Couple of pointers for the hot weather

  
There are several points that dog owners should be aware of when they take their pets to the beach for some exercise or a swim in the sea.

There is a very common misconception that seawater is good for the coat especially if the dog has some kind of skin complaint. This is well wide of the mark, if your dog has an active infected itchy skin condition the last thing you want to do is take it for a swim in the sea. Seawater has a very high salt concentration, so even if the dog has temporary relief when in the water this effect soon wears off as the water dries. The salt that dries on the skin penetrates deep into the tissue as the skin has lost its protective barrier as a result of the dermatitis, this then results in further irritation, an increase in pruritus( itchiness), as a result of this scratching intensifies and this spreads the infection further, which in turn causes more pruritus. Even a thorough rinse in freshwater after a swim does not give much relief.

There is no major problem with a swim in seawater if the coat is healthy, if possible give the dog a rinse afterwards to take away the bulk of the salt. The seawater will dry out the coat and will have a bleaching effect on the coat when combined with the effects of the sun.

On the other hand swimming is a fabulous way to exercise your dog, in the same way that swimming is the best exercise for us. There is no pounding of the joints, it builds up muscle mass that in turn helps protect joints and is excellent for the cardiovascular system.

Another piece of advice that may seem obvious is to make fresh water available and easily accessible at all times. Dogs when thirsty have a habit of drinking seawater, this is a wonderful laxative, and the last thing you want is a dog erupting from its backside on a beach. So please make a conscious effort to make sure the dog drinks water, some forget with the excitement of the occasion.

My last gem for today is please be aware that cement, asphalt etc get very hot during this time of year and pad injuries are very common, particularly when dogs are chasing objects as braking and sudden turns of damage can cause extensive foot injuries.

Mark Pizarro BVM&S MRCVS

Canine Leishmaniasis a silent killer

This disease is caused by a flagellated protozoa that is injected into dogs by Sandflies (phlebotominae). The female of this biting fly feeds on blood that it requires for egg production, however at the same time that it feeds it can infect the host with the protozoa, in a similar way that malaria is spread by mosquitos.

The protozoa can cause devastating damage to a dog, but the illness is a slow insidious disease that can damage pretty much any organ in the body, broadly speaking they can be divided into two types, the visceral type infecting the internal body organs, or the cutaneous one that infects the skin. This is a bit of a simplification as it can affect any body system and therefore can sometimes it can be a challenge to diagnose. One common complaint is that the dog ‘isn’t right’. In some cases the illness is asymptomatic until the animal becomes suddenly seriously ill , in some of these cases the dog has gone beyond the point of no return and does not respond to medical therapy.

Confirmation of the disease is done by doing a simple blood test, generally you can have the results back in under quarter of an hour. Treatment is very effective as long as the disease is caught early, I would recommend an annual test , it is quick and cheap and could save you a lot of heartache.

Evidently prevention of leshmaniasis is by far the best option. This can be done via various ectoparasitic products or vaccination , or even a combination of both.

However all pets do not require the same level of protection, the highest level must be for those dogs that are outside in gardens during the times of highest risk, dusk to dawn.  Those dogs living in flats in highly urbanised areas are at a smaller risk but there is never any guarantee that a female Sandfly will not sneak in and infect your family pet, do not become complacent.

On a Public Health side note, this disease can infect humans too, however it is generally only a risk to those immunosuppressed individuals and there is no direct contagion from dogs, it has to pass through the Sandfly.

Mark Pizarro BVM&S MRCVS