Monsoon and summer safety for street dogs

Summer: the four killers

Heatstroke, dehydration, hot pavement and no shade. A dog left in a car in an Indian summer can die in minutes. On the street, the fatal combination is heat plus no water plus a dog that cannot move to shade.

Keep a heavy shallow bowl of water in shade and change it daily. In a heatwave, add a second bowl on another corner of the street.

Recognising heatstroke

Heavy, noisy panting, thick drooling, bright red gums, wobbling, vomiting, and collapse. This is an emergency: move the dog to shade, pour cool (not iced) water over the belly, armpits and paws, keep air moving, and get to a vet.

Do not use ice or cold water immersion. Do not make the dog drink large amounts at once.

Monsoon: water, skin and traffic

The rains bring flooded drains, wet bedding, and a spike in skin infections, mange and tick disease. Dogs that sleep on wet ground develop hot spots and fungal infection within days.

Raised beds help. So does drying a wet dog properly and checking ears, which stay damp and infected quietly.

Monsoon hazards beyond the obvious

Open drains and manholes are the leading cause of drowning for street animals in Indian cities. Puppies fall in and cannot climb out.

Wet electrical fittings, fallen wires, and snakes displaced by flooding are the other seasonal risks. If a dog is standing in water near a wire, keep everyone away and call the fire service or municipal helpline.

Winter, briefly

North India's cold nights kill small and old dogs. A cardboard box with a blanket, raised off the ground, in a sheltered corner, is enough for most. Do not use kerosene or open fires near where dogs sleep.