Caring for your dog during Spring requires careful attention and plenty of know how. All dog breeds need their needs cared for at all times. However, Spring time can present some issues and it's important that you’re fully aware of all the hidden dangers and what to do to prevent them.
Of course, you should enjoy the warmer weather, but it’s worth being aware of the risks associated with this time of year.
Read on for our spring safety tips for dog owners.
Safety outdoors
As the weather seems to be getting warmer, most dog owners think it's perfectly acceptable to allow their dog to swim in the local river, sea, or lake (location depending). As it's only Spring, the temperature of the water will be vastly colder than the temperature in the air. The temperature of below the surface level of water will still remain very cold for the next few months, until the weather becomes vastly warmer.
Allowing your dog to suddenly jump in the cold water can cause shock to their system and may cause them to freeze up. This will put your dog’s health at severe risk and puts them at risk of drowning or not being able to get back out of the water.
Another issue dog owners are faced with during springtime; is the bushes and trees begin to grow and this means the sharp sticks and thorns begin to protrude. You must remain vigilant on your walks and watch out for the harmfull thorns and twigs. If your dog was to stand on a sharp twig or thorn, this can damage the skin or the pads of their paws. After every walk it's worthwhile checking their paws for any signs of wounds, embedded thorns or punctures caused from sharp twigs.
Keep up-to-date with flea and tick treatments
As the temperatures start to rise, so does the presence of ticks and fleas. Ticks are a nasty parasite that causes localised infections and skin irritations, as well as spreading Lyme disease in humans. You must check your dog over for ticks regularly and learn how to remove them should they latch onto your dog’s skin. For further information on how to remove ticks from your dog, please read our article on "How To Remove Ticks From Dogs"
As well as protecting your dog against ticks, you should also protect them against fleas.
During the cold winter months fleas die off, but as the weather gets warmer, these pesky critters come back to cause mischief. As part of being a responsible owner, you should have hopefully been treating your dog on a monthly basis for fleas throughout the winter months. If the treatment has lapsed for some reason, it is now time to get going again and prevent the fleas from infesting your dog and or home.
Dangers of Spring cleaning your home
As it’s that time of year, most of us will be preparing our homes for a good spring clean. Normally, this will involve a good clearout and use of household chemicals. You will need to ensure that you protect your pets from coming anywhere near the harmful chemicals and if your pet has allergies, you will also want to ensure that you use cleaning products that are allergen free.
