By Dr. Lisa Silk
This has been one of the hottest summers I can remember since moving to Guam. We are all finding relief at the beach along with a great day of fun for our dogs. It is so important to think about potential safety hazards when we take our dogs to the beach, in and out of the water.
The first thing to remember is that stray dogs are often on the beach looking for food. They can spread the parvo virus on the sand — a very deadly disease that can survive in the ground for many years.
If your dog has not been vaccinated, it can be dangerous for them to be at the beach. All puppies should have had two vaccines in their series before being taken out of your yard.
The stray dogs can also spread intestinal worms in their feces, so our dogs need to be monitored to make sure they are not ingesting anything on the ground.
Dogs are definitely interested in the crabs that burrow under the sand. We want to watch for pinchers to the face from the crabs. The beach also contains a lot of broken glass. It is very easy to get a cut on the paws. Watching for glass is important, as well as fish hooks, dead fish and garbage. These can cause wounds to our dogs as well as vomiting and diarrhea if they ingest items they find. The sand can also be very hot to their paws just like it’s hot on our bare feet.
Dogs can also get skin cancer from the sun, just like us. It is important to apply sunscreen, especially to the ears, top of the nose, and any white areas of fur. You can purchase pet friendly sunscreen or use baby sunscreen. Apply multiple times if your dog likes to swim.
Most dogs love the water, but not all of them can swim. And they are much smaller than we are, so the smallest of currents can be difficult for dogs to navigate. Investing in a good life jacket can help with that. It also helps to keep them from ingesting salt water, which can cause intense vomiting. Drinking salt water can also cause bacterial infections from organisms in the water. Keeping a lot of fresh water on hand is important during beach days, for you and for your dog, to help prevent sunstroke or heat exhaustion.
Dogs get overheated much more quickly than humans. They have a dense covering of fur, as well as minimal sweat glands to help disperse heat. I recommend pedialyte at the beach for dogs to help not only with water but electrolytes.
The sea contains hazards as well. We do have dangerous jellyfish on land, and in the water. Watch for alerts regarding man-o-war or box jellyfish, which tend to be blown closer to the shore after a big storm and about a week after the full moon. If you or your dog get stung by a jellyfish, do not believe the old wives tale of urinating on it. Not only will your dog not appreciate it, but it doesn’t work. Use fresh water to clean the area and vinegar to help the pain. Then get your pet to a vet clinic quickly.
Jellyfish can still sting after they have died and washed up on shore. If you find one on the beach, do not touch it. Try to bag it and throw it away, or bury it deep in the sand, without touching it with your hands. The sting of some of these jellyfish causes severe pain, allergic reactions, blisters, vomiting, drooling, swelling, shock and possible organ failure. The best thing to do is using fresh water and vinegar on the area and call your vet immediately. Do not try removing the stingers, just get to the vet as soon as possible.
Having a great day at the beach is one of the perks of living on Guam, but we want to make it as safe as possible. I recommend investing in a life jacket for dogs that aren’t strong swimmers, and having a “beach bag” for our dogs. It should contain bandage materials, sunscreen, water bottle/bowl, benadryl, vinegar and fresh water. If interested, you can stop by Isla Vet Clinic, we have premade kits for sale based on your dogs weight.