Autumn Care for your Dog

Autumn can be a really enjoyable time of year for us and our four-legged friends,

beautiful morning full of mists and mellow fruitfulness, glorious sunsets and

surprisingly warm days. But with the change of season comes a change in care for

your dog. Here are some tips and things to look out for.

Fleas and ticks 

In the warm but wet conditions, you’re not safe from ticks; this is actually when they

are at their most active. Have you checked to see if their parasite treatments and

vaccinations are up to date? Try to give them a quick check regularly and if you find

a tick - don’t panic! Twist them off with a tick hook - we can show you how if

needed!

Temperature Changes

With the colder temperatures, pets often find somewhere warm to hide. If you have

a garage or shed where the door has been left open, just double check before you

close it that your, or more importantly someone else’s, pet isn’t hiding inside. Now’s

the time that we get reports of missing pets on social media - only for them to be

discovered later trapped in someone’s outbuilding. If you suspect your pet is

missing, check warm areas before panicking.

Beware! Antifreeze is toxic to dogs. Ensure that if you are using it, you do not spill

any into puddles or drinking bowls. Store it well out of reach so they can’t get to it. If

you think they may have consumed it, look out for symptoms that include

incoordination, nausea, excessive urination, diarrhoea, weakness, and tremors. If

any of these symptoms are displayed by your dog, then you should contact a vet as

soon as possible.

Short Daylight

With the shorter days naturally comes less time to exercise your pets, particularly if

you are at work. If your pet has had an active summer and is likely to have a quieter

winter, then monitor their diet accordingly. Just like their humans, they need less

calories in if there are less calories going out! Obviously the best thing is to

exercise your dog regardless - and if you need help fitting it into the day, then give

Harris Hounds a call and we can do it for you.

Celebrations

The first thing coming up is obviously fireworks! It is vital you stay with your pet if it

is their very first time to experience fireworks. You can then make a judgment on

how they react and will know for the future. If you don’t know that fireworks are

happening and your pet happens to go missing, then you need to be reassured that

their microchip is up to date.

Halloween is another celebration that can distress your dog. If you are going to be

going out, then make sure that your pet is in their safe place - and possibly with the

radio on to distract from any noise that might be going on outside the house.

Make sure all sweets and chocolates are kept out of the reach of your dog - both at

Halloween, Christmas and any other time of year.

Ensure that candles and lit pumpkins cannot be accessed by your dog in case they

burn themselves or knock them over causing a fire. Glow sticks can irritate animals

too if ingested, so be sure to keep them away and seek help from your vet if you

are worried.

Gardening

Some of the typical Autumn fruit and vegetables can also affect your dog. They will

probably stay clear, but it’s best that you are armed with the knowledge to identify a

danger when it’s present. Heres a list of some common ones that can be dangerous to your dog -

Horse chestnut tree

Allium species (leek, garlic, onion, shallot etc)

Holly

Mushrooms and toadstools

Ivy

Oak (especially acorns)

Rowan (aka mountain ash)

Yew

Mistletoe