1.   What is Nag Panchami?

Ø  Nag Panchami  is a festival during which devotees worship live snakes (cobras) or images of them.

Ø  Snake charmers and collectors display the reptiles in public and offer them to people for worshipping for a fee on the day of Nag Panchami that will be observed on August 11 this year.



2.   Do Snakes Drink Milk on Nag Panchami ?

Ø  Snakes are reptiles, not mammals to drink milk.  Milk cannot be digested by reptiles and they eventually die!

Ø  The Reason why snakes drink milk on nag Panchami is because they are dehydrated and stressed 30-45 days before nag Panchami by the Snake Charmers.

 

3.    What happens to Snakes on Nag Panchami ?


Ø  The commonly displayed snakes by snake charmers on Nag Panchami are common Indian cobra and Indian rat snake. 

Ø  These snakes are caught from wild in perfectly healthy condition 30-45 days before Nag Panchami. They are then put through a lot of cruelty. They are defanged unsurgically using cutting pliers and at times their mouth is stitched so that they cannot give the bite.

Ø  Later they are closed in the round wooden basket for more than a month without any feed or water which makes them weak, dehydrated and they are left with cramped muscles which kills their speedy movement . ( Because of cramped muscles a cobra takes 20 min to 25 min to move one feet distance! )


4.   Cobras are protected under wildlife act 1972  :

 
Ø  Killing a snake like cobra or rat snake is a non-bailable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act (WLP- section 09- Prohibition of Hunting) and considering the fact  that the cobra is  protected under the Schedule II, Part II of the act.

Ø  The punishments may vary from a three year imprisonment to a fine, or both as per the placement of the species under the schedules.



5.   What happens if the snake charmers escape with the snakes on the day of Nag Panchami :

Ø  Snakes after Nag Panchami are killed for their skin. The skin of the snake can fetch the snake charmer with anything between Rs 3000 – 5000.


                                                              HOW CAN YOU HELP?

 

IF YOU SEE A SNAKE CHARMER IN YOUR LOCALITY PLEASE CALL  ON 
                                                                  
                                                         99 120 341 35.

                  

INDUCING VOMITING IN YOUR PETS :


At one time or another I have treated dogs that have swallowed (eaten) women's tights, packets of birth control or hair bands, balloons, a ten inch rubber Donald Duck (whole), tennis balls, socks, bars of soap, bars of chocolate, undergarments and fruit stones..! Most of these items are simply foreign bodies that do not belong to the dog's digestive system  but others, such as lead, medicines, and surprisingly dark chocolate are poisons.

If your dog has swallowed any toxic substance, your first objective is to save his/ her life! If the poison has been swallowed within past two hours, it is usually best to induce vomiting cause in most of such situations your busy Vet may not be available on spot! In practice i usually educate my clients to use 3% hydrogen peroxide or a crystal of washing soda (easily available at the chemist).
 
Step 1 : If a dog has swallowed a non-caustic, non-corrosive substance such as rat poison, dark chocolate, poisonous lizards  toads or non-sharp soft toys/ rubber toys, give a washing soda crystal. (You can use 3 % hydrogen peroxide). To administer it, lift the upper jaw with one hand (usually your left hand), squeezing the lips on the teeth. And with the other (right in this case), drop the crystal/ flush slowly (Hydrogen peroxide in a 5 cc syringe) in the throat.


Step 2 : Hold the mouth shut for about 15 seconds, and stroke the neck. The dog swallows it when it tries to lick its lips and will vomit within 10-20 minutes.


Step 3 : Mix Activated Charcoal (Cap Carbon) with a little water to make a slurry (paste) and give to your pet 1-2 teaspoons, which will help to absorb any remaining poison.

3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

This substance induces vomiting by fizzing in the stomach. If  you buy a solution that is more concentrated, dilute it down to 3 %.

MY ADVICE: 

• If your dog is not alert, DO NOT try to induce vomiting.
• Do not induce vomiting if the dog shows signs of neurological problems, such as disorientation or loss of balance. If a dog in this condition vomits, some of the vomit may enter the animal's windpipe, causing aspiration pneumonia (inflammation of the tiny air sacs inside the lungs).
• Do not attempts to induce vomiting by using salt because you  could  inadvertently cause salt poisoning.