Four Hidden Summer Dangers For Your Dog

1. Sunburn

Yes, your dog can get sunburn and skin cancer. Especially those who are:

White and light-colored.
Thinly-coated/short-haired.
Shaved; and
Pitbulls.

Protect your K9 from the strong summer sun by regularly applying waterproof sunscreen formulated for pets (or babies) to:

Noses, ears and tails.
Around the mouth; and
The stomach and back.

2. Ear Mites

Has your dog begun to excessively shake his head, paw or scratch at his ears, head and neck? Is there flaky black discharge/ear wax, visible redness and tenderness? He may have a common parasitic infection called ear mites. Swab the inside of the ear (not too deeply) and look for any small white parasites moving on the tip of the swab. If there are mites, use over-the-counter liquid ear mite drops or natural remedies like olive oil, almond oil, yellow dock root extract or Vitamin E.

If you notice a foul smell (indicating possibly more than a minor case of ear mites), visit your vet for diagnosis and treatment before serious, permanent damage happens.

Ear mites are very contagious, so treat all animals in the household (including cats, rabbits and ferrets) and clean your home thoroughly. (There is some good news: mites cannot survive long away from your pet’s body.)

3. Not All Dogs Can - or Want to - Swim!

In fact, some breeds are not physically built to swim, including the:

English and French Bulldog
Pug
Corgi
Dachshund
Bull Terrier
Chow Chow
Pekingese
Shih-Tzu

So, before you head out to the beach or allow your dog around your pool, make sure first that:

Your dog likes the water; and
They can swim to safety on their own (in case they jump or fall into the deep end of a pool).
If your dog cannot swim, find a qualified dog trainer to teach him, protect him with a properly fitted K9 life-vest or keep him confined to the kiddie pool.

(Sources: PetMD.com, Pet360.com, iHeartDogs.com and DogingtonPost.com)