Dangers to protect your dog from this summer

Protecting our pets is a year ‘round duty for all of us, though changing seasons bring with them certain risks. 

Summer can be a time of sun-soaked adventure and holidays at exciting, new destinations – yet, adventuring to unfamiliar places with our dogs can result in unexpected illness or injury. 

Let’s explore top claims processed during summer 2023, and discover several ways Joii Pet Care can help to prevent your dog having to visit an emergency vet …

Learn more about:

• Grass seeds.
• Heatstroke.
• Limping.
• Toxic ingestion.
• Diarrhoea.
• Vomiting.
• Ear infections.
• Skin conditions.

Grass seeds

One of the joys of summer is watching your canine companion bound through grass in your garden, local park, or dog walking field without the worry of muddy paws. Unfortunately, an arrow-shaped nemesis lurks in the shadows, just waiting to attach itself to your dog’s coat and cause untold havoc.

Grass seeds are so sharp that they’re able to burrow into your dog’s fur and pierce their skin. Not only can grass seeds cause our pets a lot of pain, but they’re also capable of travelling inside an animal’s body and becoming lodged in harmful locations. For example, grass seeds have been discovered in dogs’ eyes, ears, noses, paws, skin, stomachs, and lungs!

Symptoms of a grass seed injury will vary greatly, depending on where the grass seed has moved to within your dog’s body. Here are some of the main signs that could suggest your dog has encountered a grass seed:

• Itchiness, e.g. persistently scratching or chewing at their paws.
• Shaking their head repeatedly, e.g. if a grass seed gets into their ear.
• Breathing difficulties, e.g. should a grass seed reach their lungs.

In 2023, 72% of claims related to issues caused by grass seeds were made between June and August. Plus, the average cost of claims related to grass seeds in 2023 was £547.76.

Should you feel concerned about your dog, and think they may have been affected by a grass seed, Joii might be able to help if:

• Your dog is shaking their head, though you aren’t sure why.
• You found a grass seed on your dog’s body that you removed.
• You’re not sure whether your dog has been in contact with a grass seed.

Preventing grass seed-related injuries

To help protect your dog from a grass seed-related injury or illness, thoroughly check their entire coat for any signs of grass seeds whenever they’ve spent time on grass. You can visit our article about the dangers of grass seeds if you’d like more advice on how to keep your dog safe from grass seeds this summer.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is a life-threatening health concern that’s caused when a dog overheats and can no longer maintain their normal body temperature. Sadly, if not treated quickly enough, heatstroke could lead to organ failure. 

Dogs who are most at risk of developing heatstroke include those who are flat-faced (brachycephalic), overweight, very young, older, suffer from breathing issues, or have long coats. However, should they be exercised in temperatures above 20°C, or hot weather temperatures reach 24°C and higher, all dogs are at risk of heatstroke.

Symptoms of heatstroke include:

• Excessive panting.
• Confusion.
• Wobbliness or trembling.

Please contact a vet immediately if you think your dog may be suffering from heatstroke.

According to our data, the average cost of a heatstroke claim in 2023 was around £945.25.

As long as your dog isn’t showing obvious signs of heatstroke (mentioned above), Joii vets may be able to help to lower the risk of your dog suffering heatstroke if:

• Your dog has mild symptoms, e.g. low energy, and you’re unsure what to do.
• Your dog has previously suffered from heatstroke and you have questions about it.
• You’d like some advice on keeping your dog cool during warm weather.
• You have questions regarding which frozen treats can be used safely.
• Your dog is overweight and you need some diet advice for them.

Preventing heatstroke

Ways to prevent your dog from getting heatstroke include making sure they have constant access to cool drinking water and walking them at cooler times of day (e.g. early morning). It’s also important not to travel your dog in hot weather – and it’s vital that dogs are never left in cars.

For more information, check out our articles on heatwave advice for dog owners and heatstroke in dogs. 

Limping 

Limping is your dog’s way of letting you know something isn’t right with their paw, leg, or back. Symptoms of limping include:

• Holding a leg up.
• Reluctance to jump onto furniture or into the car. 
• Walking unevenly (e.g. struggling to put weight on one of their legs).

Running around in new, exciting places – like beaches, forests, and fields – is great fun for our dogs during the summer months. But, while playing in unfamiliar surroundings, our dogs might injure paws on stony ground, slip and hurt their back, or encounter other hazards not seen on their usual walks. Alternatively, your dog may already suffer from a condition like arthritis or dysplasia, which could result in them developing a limp. 

Claims for limping increased in June 2023, suggesting a link between summer activities and instances of limping.

Joii can help when you notice your dog is limping if:

• Your dog isn’t putting weight on one of their legs, but it’s not painful to touch.
• Your dog is putting weight on their leg, though is clearly lame.
• Your dog has been diagnosed as having arthritis.
• Your dog appears to be stiff instead of in pain or injured.
• You’re unsure whether your dog is actually limping.

Prevent limping 

Sometimes, limping can be caused by an underlying health condition. So, speaking to Joii or your own vet about your pet’s limping could be the best course of action to treat their health concern before it impacts their quality of life. 

Ways you may be able to prevent limping include watching your dog while walking them – to prevent them from getting injured – and keeping their joints healthy. 

Toxic ingestion

Toxic ingestion describes a situation in which your dog eats something toxic or poisonous. Since our canine companions use their noses and mouths to explore the world, toxic ingestion is a risk they could potentially face every day of the year.

During summer, with barbeques and garden parties basking in evening sunlight, it’s all too easy for our dogs to sneakily swipe a snack of something they shouldn’t be eating. So, it’s important to know the symptoms of toxic ingestion, to empower you to act quickly if they do swallow something poisonous. Signs of toxic ingestion include:

• Vomiting and diarrhoea.
• Drooling.
• Lethargy (quieter than usual).

Please contact a vet immediately if you think your dog has eaten something toxic or poisonous. 

Claims for toxic ingestion went up by 62% in August 2023! To treat toxic ingestion, our data shows that the average cost of a claim in 2023 was £786.40.

To support you in preventing toxic ingestion, Joii can help with:

• 24/7 advice if your dog eats something they shouldn’t have eaten.
• Advice about safe dental products for dogs (to avoid xylitol poisoning).
• What to watch out for if you’re unsure whether your dog has eaten something that’s potentially poisonous. 

Preventing toxic ingestion

Thankfully, many cases of toxic ingestion are avoidable! To discover how to prevent your dog from suffering toxic ingestion, visit our articles on poisons around the home and garden, as well as top 10 foods to avoid. 

Diarrhoea

There are countless reasons for our dogs to suffer from diarrhoea – making it difficult to pinpoint the cause, in some cases. Common causes of diarrhoea in dogs include eating something they shouldn’t, food intolerances or dietary changes, and worms. 

Diarrhoea is the production of soft or watery stools (poo). Sometimes, diarrhoea could appear on its own, or dogs could end up with additional symptoms linked to the cause of their diarrhoea, like vomiting or signs of stomach pain.  

Although diarrhoea can strike at any time of the year, we saw a spike in claims from July to August 2023 – suggesting a link between summer months and diarrhoea. 

Thankfully, Joii vets can help if you:

• Need to discuss feeding options when your dog has diarrhoea.
• Notice your dog having several episodes of occasional diarrhoea.
• May think your dog has eaten something toxic or poisonous.
• See worms in your dog’s poo and need advice about worming treatments. 

Preventing diarrhoea

It might not always be possible to protect your dog from developing diarrhoea. However, actions you can take to lower the risk of diarrhoea include:

• Preventing your dog from eating anything that could be toxic or poisonous.
• Speaking to a vet before making any changes to their diet. 
• Keeping up with routine worming treatments.

For further advice about dealing with ‘the runs’, and information about how to clean it up safely, visit our article on diarrhoea in dogs.   

Vomiting

Vomiting is a common complaint for dogs, with most cases usually improving within 24 hours with the proper care. While there are endless possible causes for vomiting in dogs, some of the most significant include the ingestion of toxins or foreign objects, infections, dehydration, and motion sickness.  

Summer months bring extra risks for our canine companions. For example, there’s a greater chance we’ll need to travel with our dogs to day trips or holiday venues, and hot weather increases the danger of dehydration and heatstroke. 

Claims for vomiting and diarrhoea were at an all-year high in August 2023, increasing by 24% from July to August. It’s estimated that the average cost for treatment of vomiting and diarrhoea was around £846.23 in 2023, according to our data.

Joii Pet Care can offer support if:

• You’re worried about your puppy (under one year old) who has vomited.
• You’re concerned about your elderly dog after they’ve vomited.
• Your dog isn’t interested in food or water.
• You want to discuss feeding options after your dog has vomited.
• Your dog has suffered several episodes of occasional vomiting. 
• You’re anxious your dog might have eaten something toxic or poisonous.
• You think your dog’s diet could be linked to their vomiting.
• You need advice about worming your dog safely.

Prevent vomiting

Constant access to cool, fresh drinking water is vital to protect your dog from getting dehydrated, which can cause vomiting. 

Explore the topic further, to find out how to treat your dog’s upset stomach and how to prevent them from becoming ill, by visiting our article ‘Vomiting in dogs’.

Ear infections

Ear infections are painful and create a lot of discomfort to dogs. So, if your canine companion ends up suffering from an ear infection over the summer, it can put a dampener on the excitement of paddling pools and beach fun. 

Understanding the potential cause of your dog’s ear infection is essential, because knowing what’s behind it means your vet can treat the infection more effectively. Causes of ear infections in dogs can include swimming, foreign bodies (e.g. grass seeds), environmental allergies (e.g. pollen), and ear mites (e.g. picked up while playing in the garden). 

Symptoms of ear infections include:

• Head shaking.
• Scratching their ears.
• Smelly ears, with or without discharge (e.g. ear wax).

Claims for ear infections reached their highest in July 2023. Treating ear infections in 2023 cost an average of £688.75, based on our claims data.

Save the stress of travelling to your local vet practice by speaking to a Joii vet if:

• You have questions about which ear cleaners are safe for dogs.
• You want advice as to how to safely clean your dog’s ears.
• Your dog regularly suffers from ear infections, and you need to know what to do next.

Preventing ear infections

Taking action to prevent ear infections should become part of your daily routine throughout the summer, by:

• Drying your dog’s ears thoroughly after they’ve been swimming.
• Checking their ears for grass seeds after walks.
• Keeping up to date with flea treatments (to prevent ear mites). 

Check out our article about ear infections in dogs, for more information about causes, diagnosis, treatments, and prevention.  

Skin conditions

Many dogs suffer from skin conditions, which is a description covering a wide range of symptoms, including:

• Itchiness.
• Sores and scabs.
• Hair loss or thinning of the coat.

Each dog’s individual experience of a skin condition depends on the cause of their symptoms. Some of the major causes of skin conditions include allergies, food intolerances, and fleas. So, if your dog suffers from an allergy to pollen, for example, summertime isn’t going to be as enjoyable if they’re dealing with inflamed, irritated, itchy skin!

We saw claims for skin conditions start to rise towards the end of summer 2023, with 43% of claims being made in August to October. Our data shows that it cost an average of £787.64 for skin condition claims throughout 2023.

You may be able to help your dog feel happier by accessing expert vet advice from Joii if:

• You want to find out how to complete a food trial to find out whether your dog has a food intolerance or allergy to specific ingredients in their food.
• Your dog has itchy skin, and you’d like to find out which supplements are best.
• You have questions about parasite control.

Preventing skin conditions

Once you’ve uncovered the reason for your canine companion’s skin condition, you’ll be able to help them avoid further discomfort. Whether they need to avoid allergens or simply stay up to date with flea treatments, read our article on skin conditions to help your dog’s skin stay healthy this summer!