Dog Safety Tips for Spring Time
Contrary to what the outdoor temperatures have been recently, it really is spring here in Massachusetts and we know that, sooner rather than later, the days will warm up and we will embarking on outdoorsy fun time and seasonal chores. But, as we prepare ourselves for that, we must keep our dog(s) in mind, season changes mean new things around in their environment and we should be aware of them.
As we transition our surroundings, let’s remember these very important tips to keep our four-legged friends safe and happy:
Spring Grooming: keeping our dogs clean and groomed helps them to shed their winter coat, helps prevent skin irritations, and also helps to keep their temperature regulated in the warmer months. Grooming your fur baby goes beyond caring for the fur/coat, it also includes good dental hygiene (February is National Pet Dental Health Month! In case you missed it, spring is a good time to get your dog teeth cleaned!), ear cleaning and nail trimming. Now, don’t fool yourself, all these are great grooming habits for your dog year around, but especially during the spring and summer when our dogs love to spend more time outside.
Ticks and Fleas Attack: These unpleasant parasitic bugs uses the warmer weather to begin proliferate. They can attach themselves to your dog’s skin in order to feed. Ticks can cause infections and irritations, and in a more serious case, spread Lyme disease. Make sure your dog is on year-round heart worm preventive medication as well as a flea and tick program. Ask your veterinarian the best plan to follow specifically for your dog.
Spring Cleaning: This is a tradition time in many families, and really, who doesn’t enjoy the sensation of a clean and fresh-aired house? Let’s clean it up but let’s also make sure to put it away all the cleaners and chemicals! Most of the cleaning products contain chemicals that can be harmful to our dogs. Keeping best safety practice and following label directions for proper usage and storage is the best way to avoid accidents. Another great spring cleaning practice worth mention is checking your windows and doors for holes or weak spots. Not only we don’t want bugs crawling into our home, we don’t want our dogs accidentally getting outside.
Grow Your Garden With Awareness: Nothing says spring more than a beautiful colorful garden! We all love it, but it is wise to keep in mind that fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides contain ingredients that can hurt your dog if ingested. Make sure to keep them on a safe place away from the reach of your dog, when they are not in use and follow label instructions carefully. Many springtime plants, such as azaleas, are highly toxic to dogs and can prove fatal if eaten, check out my blog ‘top 8 most dangerous plants for your dog’ and find out more about azaleas and other plants.
Spring time and summer time means more trips to the park, longer walks and a whole lot more of fun time! Enjoy it! Make memories with your dog! Take pictures, selfies with your dog! And never forget to include a imprinted tag with your cell phone number together with the collar! Happy Spring!!