Beware, your beloved pets may also get sick in this polluted air

Gurugram: The adverse impact of polluted air is not only being felt by the citizens of Gurugram but also their beloved pets. According to the veterinarians on average, there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of people bringing their pets like dogs, cats, and even birds to hospitals. Moreover, the change in the season has also not gelled well with the dogs with diseases like "coryza" on the rise.

Other forms of complaints that are being received by the doctors include pets having watery eyes, constant wheezing and even rashes.

In order to save their dogs from getting sick, most of the residents in the city have now begun using dog pollution masks to protect their pets during the morning, evening or the afternoon walk.

"The months of October to January are nothing sort of a nightmare for us as our pet dogs often get sick in these conditions. Even though he wheezes a lot even during the summer months, in winters the rate increases. Its eyes also get watery and there are bouts of irritation and anxiety faced by him. It has been advised to us by the doctors that rather than making our dog go for morning or evening walk, we should rather take him in the afternoon," said Rashmi Narang, who has a pet dog of Golden Retriever breed.

While the symptoms of pollution are beginning to affect the pets in the city, the worst affected are the birds who have to be in this atmosphere all-day long. Doctors in the city highlight how inhaling this poisonous air is also resulting in most of the birds losing their lives.

Doctors highlight that in winter months when the visibility is low the birds have to put in more effort to fly. This instead results in them consuming more oxygen and thereby the intake of polluted air seems to affect them the most.

"This is a busy time for us as most of the bird lovers come to us for the treatment of birds. In many cases, the sickness is caused to the toxic air that is being inhaled by them," said Dr. Rajkumar a doctor from JacobPura bird hospital.

Ever since Diwali, the air quality levels in Gurugram has continued to at extremely poor levels. From November 1 the air quality index in Gurugram has breached the 400 level mark and has been in the severe category ever since.