Holi is considered as one of the most revered and celebrated festivals of India. But being the festival of colours and sweets that signify joy it may cause serious health problems and trouble for our pets. Generally it is considered that the use of dry colours is harmless for the dogs but many a times manufacturers mix harmful chemicals in these colours. Most of the colours available in the market are actually a combination of various chemicals, like Zinc, Lead and Mercury Sulphate.These colours shouldn’t be smeared on your pets as chemicals present in the colours may act as accumulative poison and can cause skin and eye allergies, respiratory distress and several toxicities. Many a times, dogs tend to lick their body, and the taste of dry colours makes them prone to throwing up. Puppies, ageing dogs and short hair coat dogs are more predisposed to falling victim to these colours than long hair coat breeds, because sparsly coated regions of the body are commonly affected by these colours.Pet parents should keep their dogs safe from all these problems. They should make all efforts to keep the pet away from children who tend to throw water balloons at them. Throwing water filled balloons on the dogs can also cause eye injuries. In case of balloon hit, wash the eyes of the pet with clean water and observe the dog for any sort of irritation. Pet parents should keep water balloons, other holi paraphernalia out of the reach of dogs as they may end up chewing and swallowing them.Also after Holi, do not use detergent, kerosene, spirit, nail polish remover, alcohol or acetone to try and remove the colours. These are strong irritants and tend to break down the protective skin barrier. Use normal bathing soap and moisturise the skin well. In case of accidental ingestion, signs like: excessive salivation, vomiting, loose motions, behavioural changes like aggression or stupor may be observed in the pets. In that case consult the nearest veterinarian. It is always advisable to avoid taking out your pet along with you to play Holi as your pet is much safer at home.There are two aspects of Holi: Colors and Sweets and both can cause potential harm to your pet. We must take into account that sweets do not go down very well with the canines and may give them loose stomach. Buy him special dog treats if you wish to and pamper him in the right way. If you are taking the dog for walk on the next morning, then it is recommended that you put a muzzle on your dog to avoid accidental licking of colour spread over roads or parks. And last but not the least, please don’t limit yourselves to your pet animals. Be considerate about the strays which live around you too.(Writer is Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana)

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