Keeping Your Pet Calm At The Vet

As summer approaches, you are probably looking forward to spending a lot of time outdoors with your dog. There are a number of health concerns that come with summertime and the outdoors, and you should know a few things that could negatively impact your dog during summertime.

Heatstroke

As the temperature rises, so does the temperature of your dog. Heat stroke will occur when a dog's natural cooling system cannot maintain a reasonable temperature. One of the first things to look for is excessive panting of your dog. Always remember to allow for plenty of airflow when you travel with your dog and make certain that when they are outside they have a shaded area for protection. Provide them with plenty of water too.

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is transmitted through ticks. It is a bacterial infection that can occur when a deer tick has been attached to the dog. Symptoms include joint pain and stiffness as well as a lack of appetite and difficulty in breathing. If left untreated, it may lead to problems with the heart, kidneys and nervous system. Lyme disease is treatable through antibiotics and improvement should be noticed within a few weeks after treatment has started.

Heartworm

Mosquito's are the carriers of heartworms. Since it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to give your dog heartworms, prevention is the best avenue to avoid them all together. Have your dog tested annually and give them a heartworm treatment monthly. A dog with heartworms may not show signs at first, but within several months the heartworms will have done a tremendous amount of damage and the treatment can be long and painstaking.

Ehrlichia Ehrlichiosis

This is an infection that is passed on to your dog by the bite of the Lone Star tick or the Brown Dog tick. It is mostly found in warmer climates along the Gulf Coast and Southwest California. Symptoms of Ehrlichiosis include, lack of appetite, weakness and lethargy. Your dog may have difficulty breathing and their lymph nodes may seem to be enlarged. If left untreated, the infection will begin to infect internal organs and may cause abnormal bleeding. Although the infection can be successfully treated, prevention through tick control medication is the best way to avoid the problem before it materializes.

Burned Pads

Sidewalks and asphalt can reach extremely high temperatures in the summer months. To avoid burning your dog's footpads, be sure to walk your dog early in the day or later in the evening when the cement has cooled. Get your dog a pair of booties if you must walk during the warmer part of the day. A good way to know if the street is too hot is by touching it yourself. If the asphalt or cement is too hot for your touch, then it is too hot for your dog's footpads as well.

If you think your dog is suffering from one of the above problems, don't hesitate to get him to the vet's office right away. Stay safe and have fun! To learn more, speak with someone like Northside Emergency Pet Clinic.