Blazewada's heat saps dogged determination of man's best friend too

(By - Rakshanda Ruhi Khan)

VIJAYAWADA: At a time when the people of Vijayawada are grappling with intense heat this

summer

, the

pet dogs

, especially the foreign breeds, are struggling to survive. Though street dogs and Indian breeds somehow manage to adapt to seasonal changes, the

foreign breeds

struggle to cope up with the heat, veterinary experts observe.

With the temperatures hovering over 44-47 degree Celsius, pet owners are advised to keep an eye on the body temperature of the canines. The normal temperature of dogs is 100-103 degree Fahrenheit (38-40 degree Celsius).

Assistant professor at NTR College of Veterinary Science Dr N V V Hari Krishna said that pet owners' attention is vital especially during summer when breeds, which have not acclimatised to local weather, fall sick. "Pet dogs, especially the imported breeds, should not be exposed to sun for prolonged hours and should, therefore, be given at least three litres of clean drinking water at room temperature rather than chilled water to stay healthy in the fiery summer," he said.

Fancy breeds including Saint Bernard, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Great Dane, Pug, Rottweiler,

Lhasa Apso

and others are often seen being walked around by the owners on the city roads. Even though local dog breeders have bred imported variety including

German Shepherd

, Doberman, Dalmatian, Labrador and others with local ones, veterinary experts said that they do not have the natural coping mechanisms as their Indian counterparts.

Assistant professor Dr Hari Krishna further explained that some of the symptoms of heat stroke include heavy panting, rapid heart-beat, lack of body-mind coordination, fever, vomiting, seizures, difficulty in breathing, glazed eyes, profuse salivation, deep red or purple tongue and in severe cases, unconsciousness. "If unattended, it could prove fatal to the pets," the veterinarian observed.

Estimates show that there are more than 15,000 pet dogs in Vijayawada. "About 20 per cent of them are foreign breeds," said Dr A Sridhar, veterinary health in-charge of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

Dog breeders sound caution while purchasing foreign varieties of canines as they are vulnerable in summer and are susceptible to heat strokes. However, they added that the demand for foreign breeds is increasing in the city. "The demand for imported variety of pets is on the rise in the city. However, it is not difficult to take care of foreign breeds," maintained K Madhusudhana Raju, a local breeder.

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