Playing Holi “the festival of colours” can be an enriching and fun experience for you and your pet. The splashes of vibrant colours, music, giggles and laughter of people, yummy delicacies are some of the first few things which come to our minds. With our furry friends being a part of our cherished circle, it is no surprise that we want them to be included in our celebration too!
We have carefully curated a list of do’s and don’ts to celebrate a fur baby friendly Holi
Do’s
- Play Holi with flowers or organic vegetable colours – There are recipes for Holi colours which can be made from spinach, turmeric, beetroot etc. You can choose to make organic colours in your own kitchen or use flower petals from pet-safe flowers to shower your pets with love and festive joy!
- Keep your pets dry – Holi involves colours and water which when combined are not recommended for your pets. For instance, we are unaware of the source of water and if our pets are left dripping wet or moist for a prolonged period of time, it can lead to fungal infections or a febrile illness like pneumonia, fever etc. which we would not want for our pets when they should be having fun with us. This is important irrespective of the breed of dog.
- Keep your pet safe indoors – If you are aware of the time your Holi festival is planned with family and friends, you can choose to keep your pets safely at home in a room which is sound proof and away from strangers. Any morning rituals or walks can be planned before or after the festival celebrations which can keep your pet and you comfortable.
- Make them yummy pet friendly delicacies – Though the sweets and savouries we devour in this Holi season are not suitable for our pets, there are several recipes you can make for your baby pooch.
Here are some Holi recipes my pups love
Thandai
Serving size – 2
Ingredients
- Curd – 1 cup
- Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp
- Honey – 2 tbsp
- Mashed banana – ½ cup
- Roasted peanuts (unsalted) – 2 tbsp
Method
- Take all the ingredients in a blender and beat to get a milk shake consistency.
- Pour the liquid in 2 glass bowls.
- Refrigerate the thandai for 4 hours and serve it chilled to your furry friends.
Feeding guidelines/day
Toy and Small breeds – ¼ cup
Medium breeds – ½ cup
Large breeds – 1 cup
Giant breeds – 1 ½ cups
Fruit pops
Serving size – 2
Ingredients
- Papaya diced – ½ cup
- Mango (ripe) – ½ cup
- Coconut milk (thin milk) – ¾ cup
- Mint leaves – 5 leaves
Method
- Take all the ingredients in a blender and pulse to get a smooth consistency.
- Pour the juice into popsicle moulds of your choice.
- Freeze the popsicles for 8 hours or overnight.
- Serve your beloved pet.
Feeding guidelines / day
Toy and Small breeds – ¼ popsicle
Medium breeds – ½ popsicle
Large breeds – 1 popsicle
Giant breeds – 1 ½ popsicle
Dahi vada
Serving size – 2
Ingredients
- White urad dhal – ¼ cup
- Moong dhal – ¼ cup
- Ginger garlic paste – ¼ tsp
- Jeera powder – ¼ tsp
- Curd – 1 cup
- Mint paste – 1 tbsp
Method
- Soak the dhals overnight and grind them in a mixer jar to get a thick batter consistency.
- Add the ginger garlic paste to the batter and mix well
- Heat an appe pan and pour the batter into each of the holes and cook completely on both sides.
- Soak the vadas in hot water and drain the excess water.
- Take the curd in a bowl and add the jeera powder, mint paste and beat till smooth.
- Add in the soaked vadas to the curd and mix till combined.
- Serve as preferred to your pet.
Feeding guidelines / day
Toy and Small breeds – 1 vada
Medium breeds – 2 vadas
Large breeds – 3 vadas
Giant breeds – 4 vadas
Don’ts
- Keep synthetic colours away from pets – Synthetic Holi colours are loaded with chemicals like Zinc, Lead, Copper, Chromium, Mercury, Nickel, Cadmium etc. which can lead to skin itching, rashes and irritation to your pet which can be a hassle for your pet and you. They may also be the cause of asthma, organ failure or cancer in the worst scenario when chemicals get in touch with their sensitive skin or as they lick or smell them. However, certain colours labelled herbal or organic may still be unsuitable for your pet due to species related intolerances.
- Never splash water balloons on pets – Though playing with water balloons are fun to play with, it is harmful for pets since they can hurt your pet and scare them when thrown suddenly and not to mention the loud noise the balloons burst with. Some of your furry babies may have water phobia too which can make the scenario worse and make them get very scared.
- Do not feed your pet festive delicacies – Sweets and savouries made with the intention for human consumption can have certain common ingredients which are toxic for pets such as raisins, xylitol, sugar, nuts, chocolates etc.
Click here to know what are the toxic foods for your pets
- Do not force your pet – Each pooch has a comfort zone and probably a level of social tolerance. Especially in festive times such as this Holi season, where there is increased socialisation can put your pet in a state of stress which will take time for your pet to get accustomed to if he or she is a puppy in particular.
Tips for Holi pet emergencies
- Educate your society or community regarding the ill effects of abusing pets during Holi.
- Get rid of any colours applied on your pets eyes, ears or coat or the community pets with running water or a gentle shampoo.
- Do not use kerosene, turpentine or other cleaning agents to remove colours from pets.
- If your pet has ingested colours of any sort, you may need to seek help from your veterinarian to voluntarily induce vomiting of ingested agents.
- Keep a bowl of fresh water for pets to stay hydrated.
- Look out for unusual signs and symptoms such as.
Holi is a vibrant and beautiful festival which brings near and dear ones together, let us spread the cheer and joy this Holi with our dear pet too! You can use our Holi guide which has the do’s and don’ts of this festival along with some yummy recipes. However, it is important to skim through the recipes and understand if the recipe will suit your pooch or not since you know your pet best and can make mindful decisions regarding the same.
Mayuri,
Clinical Dietitian, Simplyweight
