A Happy Healthy Dog This Summer
Even though your dog is at risk all year long, the summer months seem to be particularly perilous, and often people do not even realize the risks that their dog faces. The following is a lost of the summer dangers for dogs, and some tips to keep them safe.
Risk one: Ear infections. When a dog gets water in their ears, and it does not dry completely, it can cause infections, and reoccurring ear infections. During the summer months many people will go camping, to the lake, the river, etc. with their dogs, and this means their dog often swims, and thus is at risk for water in their ears. To prevent this, ask your vet for an ear solution to keep the ear clean and dry if you are going to spend a lot of time in the water with your dog.
Risk two: Foxtails. The summer heat makes grasses dry, and often they are full of foxtails. Foxtails are particularly dangerous for dogs because the pointed barbs on them cause them to burrow under the skin, and imbed into them. These are very irritating to dogs, and lead to infections, sores, and maladies. Protect your dog from this by keeping them out of fields and places that may have foxtails, and by checking paws, eyes, nose, and especially the ears of your pet daily, that way if there is a foxtail you can get it removed before it causes serious or permanent damage.
Risk three: Too much heat exposure, or in other words hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is common during the hot summer months. Over heated dogs can have symptoms similar to heat stroke in people. Protect your dog by making sure they have a cool shaded area to be in during the hottest parts of the day, taking them inside between 10 and 4, and providing them with plenty of water so that they stay nice and hydrated. In addition, never leave them in a car unattended, even a few moments can be unbearably hot, and lead to problems for the dog.
Risk four: Insects irritating them. Dogs can get bit by spiders, stung by bees, and have their blood sucked by mosquitoes. Protect them by eliminating insect attractions in your yard such as woodpiles (where spiders love to hang out), standing water (where mosquitoes love to hang out), and by knocking down any hives or colonies of wasps or bees you find. If you do find lots of bees in your yard, move your dog inside until they go away. If your dog is stung, and has an allergic reaction, Benadryll can help alleviate their symptoms.
Risk five: Burns. The pads on a dog's feet can protect them from a lot, but that does not mean they won't burn if they walk on a hot side walk or pavement of some kind like a parking lot. Keep this in mind during those hot summer days, and don't try to force your dog to walk across a hot surface.
More Learn About Dogs
« Keeping Your Dog Safe During the Summer | Only Dog Beds | Dog Days of Summer and Your Dog's Health »