South African veterinarian Dr. Amir Anvari has cautioned women from the Indian community who feed their dogs dishes such as biryani, samosas, and chicken with oil about potential health issues related to animal obesity.
Anvari, known on social media as 'Amir the Vet,' stated in his video message: 'I am a veterinarian from South Africa, and this is serious. I don't know which Indian auntie in Durban needs to hear this, but you need to stop feeding your dog curry.'
He noted that dogs with excess weight regularly visit the veterinary clinic, and the owners are typically representatives of Indian culture. When questioned, they often explain this by saying that their mothers continue to feed the dogs curry, biryani, chicken with oil, samosas, spring rolls, and burfi, claiming that the dog gets everything its mother eats.
Despite understanding Indian culture and the significance of food within that culture, he warned that excess weight puts dogs at risk of developing heart and joint problems, and can also cause systemic inflammation.
He added: 'I understand. I am from an Indian family, so I know this culture. Love is food, and food is love. But how much, auntie? Can you sometimes give your dog a little samosa and a little chicken with oil? If that's what you have to do, I understand. But don't give it every day or pour it over the main food. It's too much.'
Anvari emphasized that excessive weight negatively affects dogs' health, impacting the heart and joints, and increasing systemic inflammation. He urged owners: 'It is never good when your dog is so fat, so please, auntie, save the curry and biryani and disappointment for the children.'
In response to Anvari's video, users shared humorous comments, while some claimed their pets were perfectly fine even if they fed the dogs curry with rice. One owner wrote that his 13-year-old dog eats curry, rice, and all the good stuff, and he is fine, even though the owner himself is overweight. Another recounted that his Chow Chow ate everything after a month-long fast, including dal and rice, cauliflower curry, green beans, sugar beans, vegetable biryani, sweet rice, roht, veda, and gulgula, and remains absolutely healthy and magnificent.