We all love spending time with our dogs, and in hot weather a perfect plan is to take them to the beach. Nevertheless, environments like these can be very dangerous for your pal if we aren’t aware of the risks involved. To protect them from health problems, you should bear in mind the following factors to look after your dog on a day at the beach:
Sand
Sand is made up of little pieces of rocks and minerals and it’s very easy, when a dog is running or playing, for grains of sand to get into their eyes or ears and lead to a serious infection. Furthermore, our friends can be prone to eat sand, so we have to keep a close watch on them for as long as possible. The most common infections caused by sand in dogs are usually down to a parasite called Ancylostoma, whose larvae can enter the dog’s body through the skin just by skin contact with sand. That’s why it’s advisable to put special collars on them to protect them from this kind of danger.
The sea
When your dog goes into the sea, you should make sure he doesn’t drink any salt water, as it can cause several gut problems – such as diarrhoea, vomiting or dehydration. Sea water can also contain different parasites such as protozoa or arthropods, in addition to those transmitted by sand. Besides, even though dogs are excellent swimmers, strong waves can cause accidents.
The sun
The sun is another hazard you should protect your doggy companion from. With the help of special creams or fresh drinking water, you can prevent your dog from suffering from heatstroke or from sunburn in unprotected areas of the skin. Just like people, dogs can also suffer skin diseases caused by over exposure to the sun – such as sunburn or even skin cancer. To prevent these conditions, the dog should not spend more than 2 hours in the sun at a time, must have shade available and ought to wear pad protectors.