Spring Dog Walking and Care Tips

Spring time is officially here and with the change in the season there are some things we need to be mindful of, in order to keep our dogs healthy and well, both at home and out on dog walks. These are my spring dog walking and care tips.

Dog Walking

Adder Bites

The adder is the only native, venomous snake in the UK and can be found in long grassy areas – like Strensall Common. As the weather warms up, adders emerge from hibernation. They will bite if provoked and the venom can cause rapid swelling, pain, lethargy and collapse.

PLEASE SEEK IMMEDIATE VETERINARY ATTENTION IF YOU THINK YOUR DOG HAS BEEN BITTEN.

Ticks

Another delightful species that comes back out to play when the weather picks up, are Ticks. I always check the dogs over after walkies, but ticks can be tricky to spot (or feel YUCK) when they first attach, so at Good Karma HQ my own dog Belle, gets a nightly ‘bedtime examination’. I do this year-round to check for any new lumps or bumps, check between her toes, round her ears etc but I have, on occasion found the odd tick I’ve missed after our walks. If you don’t already, think about adding a ‘bedtime examination’ to your routine at home.

Tick removal tools can be purchased cheaply from most pet shops (I prefer the twister ones to tweezers) – it is a good idea to keep them handy during the warmer months. You can find loads of tick removal tutorial videos on You Tube.

Spring Lambs

The villages around Easingwold and York are great for dog walking but keep your dog on a lead around livestock.

Water

We have some lovely riverside walks locally that are great for a dog walk – I’m lucky enough to call the River Foss in Strensall my office! But at this time of year its not unusual for the water to be running high and fast. Just today I had the dogs on leads, to ensure they didn’t enter the water. Even if you think your dog is a strong swimmer and you feel like the fun police, to me, it is just not worth the risk.

Stagnant water can also pose a risk and make our dogs unwell if ingested, so be mindful of letting them swim in manky ponds in the warmer months too.

At Home

Spring Cleaning

So, this isn’t a massive concern in our home. I’m not exactly what you would call a domestic goddess, but if you are thinking about a massive spring clean, think about the chemicals in the products you’ll use and ensure your home is well ventilated while you clean. Carpet cleaning products, polishes, sprays, they all settle on surfaces much closer to our dog’s nose and paws. Keep them out, open windows and allow fumes to disperse and products to dry properly before letting your dog come into contact.

Lawn Treatments and Weed Killer

While lots of products will claim to be ‘pet safe’ it is still a good idea to keep our dogs off areas that have been treated. I actually prefer fighting a losing battle with the weeds in my garden than covering everything in chemicals, but that’s me…

Many plants and flowers are also toxic for dogs. The PDSA have a list here: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/poisonous-plants

Easter Goodies

Now this is something I can get on board with! If you’ll be indulging, as I will be, make sure to keep the choccies and hot cross buns way out of paws reach and if you think your dog has eaten something they shouldn’t have CONTACT YOUR VET.

Signs of poisoning in a dog may include –

Gastrointestinal Signs – Vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, loss of appetite
Internal Bleeding – Pale gums, rapid heart rate, coughing up blood, lethargy, collapse
Kidney Failure – Increased or decreased urination, increased drinking, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea
Liver Failure – Yellow gums, abnormal behaviour, vomiting, diarrhoea, collapse

LINKS

Local Vets

Battle Flats Veterinary Clinic, Strensall

https://battleflatts.co.uk/our-practices/strensall/

Tower Veterinary Group, Haxby

https://towervets.co.uk/our-practices/haxby-surgery

The Minster Veterinary Practise, Haxby

https://minstervets.co.uk/our-practices/haxby-practice

Howells Veterinary Services, Easingwold

https://www.howellsvets.co.uk/

Bishopton Vets, Easingwold

https://www.bishoptonvets.co.uk/DB/branches/easingwold