101 for Camping with Your Dog

It’s that time of year again, where the sun is shining, and the water is warm. It’s time to start thinking of the nice warm weekends out at the cabin or a trailer, soaking in the rays and swimming in the water. It’s also time to start thinking about how to keep our pets safe and happy when they are camping with us. Here are some tips and things to be aware of before and during this camping season.

To do list BEFORE going Camping:

• Have your dog fully vaccinated. You do not know what animals are around and what other dogs have vaccines, so better to be safe.
• Get deworming medication and flea and tick prevention. Since you are most likely in a wooded area, there is more potential for your dog to be in contact with parasites.
• Find the nearest veterinary clinic near you and check their hours. You never know when there will be an emergency.
• Have a first aid kit. Make these little kits specific to your dog and their size. Have some bandaging material, some cleaning solutions, water, food and any medications they might need. *Please do not put any medication on or in your dog without consulting a Veterinarian first. *
• Please make sure you have enough food and clean water. Feeding random table scraps can cause issues like foreign bodies, pancreatitis and gastritis. Also, do not feed your dog anything that you are not sure if it is toxic. A lot of human foods are toxic to your dog and can cause serious side effects.
• Make sure to have extras of everything for your dog. It includes leashes, bowls, food, water, etc. You never know when something might break.

While Camping:

• Please keep your dog on a leash. You do not know how other people or animals are going to react to your dog, and there is always the potential for something to happen. You can put them on a long leash, but make sure you are aware of your surroundings.
• Make sure your dog has a space to relax in the shade and/or when it is too hot to be kept inside an air-conditioned trailer or have a fan on.
• Make sure they always have fresh, cold water at all times.
• If you are allowing your dog to go swimming, make sure that there is no Blue Green Algae in the water. Blue Green Algae is very toxic and can be fatal if ingested.
• Please do not let your dog drink standing water. It can have bacteria, including a parasite called Giardia.
• Make sure the current of the water is not too strong and that the water is clean.
• When swimming, please make sure afterwards to dry out the ears. Water left in the ears can cause an unwanted infection.
• When swimming, please make sure that it is in a place where there are no sharp rocks. These sharp rocks can cut their feet and can be very painful.
• If you decide to go hiking, please bring a backpack with all the things you might need: extra leash, water, food, bowls, and your first aid kit.
• When having a fire, please make sure your dog cannot go near it and/or wrap itself around it with a leash. Fires pits can tip over, burn a leash/break it, and burn your dog. If you cannot keep your dog away from the fire, please keep them inside the tent, trailer or cabin for their safety and yours.

If you have any questions or concerns on bringing your dog camping, please do not hesitate to call the clinic at 780-939-3133 or send us an email at info@morinvillevet.com.

Written by: Morinville Veterinary Clinic