Fun in the Summer Sun

By Sandra Bolan

After being stuck indoors all winter, it's finally time to head outdoors for some fun in the sun. Who better to accompany you than your four-legged friend who loves this time of year just as much, or even more, than yourself?

Seasonal Prevention

Heartworms, Fleas and Ticks

A lot of vet bills can be avoided with some simple precautions.

Dogs can get heartworm disease when bitten by an infected mosquito. Along with veterinarian prescribed preventative medication, all-natural, deet-free mosquito repellent can also be applied to the dog as an extra precaution, especially when out hiking or camping.

Ticks, another summer pest, can be easily picked up when out hiking. Ticks don't generally bother dogs, so they are quite often only noticed during grooming. However, if a tick has decides to make your dog its home, it attaches itself and sucks blood out of the dog for upwards of a week, "by which time it [the tick] resembles a reddish-brown pea," according to petplanet.co.uk. Don not attempt to remove the tick yourself. Leave it and contact your veterinarian for assistance.

Gardens

Before planting your flower and vegetable gardens, first consider which plants and fertilizers are toxic to dogs.

Potentially toxic plants include Lilies, Daffodils, Holly Berries, Rhododendrons, Yews and numerous species of mushrooms.

Other things to avoid in the garden are slug/snail killing pellets, and cocoa mulch.

Cocoa mulch is made from cocoa bean shells, which contain theobromine - the ingredient in chocolate, which is toxic to dogs.

Common symptoms of poison include vomiting and diarrhea. A dog's central nervous system can also be adversely affected, resulting in convulsion or loss of consciousness.

Pressure Treated Wood

A sure sign of summer is a dog peacefully sleeping on the porch, soaking up the sun. However, if they are lying on unsealed pressure treated wood, dogs are also soaking up some unfriendly chemicals. The very chemicals used to treat pressure treated wood, can be toxic to dogs, which is why it is important to seal the wood. The pressure treating chemicals can leak into the soil, therefore, pets should never be allowed under the deck to sleep or play, according to BellaOnline's Sandy Moyer.

Keep dogs off chemically treated/fertilized lawns for 24 hours. Don’t allow your dog on someone else’s lawn, unless you know whether or not they use lawn chemicals. Keep sheds and garage doors closed. "It's easy for dogs to nose their way into [open garages and sheds] and for their paws to become contaminated with garden chemicals," according to petplanet.co.uk.

Theft

Believe it or not, animal thefts do occur – from our backyards and outside stores, when dogs patiently wait for us to 'run in really quick' for something.

In case your dog is taken or breaks free, ensure he/she is microchipped or wearing a properly tagged collar, which will help bring him/her back home.

Outdoor fun

Be mindful of the pavement heat when out for a walk. Unlike people who wear shoes as a barrier from the heat, dogs walk directly on the pavement with their pads, which can be burned by the pavement.

Use sunscreen on fair-furred dogs' ears and noses, and all over hairless or very fine-haired dogs. The sunscreen must be non-toxic as dogs have a natural inclination to lick off anything applied to their fur/skin.

Hiking

When hiking, keep dogs out of stagnant water - they can contain algae, which can cause rapidly-onset illness.

Provide lots of water. According to torontopetnetwork.com a simple way to calculate a dog's water requirement when active: dogs need to drink 12 ounces of water prior to the hike; require 12 ounces to drink every 30 minutes during the hike; and another 12 ounces following the hike.

If dehydration sets in, it can be detected by the loss of skin elasticity – it remains in place/tents when pulled away from the body. Other symptoms include dry nose and gums and sunken eyes.

Heatstroke

A dog's normal body temperature is between 101.2F and 102.2F. Unlike humans who cool ourselves by shedding layers of clothes and sweating, dogs do not have the same abilities. Their only natural way to cool off is to pant and sweat through their paw pads.

If it is just too hot and the dog cannot properly cool itself, heatstroke can occur. Signs of heatstroke include: bloody diarrhea, restlessness, excessive panting, thick saliva and standing four-square/posting or spreading its stance for balance. Advanced stages of heatstroke include white or blue gums, lethargy, unwillingness to move, uncontrollable urination/defecation and laboured/noisy breathing.

To help stave off heatstroke, while maximizing outdoor enjoyment, provide lots of water, go at a moderate pace and try to avoid activities during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm). Also avoid outdoor activities on humid days. Humidity interferes with a dog's ability to rid itself of its excessive body heat.

While avoiding heat and humidity is important for all dogs, it is especially important for the elderly or very young dogs, which both have difficulties in regulating their body temperatures. Dogs with short noses – Pekingese, Pugs and Bulldogs – also have a naturally difficult time staying cool because of their short nasal passages.

If heatstroke does occur, create a cool breeze on the dog to enable a gradual cooling process. Do not submerge the dog into cold water as this could cause hypothermia from its body temperature dropping too much too fast. You can submerge the dog into tepid water then slowly start to add cooler water.

Grooming

While it is tempting to shave down a longhaired dog for the summer, it could do the dog more harm than good. "A well-groomed, heavy coat, can protect the dog from the sun and act as insulation from the heat," according to Moyer. "And when long or thick hair becomes tangled or matted, mats may trap the heat."

Speaking of water fun, believe it or not, not all dogs like or know how to swim. If a dog does not know how to swim, but appears eager to give it a try. Go slowly. Start in the shallow end by tossing out toys or luring with cookies. If a dog does not have any desire to swim, don’t force this issue.

It may sound silly, but just as we wear a life jacket while on the water, so should our best friend. A dog can get knocked off the boat by a large wake or stormy water, and possibly injured in the process – a life jacket will enable him to remain afloat until he can be rescued. Life jackets are also good protection for dogs who are older, tired, obese or non-swimmers.

Retrieving games can be great fun, but also very tiring. Rough currents and steep banks can become too much for a tired dog and they often don't know when to stop, so it is important for us to make that call.

Summer is a time for outdoor fun. By taking simple precautions, the summer can be a wonderfully stress and injury-free time. If any symptoms of ill health arise, immediately head to the vet to avoid a worsening condition.

Sandra Bolan, a freelance writer and professional photographer, lives in Newmarket with husband Dave, Flintone-the-cat and, of course, Wally and Alvin. She is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and a Maxwell Award nominee from the Dog Writers Association of America.