While Spring is very much here, so too is the continued rain that plagued the UK for much of the winter.
With that in mind, vets have issued a warning to dog owners telling them to keep their pups away from puddles.
While rain itself isn’t dangerous for dogs, wet conditions can bring visibility issues, bacteria and added risks when walking your pooch – and some of the risks can even be deadly.
To help pet owners keep their dogs safe no matter the weather, experts have spoken with vets to identify the biggest threats posed to your pup by the rain.
Included in the list of dangers, experts at TrustedHousesitters highlighted the risk of letting your dogs play in puddles.
Dr. Sabrina Kong warned: “Let's talk about those enticing puddles. You'd think they're just harmless water, right? Wrong. Puddles can be a cocktail of all sorts of nasties, from sharp objects to harmful bacteria.
“I've seen dogs come in with cut paws and upset stomachs from puddle-related incidents. So, steer your pooch clear of those deceptive puddles next time it's raining cats and dogs.”
Dr Kong also warned of the dangers stagnant water could pose to your pets.
She said: “While dogs love to stop and drink puddle water, it is best not to allow this. Rats and mice can urinate in stagnant water, leading to the spread of Leptospirosis.
“Though your dog should be covered for Leptospirosis if up to date with their vaccines, they are still at risk of contracting the disease.”
Dr Linda Simon added that rather than letting your dog lap up stagnant water, take fresh water and a portable bowl on walks. Ensure your dog drinks as much fresh water as possible to avoid them guzzling down anything they shouldn’t.
Veterinarian Dr Sara Ochoa also recommended ensuring your dogs were completely dry when they get home.
Drying your dog can help prevent skin irritations, hotspots and potential infections.
You should also thoroughly dry your dogs’ ears after they’ve become wet, as ears can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Dr. Ochoa suggests: “Some dogs with floppy ears are more prone to ear infections during rainy weather. Consider using a hooded raincoat or an umbrella to keep their ears dry.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here