Vets see more pets brought in for breathing problems
Vets see more pets brought in for breathing problems
With the haze set to remain until November, it's not just people who are affected for another month.
More pets are also suffering from haze-induced ailments and pet owners like Mr Steven Chew, 32, are worried.
Mr Chew, an IT entrepreneur, took his dog Tofu to the vet last Friday after noticing that it was more inactive and had red and teary eyes.
Tofu was also coughing and sneezing more than usual.
Said Mr Chew: "For dogs, they can't complain (about the haze), but as her owner, of course, I can tell when something is wrong.
"Her condition wasn't serious, but it's better to be safe than sorry."
Mr Chew is one of many pet owners who have taken their pets to the vet for haze-induced conditions like eye irritation and breathing difficulties.
Six vet clinics that TNP spoke to confirmed that there has been a rise in cases believed to be related to the haze.
Dr Rachel Tong, 29, of Spring Veterinary Care, said that some days, she sees up to five new animals with conditions that could be caused by the polluted air.
Said Dr Tong: "It's usually eye and respiratory related, teary or swollen eyes, sneezing, coughing and difficulties breathing. It's always like that during the haze period every year.
"It's especially bad for animals with a history of respiratory or heart problems."
Owners should pay extra attention to "pocket pets" such as rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters and even terrapins as they can be more severely affected by the haze, said Dr Tong.
Dr Jason Teo, 39, vet and owner of Point Veterinary Surgery, which treats mostly puppies, said: "Medium to small-sized animals are more badly affected because they are smaller and more fragile.
"It's also the younger ones, like puppies, that are also more prone to the haze."
He said that he has seen an increase of five to six cases a week with breathing problems which he believes is due to the haze.
Dr Teo, a vet for 14 years, said: "The cases range from minor to severe. Most of them are not life-or-death situations and most puppies are able to get over it."
Vets advise pet owners to keep their pets indoors with good ventilation, to replace food and water bowls more often so that haze particles do not settle and to minimise outdoor activities.
Dr Wang Ping-Yin, 34, of P.A.W. (People Animal Wellness) Veterinary Centre, said that while not all breathing and eye conditions are because of the haze, owners should take extra precautions during this period because "you never know when it might be something serious".
"Treat your pets just like how you would treat the elderly or young kids.
"It's not like we can put a mask on our pets, so it's good to take relevant precautions."
Medium to small-sized animals are more badly affected because they are smaller and more fragile. It's also the younger ones, like puppies, that are also more prone to the haze.
- Dr Jason Teo, 39, vet
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now