Trupanion Summer Safety Series: Beach Safety for Pets

The summer can be a fun and exciting time, but summer activities can bring new surprises for your pet. Therefore, today launches our Summer Safety Series with Trupanion! In this series we will cover Beach Safety, Pool Safety, Car & Travel Safety and Summer Activity Safety. 

A few years ago, my husband and I took Rooney to the beach in Pacifica. It was a beautiful day and the weather was a welcomed retreat from the typical August summer heat. As we were walking with Rooney, enjoying the sand and taking in the waves, I kept my eyes on the birds in the distance waiting for Rooney to notice (and chase) them. Additionally, I was trying to be vigilant not to let Rooney anywhere near the numerous jellyfish that paint the Northern California beaches. Despite the dangers that lurk at the beach, the beautiful views and the built-in doggy exercise make it an excellent location to frequent during the summer months. Which is why I want to kick off our Trupanion Summer Safety Series discussing Beach Safety!

Last year, we discussed 5 Surprising Beach Dangers, but this year, I wanted to get some additional input from Dr. Sarah Nold, DVM & the Trupanion team:

1) What are your top safety tips for pet parents who frequent the beach in the summer?

Make sure you rinse off your pet with fresh water after going to the beach, to minimize irritation of their skin.  Try to avoid areas of the beach that attract sand fleas. Beaches that are open to pets often also can put you and your pet at risk for acquiring intestinal parasites, such as hookworms. For this reason, pet owners should wear foot protection (shoes or sandals) and their pet should be regularly dewormed. Make sure your pet is always supervised, as many things that wash up on the beach should not be ingested.

Due to our beach experience described above, I usually keep Rooney on a leash at the beach, especially if there are no dogs to play with (that leaves more time for Rooney to look for mischief). Rinsing off your pet after they play at the beach is a great idea that I haven’t considered in the past. Since Rooney has sensitive skin and allergies, I will be sure to rinse Rooney off on future beach trips.

2) At Trupanion what kinds of claims are commonly associated with trips to the beach?

Dehydration and heat stroke can be associated with trips to the beach, especially if your pet tries to drink the salty water. Trupanion has also seen some beach-specific claims, such as sunburns and burnt paws from the hot sand.

The data definitely speaks for itself here. Be sure to keep your pet hydrated and give them an opportunity and area to cool off. The best item that helps me keep Rooney hydrated during outings is the Gulpy.

 

In addition to the amazing tips from Dr. Nold, here are a few additional reasons to keep your dog on leash at the beach:

Watch Out for the Seashells

Trupanion has seen several claims associated with injuries sustained while running along the beach. Beach related injuries include, cuts on the paw pads from seashells, and sprains and ligament tears from running on uneven sand.

Wildlife

In addition to the obvious threats from jellyfish, Trupanion has seen claims where pets have had run-ins with otters and birds. So, keep your eyes out for the wildlife!

Lastly, make sure your pet is ready for the beach…

If you aren’t visiting the beach often, your pet might be completely overwhelmed when you arrive at the beach. Ideally, you would visit the beach for the first time on a less-crowded day of the week possibly early in the morning so that your dog can get used to their surroundings. Additionally, make sure your dog knows some basic commands and is socialized before visiting a more popular beach. They should be able to greet strangers, new dogs, and most importantly know the command “leave it”.

Will your pet be visiting the beach this summer? Stay tuned for some Pool Safety Tips next Thursday!

The summer can be a fun and exciting time, but summer activities can bring new surprises for your pet. Therefore, today launches our Summer Safety Series with Trupanion! In this series we will cover Beach Safety, Pool Safety, Car & Travel Safety and Summer Activity Safety. 

P.S. I know Rooney is off-leash in the first photo but that was specifically for the photoshoot. We were the only people on the beach and I had a lot of treats in my pocket. 🙂 I almost always keep Rooney on a leash at the beach. Photo Credit: Pawpawrazzi Pet Photography