New Delhi (India), Oct 25 : While Diwali holds synonymity with crackers which bring cheer to some, the noise a big no for your furry friends!
Yes, your pets, especially dogs, fear loud sounds and wish to keep away from it. So, while you groom yourself for the festival of lights, it is equally necessary to make sure that the four-legged member of your family is at ease.
The task might seem strenuous but small steps and cautions can save your pets from the stress.
One should put a name tag with their contact information on the pet's collar even before the fireworks start, suggests Dr Kunal Dev Sharma, Max Vets Animal Health Care.
"Get them used to calming music playing softly in the background. You can slowly build up the volume. Introduce them to indoor games and boredom busters like Kong toys and puzzle cubes," said Dr. Sharma.
Just as humans find their safe place at home, try and create the same for your dogs by keeping them "in their favourite blanket, around toys to ensure a feeling of safety," the vet explained.
Sharma also adviced to walk pets in the late afternoon before the fireworks start.
Distraction can work as the best way to protect the canines from the noise. "They can be kept in a room with loud music or TV and given their favourite treats," suggested Dr. Gautam Anand, Senior Consultant at Dr Anands Pets Clinic.
Ensure that they don't venture out on their own as they might catch a spark from a rocket or cracker, Dr. Anand said.
While it might look easy to lock them in a room and occupy them in other things, pets are still likely to feel restless by the sounds.
They can be treated with some "calming non-allopathic drugs available in markets," the vet opined.
"For emergencies, keep a first aid kit including an antiseptic lotion and anti-burn ointment ready," he added.
Dr Satish Madham of North Delhi Pet Clinic suggested yet another way to keep the four-legged members off any cracker din!
"You surely can raise the volume of the TV sets in the room where you are planning to keep dogs on the eve of Diwali, also try shaking a box of full of coins to produce sounds out of it," he proposed.
The five-day-long Diwali festivities began today with the first day being observed as Dhanteras.
The day which is considered auspicious to buy gold, and other precious metals falls on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha (dark forthnight) in the Vikram Sambat Hindu calendar month of Aaswayuja in the Amaavasyanta Luni-Solar calendar.