Spring is in full swing. Now that the weather is a lot warmer, you’ll want to take your dog outside for long walks, hikes and trips to the dog park. Before you grab the leash and explore the great outdoors, you should take the following precautions.
Get Flea-Prevention Medication
You don’t want your dog to get fleas, and you definitely don’t want your dog to bring fleas into your home. Some pet owners noticed it too late and had to visit an emergency vet to make sure their pets are okay. The best way to stop that from happening is to go to your veterinary clinic and ask about flea-prevention medication. This medication can also stop your dog from getting ticks, which can cause problems like Lyme disease.
Get Updated on Vaccines
If your dog is going to be in close proximity to other dogs, they should be up to date on all of their vaccines and boosters. Take a look at the core and non-core vaccines for dogs to see if there are any that your pup is missing. Contact your veterinary clinic to book an appointment as soon as possible.
Plan for Hydration
When you go out for walks and hikes, you should prepare to give your dog a drink. Bring a big bottle of fresh water with you. You can also buy a collapsible dog bowl. It will easily fit into your backpack or purse when you’re on the go. Don’t go on long excursions without any fresh water. Your dog could get overheated and dehydrated.
Whatever you do, do not let your dog drink any stagnant water lying around. This water could be filled with bacteria or pollutants, which could make them very sick.
Practice for the Dog Park
Brand-new dog owners should prepare their dogs for the dog park ahead of time. Letting them loose in the dog park without any preparation is like learning to swim by jumping into the deep end of a pool. It’s not a good plan.
You’ll want your pup to be comfortable being around other dogs before bringing them to a place full of them. Otherwise, you could risk your dog getting into a scuffle with other dogs. They could get injured, or they could injure someone else’s dog.
How can you practice for the dog park? Start by arranging one-on-one playdates with other dog owners. Once they seem comfortable on playdates, you can walk them through a leashed dog park when it’s not busy. You can eventually work up to an unleashed area.
Set Up Your Finances
Exploring the outdoors will always come with the risk of injury. You can’t keep your dog locked up indoors as a means of protecting them. All you can do is take these precautions and hope for the best!
As an added step, you should prepare your finances for accidents, like if they get sick after getting bit by a parasite hiding in the grass or getting bit by an aggressive dog in the park.Start by signing up for pet insurance. You should also build an emergency fund. An emergency fund is a personal collection of savings that you can use whenever you have an urgent, unplanned expense — including an urgent vet bill. It can also help you cover whatever your pet insurance won’t.
What if you don’t have enough savings? If you don’t have enough in your emergency fund when disaster strikes, you can try to apply for an online loan. Search for online loans that are specifically available in your state of residence. So, if you live in Miami, you can search for options to borrow money online in Florida and see whether you meet the application requirements. You just might be eligible to apply for the Florida loan.
With an online loan, you could cover the urgent expense quickly and then follow a repayment plan afterward. This could be a real source of relief when you don’t have enough savings put away.
Your dog is excited to roll around in the grass and run through the parks. Take these precautions and get them ready for all that fun in the sun.
