Seasonal hazards:
How to keep your dog safe throughout the year?

Dog safety is not just a set of rules, but a way of life where you become a real "filter" for your pet from the outside world. Year after year, changing each other, the seasons bring their own challenges, which you should be prepared for in advance.

Annual Dog Safety Calendar

Spring: parasites and garbage
Mite treatment should be continuous throughout the year, but it is critical in the spring.
After the snow melts, dangerous objects appear (glass, food leftovers). Complete control over what the dog puts in its mouth is mandatory.

Summer: overheating and burns
Heatstroke: Avoid walking during peak heat. Never leave your dog in a car (out of the sun, with the windows closed) even for a minute.
Test the asphalt with your hand: if it burns you, it will burn the pads of your dog's paws.
Always take water even for short walks.

Autumn
In the forest or park, make sure your dog doesn't eat mushrooms - some of them are deadly poisonous.
Wash and dry paws thoroughly after each outing to avoid dermatitis.

Winter: reagents and hazardous substances
Reagents: Protect paws with wax or shoes. Be sure to wash chemicals off paws after a walk.
Antifreeze is the most dangerous substance. Because of its sweet smell, dogs can lick it, which leads to fatal poisoning.

Universal rules:
Regular vaccination and parasite treatment.
Inspect the body and paws after each walk.
The address tag is always on the collar.

In the summer heat, cooling a dog should occur gradually, as a sharp temperature drop is dangerous for the body and can cause vasospasm.

It is best to start with the paws, as the pads contain many blood vessels, through which the dog effectively releases heat. After the paws, you should gradually moisten the stomach, inner thighs and groin area, where the fur is thinnest and the skin is most sensitive to cooling. It is also useful to cool the neck, for example, with a damp bandana.

It is important to avoid suddenly wetting the back and head, especially if the dog is very overheated, as cooling the spine area can be dangerous.

Remember that the main means of escape from the heat remains shade and constant access to fresh drinking water, and any water procedures should be comfortable and voluntary for the dog.