As Asia bakes, ‘unprecedented’ number of pet dogs, strays suffer heatstrokes
- Soaring temperatures across India and Southeast Asia are causing nosebleeds, severe skin rashes and lapses into unconsciousness among pets and strays
- Large swathes of South and Southeast Asia are struggling through a heatwave that has broken temperature records
Soaring temperatures across Kolkata have brought life in much of the Indian megacity to a standstill, but veterinarian Partha Das cannot recall a time when he was more busy.
His clinic has been swamped by distressed members of the public carrying in beloved pets suffering nosebleeds, severe skin rashes and lapses into unconsciousness in a relentless heatwave suffocating much of South and Southeast Asia over the past week.
“Many pets are also hospitalised for three or four consecutive days, and they are taking a long time to get back to normal,” the 57-year-old said.
“We are getting several heatstroke cases in a day. It’s unprecedented.”
Kolkata has sweltered through days of punishing heat, peaking at 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit) for the hottest single April day since 1954, according to the city’s weather bureau.