However, this summer, I have been seeing close to 15 a day – most of which are dehydrated or suffering from heat-related allergies. Every year, the cases come in only by May. However, due to the early onset of summer, we have been seeing a rise in cases since early April.” 

Besides, organisations like Blue Cross of India (BCI) also said that the number of accident cases has also been on the rise. “We have been seeing a drastic increase in the number of accident cases as well, especially among street animals. Due to weakness and lack of water, they tend to collapse on roads or find it difficult to run across roads when in front of a vehicle. Eventually, they are either brought to us, or we rush to their rescue on roads,” said Dawn Williams, residential general manager, BCI.