• Warn against alcohol and drug use 
• Pets shouldn’t be left inside vehicles

Extreme heat can lead to depression, stress, mental distress, and restlessness, psychiatrist Dr. Vindya Wijayabandara said. She made these remarks while addressing a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau on Wednesday (1), focusing on the impact of extreme heat on mental health. Dr. Wijayabandara explained that dehydration caused by excessive heat can alter chemical conditions in the body, potentially leading to a decline in the mental well-being of a person. Commenting further, she stated: “Excessive heat can lead to depression, stress, disturbed mental states, and restlessness. Stress, anxiety, and depression are interrelated, and high temperatures can intensify these conditions. Excessive heat can cause dehydration. The changes in chemical levels that occur can cause a person’s mentality to drop. The effects of chemicals and hormones in the brain can all affect mentality. When the heat increases, sleep is disrupted. This can also lead to depression. A person can become stressed with high heat. Certain groups are at higher risk, including individuals with chronic illnesses, young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Alcohol and drug use directly affect. Drinking alcohol is not suitable in such conditions, as it can contribute to mental instability in a high heat condition. So, drinking alcohol can cause mental instability and stress can occur. Especially, extreme heat can lead to conditions such as absent-mindedness and a lapse of memory. Do relaxing exercises to keep your mind healthy. Meditate, listen to music, and do activities that connect with the environment. Do what you can to keep your mental state good. Extreme heat disrupts sleep at night, which can further increase mental stress.” 

Meanwhile, veterinarian Dr. Shobhath Wijeratne has warned the prevailing extreme heat conditions can lead to fatal consequences for pets. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he stated that high temperatures can be particularly fatal for dogs and cats with dark coloured fur. Dr. Wijeratne explained that extreme heat causes a rapid rise in animals’ body temperature, which they are unable to control, increasing the risk of fatal reactions. He further stressed that pets should never be left inside parked vehicles under any circumstances. “The current extreme heat affects different animals in different ways. The impact on domestic pets such as cats and dogs differs from that on farm animals, and pet birds are affected differently as well. When it comes to cats, they should not be taken outside, especially between 12 noon and 3 p.m. Leaving animals inside vehicles while going shopping is extremely dangerous. Black dogs, in particular, should not be exposed to such conditions. Even a one-hour journey between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. can cause their body temperature to rise uncontrollably, leading to serious illness or death. One thing that you’ll see is that they are sticking out the tongue as much as possible and panting. Cats may show similar symptoms. In such cases, give it some ice, soak it in water, and seek immediate veterinary attention, as delays can be fatal. The cage where the pet lives can also become extremely hot. Covering the roof of cages can help reduce heat exposure. Especially Rottweilers or animals weighing over 40 kilograms, should not be kept under direct sunlight. Animals should not be muzzled during the day, and always keep water where the dog is. It is very important to keep an ice cube,” Dr. Wijeratne added.

Also, contrary to the popular myth that canines and feline populations could contract the rabies virus due to the high temperature being experienced in the country, there is no correlation between temperature and rabies, the Chief Veterinary Surgeon of the Colombo Municipal Council, Dr. M. Ijaz reassured. Responding to questions when contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (2), Dr. Ijaz explained that animals could contract viral infections including rabies only if they are stressed out. However, the immune system of the Colombo City’s canine and feline populations is satisfactory, he said. He reassured that the dogs and cats in tropical countries such as Sri Lanka are not considered vulnerable to rabies stemming from hot weather conditions. Mostly animals in Europe and the US - where the weather is more unpredictable - can be susceptible to behavioural changes in warm weather, he noted.  Dr. Ijas said that even though there had been cases of distemper amongst the dog population within the City limits, it too was not related to the high temperature being experienced. Speaking further, he noted that the dogs and cats in the City are more acclimatised and able to seek shelter when needed.