Delhi’s Scorching Start to Summer Beats Down on the City’s Animals

New Delhi: As temperatures in the capital continue to creep up, veterinarians across Delhi noted a rise in the number of cases of dehydration, heatstroke, and respiratory issues among animals. 

Delhi’s weather has remained hot and dry throughout April, with very little in the way of rainfall to cool things down. As the temperatures soar, vets advise pet parents to keep their pets in cool rooms so they can cool down and find some respite form the heat. 

Such temperatures are especially dangerous for animals. Given that most animals cannot sweat enough to regulate their body temperature, heatstroke is a serious condition and staying cool is paramount. 

Symptoms of heatstroke include excessive panting, drooling, weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea. Pet cats and dogs, stray animals, and even birds are struggling to cope with the extreme heat

Dr Anuradha Sharma, veterinarian at a city-based clinic, said, "Just like humans, animals are extremely vulnerable to heat stress. Dogs, cats, cows and even birds like pigeons and crows are coming in with symptoms of severe dehydration and heat exhaustion." 

Explaining the impact of extreme temperatures, Sharma said, "Animals, especially dogs and cats, regulate their body temperature differently from humans. They do not sweat like we do. Dogs mainly cool themselves by panting. When the air is too hot and humid, panting becomes less effective leading to their bodies overheating very quickly." 

Birds are not safe from the relentless heat either. "In birds, we often see cases of heat stress when they become disoriented and collapse from trees or suffer fatal dehydration," another veterinarian Dr Raghav Joshi told PTI.