Late Summer Dangers

Man, it's been hot! Too hot to do anything outside, but as Fall begins and the temperatures start to moderate a little, we'll be itching to get back outside and play with our pals. Just wanted to make you aware of a few things to watch for as you venture back into the outdoors with your pets.

First of all, the heat is still pretty oppressive right now but mornings and evenings are starting to let up a little, so try to have your four-legged friends do most of their playing during those times to avoid heat stress. Of course we've talked about the dangers of high temperatures before, but in case you missed it, click here.

In late summer, one thing we see commonly are eye injuries due to pets playing and running through the tall weeds and grasses. The stems and seed heads can scratch the cornea and cause lacerations and ulcerations that can easily result in severe vision loss if not treated promptly and appropriately by your veterinarian. We even find grass seeds that are stuck in the eyelids, causing constant pain and irritation. So after playing in the tall weeds and grasses, make sure you take a look at your pets eyes to check for these problems. Excessive tearing or eye drainage, excessive squinting of the eye, redness, or swelling of the eye could indicate a problem and should be evaluated promptly by your veterinarian. Waiting a few days for it to get better is not recommended with eye injuries, typically withholding treatment for even a day or two can lead to a devastating eye infection.

Fleas and ticks are always a problem, in our area, but ticks seem to really love the hot, dry weather of late summer; so be on the lookout for these critters. Ticks can carry a multitude of diseases, some of which can infect humans as well as the dog and cat. I am currently treating a canine patient for Ehrlichia, a rickettsial (bacterial-like) disease that ticks carry, which causes bleeding, lethargy, anorexia, fever, weight loss, trouble breathing, and other more severe abnormalities. Ticks can also carry other similar diseases that can cause deadly illness in the dog.

Keeping a good flea and tick prevention on your dog will definitely help protect him from the creepie crawlies and the diseases they carry. Flea and tick prevention products are quite numerous these days; it seems you can purchase them almost anywhere now. These products, when used correctly, work great to keep your pet parasite free; however, if not applied correctly, they can be harmful, too. When buying over-the-counter flea and tick products, there seldom is someone that can give expert advice on how to apply the product and which product(s) will be safe for your pet...so, see your veterinarian to purchase these products; your veterinarian will know what products work best for your pet and how to correctly and safely use them.

I guess it wouldn't be right to leave out the snakes and gators...they're still out there, if you're in the right area. Be careful when allowing dogs to swim in or around the Pearl River, the alligators are still very active; snakes too. Often, alligators and snakes can be undetected until its too late, so just avoid those areas, if possible. The alligators are obviously deadly for a dog; snakebites are often very treatable, though.

Just a few words of caution to keep your four-legged pals protected and safe while venturing outdoors during the late summer/early fall.