Written by: Tracy Vogel, Staff Writer Vetcentric.com
Camping seems like the ideal vacation for a dog.
Lots of open space, things to roll in, new smells … and,
equally attractive, unique ways to endanger one’s life,
wild and possibly diseased animals to chase, and
dangerous new substances to ingest.
If you take your dog camping, make sure you keep a few
things in mind for the health and safety of the animal.
Start off by trying to prevent problems, and you won’t
find yourself in a situation where you have to carry a sick
or injured pet 10 miles down a hiking trail to safety,
which tends to put a damper on a vacation.
Begin with a visit to the veterinarian.
You’ll want to tell the veterinarian about where you’re
headed. He or she should be able to tell you about
potential dangers, said Dr. Nancy Willerton of University
Hills Animal Hospital in Denver, Colo., a spokesperson
for the American Animal Hospital Association.
In Colorado, it’s Giardia—an organism in the water that
causes vomiting and diarrhea. In New England, it’s Lyme
disease, an illness caused by bacteria carried by ticks.
Realistically, you won’t be able to keep your dog out of
the water—swimming is fun, dogs do drink from
streams—or out of the undergrowth. But your
veterinarian can help deal with such dangers in advance;
there’s a vaccine for both Giardia and Lyme disease.
You’ll also want to apply flea and tick preventatives.
Make sure your dog is up-to-date on his regular
vaccinations as well, said Dr. William Fortney, assistant
professor of veterinary medicine at Kansas State
University. Rabies could be an issue when dealing with
wildlife. Carry proof—such as a health
certificate—stating that your dog is up to date on his
shots.
Make sure your dog is in shape for what you’ll be doing.
Branch Whitney, a hiker and Las Vegas hiking
guidebook author, takes his Labrador retriever with him
on hikes. But he trained his dog early, taking her for long
walks on pavement to gradually toughen up her pads.
But he still checks her pads after each hike. Dogs can go
lame and have to be carried down trails from worn pads,
he said: "Make sure you’re not doing something too
tough for your dog."
Boots that protect pads may work for dogs that aren’t
used to distances, Dr. Willerton said.
The biggest problems people encounter when camping
with dogs often come from overdoing it, Dr. Willerton
said. A dog at a campground is an energetic dog—he’ll
be running round, checking out the new places, the new
people, and sometimes he won’t care how he feels. Heat
and stress injuries are common.
"Excitement will … override their common sense," she
said. "Make sure they’re taking breaks and have access
to water."
It’s difficult to tell when a dog is over-reaching its
bounds. They cool their bodies primarily by panting, so
fast and out-of-control breathing is a sign, as is drooling,
Dr. Willerton said. Stumbling and lack of awareness are
definite danger signs. Prevent the problem altogether by
scheduling breaks—a few minutes of rest every 20
minutes.
When you camp, take a look around for dangers, such as
broken glass, that could injure the pads, and garbage that
the dog could eat, Dr. Fortney said.
In the evenings, as you’re checking the dog’s paws for
injury, check him for fleas and ticks. It generally takes
longer than 24 hours for a tick to transmit disease, so
checking daily can go a long way toward preventing a
problem. Carrying a tick remover is a good idea—you
don’t want to encounter fluids from the insect.
If you don’t have tweezers or a remover, wrap the tick in
tissue paper and pull it out gently, Dr. Fortney said. Ticks
go in at an angle—pull them out at the same angle to
minimize the possibility that parts of the head will remain
in the animal’s body.
When packing for the trip, make sure you have first aid
supplies—antibiotic cream and bandages, for instance,
Dr. Willerton said. Pack the dog’s food, and pack water
for the dog as well as yourself.
Put everything in a bag that’s specifically the dog’s—you
won’t need to rummage around for items, and you’ll be
sure you’ve packed the items he’ll need, Dr. Fortney
said.
Dogs can carry their own backpacks—those weighing
about 20 percent of their weight are safe, said Paul
Jurasin, CEO of YourActivePet.com, an online retailer of
recreational pet gear. Among the more popular items the
company sells are collapsible dog bowls and life jackets.
"Most dogs can swim somewhat, but muscular breeds
like bulldogs and terriers can only swim for a few minutes
and then they start to sink," he said.
If your dog doesn’t obey voice commands well, use
sense and keep him restrained. Dr. Willerton has seen
dogs that have jumped off cliffs before on
vacations—some dogs don’t have the best sense of
height.
And make sure the dog is wearing its ID, Dr. Fortney
said. A microchip won’t hurt either. "It’s hard enough to
find a dog in your hometown. Imagine 500 miles away in
a national park."
For more information:
Click on
http://faqs.jmas.co.jp/FAQs/dogs-faq/activities/backpacking
for additional resources.
