Kolkata: A week after Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations, veterinarians are still witnessing a rise in the number of patients – pet dogs and strays – suffering from a trauma unleashed by noise crackers. Despite pet parents taking soundproof measures, the unprecedented intensity of noise crackers left the four-legged cowering in fear in makeshift kennels.Vets said that the trauma would persist among pets for the next three or four days and they are prescribing anti-hypertension tablets to these traumatised patients refusing to move and eat anything or behaving unusually, like hiding under a table or chair all the time and getting annoyed easily. In the past one week, 99% of the cases coming to vets in govt and private facilities are related to panic disorders due to noise crackers.The vets pointed out that dogs can hear at least five times louder than human beings. “If we cannot feel comfortable with the level of noise created by the crackers, just imagine what pets and strays are going through. Medical science says that a dog can hear a sound four times the distance that a human being can. The sound that we feel deafening is dealing a heavier blow to pets across the city,” said a vet and assistant professor of a govt-run facility at Belgachhia. He added that if Chhath celebrations became noise-free, that would contribute to faster recovery of the pets from the trauma that they have been undergoing now.The panic disorder puts the pets at risk of cardiac failure and eardrum rupture, according to Sourav Banerjee, a vet attached to a private facility in the city. He said, “The panic disorder causes neuro-chemical secretion that makes pet hyper and shoots up blood pressure. The abrupt change of blood pressure throws up the challenge of cardiomyopathy that can cause cardiac failure any time. Besides, we are getting patients with eardrum infection and eardrum rupture caused by the banned crackers.”In most cases, the noise demon is found to overpower the temporary arrangements made by pet parents who are seeking medical help to get their furry friends in pre-Diwali form, according to Anna Pradhan, a private vet practitioner. “Fear and hypertension triggered by noise crackers are causing health hazards. In some areas, the sound of banned crackers is still being heard and this is aggravating their trauma. Until the noise demon exits from the city completely, the traumatised animals will not limp back to their normal rhythm of life,” said Pradhan.Pet parents have been advised to keep a close watch on their furry babies. Seema Chandran, a pet parent, said, “The deafening crackers seem like immediate threat to them. Two of my four pets are constantly shaking in fear and trying to find hiding places. I have cleared out the lower shelf of my cupboard to give them a safe place but sometimes, the sound of crackers is so loud that the arrangement is coming of no use. I cannot imagine what birds perched on trees are going through.”Another pet parent Sebati Niyogi said, “My pup Coco is already undergoing treatment for kidney problems and a day before Kali Puja, he was brought back home from a hospital. He is weak and the unending sound of the crackers, which went on till 2.30am, worsen his condition. We are giving him medicines the doctor has suggested.”
