As your dog eagerly wags his tail while you reach for the leash and don your hiking boots, remember that those wooded trails can be both fun and dangerous for your loyal companion. Protect your pooch against some of the potential health hazards the next time you embark on an outdoor adventure together.
Pond Perils
Your Labrador retriever may enjoy splashing around in a pond or lake while you pause for a break, but this can put your dog at risk for infectious diseases. Some of these diseases include the following:
- Leptospirosis, a potentially fatal bacterial infection that targets the kidneys and liver
- Giardiasis, a protozoan intestinal parasitic infection
- Cyanobacteria toxicosis, a fatal poisoning that results from exposure to toxic blue-green algae bloom
All three of the above-mentioned illnesses are zoonotic, meaning that you can contract the illness from an infected dog. Restrict your dog's aquatic activities by keeping him out of ponds, lakes, puddles and other bodies of stagnant or brackish water. If your dog has been exposed to these waters, monitor him closely for any signs of illness, including gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, pale mucous membranes or neurological symptoms, and bring your dog to a veterinarian at once if signs present.
Mushroom Menaces
There are thousands of different mushroom species that grow wild in North America, hundreds of which are poisonous. The effects of mushroom toxicity in dogs can range from gastrointestinal upset to death as a result of cellular destruction, depending on the type of mushroom that the dog consumes. Some toxic mushrooms that you should be aware of include the following:
- Amanita phalloides, or death cap, which is one of the most deadly mushrooms and appears as a white or off-white, dome-shaped cap
- Amanita marginata, or autumn galerina, which is also highly toxic and displays hues of brown to rust on the stem and cap
- Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric, which exhibits a red or orange cap dotted with white spots
- Amanita gemmate, or jeweled death cap, which presents as a light tan or yellow cap with white spots
- Amanita lacunose, or elf's saddle, which has a distinctive saddle-shaped cap that is dark gray in color
There are numerous additional wild mushrooms that are more challenging to identify. Play it safe by preventing your dog from investigating any mushroom sited along the trails. Do not allow your dog to graze on any flora since many flowers and plants are also toxic to dogs. If your dog consumes part of a mushroom, flower or plant, harvest the uneaten remainder to stash in a plastic bag in your backpack. Bring this sample and your dog to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Tick Troubles
From deer ticks to dog ticks, the woodlands abound with these disease-transmitting parasites. Some of the tick-borne diseases that can affect your dog include the following:
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Babesiosis
- Anaplasmosis
- Bartonellosis
- Hepatozoonosis
Minimize your dog's risk for infection by applying a topical flea and tick preventative that is prescribed by a veterinarian (such as one from Providence Veterinary Hospital Inc). Since a tick must be attached to its host for a period of 24 to 48 hours to transmit disease, inspect your dog's entire body thoroughly at the end of your day's hiking expedition, and immediately remove any embedded ticks that you discover.
Healthy Habits
By following these additional tips, you will take steps toward keeping your dog healthy while communing with the great outdoors.
- Talk to your veterinarian about vaccinating your dog against Lyme disease and leptospirosis. If your veterinarian recommends these vaccines, be sure to maintain their efficacy by adhering to the recommended vaccination schedule.
- Keep your dog on a heartworm preventative product. Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, which are especially prevalent along stagnant bodies of water. Most heartworm preventative products also offer protection against some of the common intestinal parasites, such as roundworms and hookworms.
- Keep your dog leashed at all times to prevent escape, and use a leash that does not extend in order to maintain control of his activity. Be sure that your dog's identification tag or microchip lists all of your current contact information in case the two of your become separated.
- Pack bottled water and a water bowl in your backpack to prevent your dog from getting dehydrated.
- Pack a first aid kit for your dog.
- Check your dog's paws periodically for any evidence of sores, cuts or other trauma.
- As soon as your dog exhibits signs of fatigue, call it a day and conclude the hike.
The hiking trails will be happy ones for you and your canine companion as long as you take steps to keep the activity safe and enjoyable. By being proactive, you can ensure a relaxing day of nature exploration and bonding with your dog.
