Spring has sprung
The main areas to focus on during the spring months are:
Flea & Tick prevention: Ideally this should be started around February time, but if you haven’t started it yet and are wanting to go the natural route now is the time. Check out our parasites blog for more information
If your dog has been unwell over the winter, or you feel that you may have lost your way a little, you may want to consider a “detox like” process known as a gut reset - several of the admin team do this yearly, a bit like how many humans commence a new year health kick. The process can help to refocus you on your mission to a more natural way of life for your dog.
The final thing to consider is seasonal allergies. These start to affect dogs usually around March to October. Not every dog will suffer, but we see an average of 1 in 4 within the group needing seasonal allergy relief. Our supplements list can be filtered to “seasonal allergies” to help you to select a product for your dog if they experience watery eyes, sneezing, reverse sneezing, rashes after laying on the lawn, etc.
Keeping Dogs Cool in Summer
Hydration
As the warmer weather approaches, it's important to take extra care with our dogs, after all they are stuck in a fur coat no matter the weather!
WATER!! Yes, this seems simple, but it is easily forgotten. In the home ensure your dog has access to fresh, clean drinking water. This may mean changing their water more often in times of heat, and definitely will in heatwave conditions.
Some dogs will need some extra encouragement at times to drink water. Some may even need to be hand fed water (not forcibly!) if lethargy develops. Helping your dog to drink regularly if needed can be the difference between life and death.
Whether it's Drool Pet Products, JR Pet Products or Anco, or another brand, it's safe to say dogs love pate that is designed for them! You can chop it, slice it, freeze it, smash it onto a lick mat.
Once opened, store in the fridge in a container and use within packaging guidelines or freeze it and just use as and when needed if you store in the freezer.
Bone broth is incredibly beneficial for dogs at any time of year but in the warmer months it can help our dogs to stay well hydrated and can even encourage them to eat and drink! If you are UK based, pre-made dog safe bone broth like Alexander's Natural or Karnlea & many more sell bone broth for dogs with no dangerous ingredients too!
A Raw Diet typically contains anywhere between 60% to 85% moisture, whereas kibble generally falls within the range of 6% to 12% and "moist recipe" or "semi-moist" diets range from 25% to 35% moisture.
Keep the liquid from raw to - do not throw it out as this is myoglobin which is packed full of nutrients. Either serve it with the raw food, or freeze into small moulds to spread it out more - there’s no serving sizes for this.
The Truth About Ice Cubes
Every summer there are posts about the dangers of feeding ice to dogs. Every year as a result, pet parents worry that they cannot help their dog to cool down. See below for the facts about ice cubes for dogs
Ice cubes for HEALTHY BUT WARM dogs
As advised by www.bluecross.org: Yes you CAN give them ice cubes.
To help water to stay cooler you could also add some ice cubes to the bowl HOWEVER ensure they are the right size for your dog so that they do not become a choking risk, you could even blitz some ice into a cool "snow" and add it this way to ensure no risks of choking.
Other iced treats for dogs
Many raw pet food manufacturers and retailers sell iced treats that are great for HEALTHY BUT WARM dogs.
Frozen bone broth
Frozen kefir
"Ice cream" pots
Ice cubes for DOGS WITH HEATSTROKE
As advised by www.bluecross.org: NO!
Instead, you should cool them with COOL NOT COLD water and contact your vet immediately as heatstroke needs urgent treatment.
Look out for the following warning signs of heatstroke:
excessive panting or drooling
low energy or lack of coordination
collapsing
purple gums or redness of the skin
See our associated blog on heatstroke
Autumnal Canine Care
As the days grow shorter, we wanted to share with you our top tips to help dogs stay safe & well.
Be Cautious:
As many walks involve fallen leaves at this time of year, this means lots of great sniffs for our dogs, as the scents from the trees mingle with the scents from the floors, however it also brings about some dangers:
- Wet leaves can slippery
- Leaves can hide dangers including but not limited to curbs, dog faeces, glass and much more.
- Wet leaves can include leaf mould which can make some dogs itchy
To overcome these challenges, RFFDMSUK recommends you take additional care when out walking with your dog/dog and ensure that you wipe down all paws / legs after leafy walks to wipe away any mould residue that may be on your dog. A great option to wipe down a dog with is cooled chamomile tea as it is soft and gentle whilst having a cooling effect on the skin too.
Be Alert:
Of course, the changing season brings with it an increase in fireworks usage. Sadly many dogs suffer with a fear of fireworks so this time of year can be quite challenging. Fireworks are not limited to only 1 night of the year, and can spook dogs easily.
Our Fireworks blog can help around dogs with a fear of them, but there are ways that you can increase your dog’s safety at this time of year too:
1. Ensure the garden is secure, repair any storm damaged or rotten fences.
2. Ensure your dog is microchipped, and that it is up to date, as required by UK Law
3. Ensure your dog has a well-fitting collar. 2 fingers should fit between the collar and the dog, and any collar, lead or harness must not be damaged if being used in a public place
4. Ensure your dog has an identity tag attached to the collar or harness, any dog in a public place should have a collar with an ID tag. ID Tags must have YOUR name, house name / number, post code and we recommend an up-to-date phone number too.
5. Wherever possible walk your dog in daylight hours to minimise the chances of them being spooked by a firework, and remember that off lead dogs have a higher probability of running if spooked than an on lead dog.
Be Visible & Present
The next factor is your visibility, and that of your dogs.
As daylight hours reduce nationwide it is vital that pet guardians remember to make their dogs visible to other users of public spaces, whether on foot or wheels, to reduce the chances of accidents or unwanted reactivity situations.
Pet Guardians can do this by using clip-on lights, collars & harnesses or dog coats that have reflective trims on them, and by wearing head torches and / reflective trims themselves too.
Of course, a health & safety blog wouldn’t be such without reminding pet guardians to take precautions with their own safety as well. Always be vigilant and present when walking your dog, regardless of the time of year. Removing headphones / earphones so you can hear your surroundings better and putting your phone in your pocket can all help.
Be Aware:
As the weather turns wetter, windier and colder many dogs across the UK are exercised less than in previous months. Some however, especially those prone to heat related illness, actually do more exercise.
Remember that just as with humans, dogs should “warm-up” before exercise.
If you haven’t already done so following much education around them in the past year or more, please ditch the ball slinger as repetitive running (and braking, especially on slippery surfaces) is repetitive strain on your dog’s legs and can and does lead to injury.
If your dog is more sedentary during the autumn & winter months, please do keep a watch on their weight as well as their body condition. They should ideally be a 5 on the body condition chart though some vets suggest a 4-6 range is acceptable as some breeds are naturally slimmer and others are naturally stockier. Any dog of any breed and any age can gain weight rapidly in these months so it is crucial that you monitor them very closely as excess weight can lead to numerous long term health issues and again puts an increased strain on their joints.
If your dog is in this category, now is the time to look at making some smart swaps to help limit this reduced exercise period's impact on their health and wellbeing.
1. Reduce treats to an absolute bare minimum if any at all. An example of bare minimum is a small amount of Pate such as Drool or JR Pet Products for training, or lean protein training treats such as Just Ere For Treats Horse Training Treats.
2. Stop with immediate effect any store bought yoghurts or milks and switch it for Alexander's Natural or Boil & Broth Kefir Water which has an intense probiotic effect but uses water rather than milk.
3. Stop with immediate effect any root vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin etc and switch to dark leafy greens such as broccoli, kale and spinach which are much better as they do not contain the large numbers of sugars, albeit natural, that root vegetables do.
4. See our blog Help! My Dog Needs to Lose Weight for our top tips to control their weight safely.
If your dog is more active in the colder months, taking advantage of the colder temperatures can be great, but of course it is still vitally important that extra care is taken with food, as these dogs may require a small increase in their feeding regime to counteract this additional activity.
1. Keep a close check on both their weight and their body condition.
2. Consider feeding your dog (as long as they are not prone to pancreatic flare ups) fat treats such as Finer By Natures Sheep Fat cubes, if carrying out any extensive work or walks with your dog/s. You can also make your own by pushing the fat layer from homemade bone broth into moulds and freezing it.
3. Check out our blog Help! My Dog Needs to Gain Weight for more top tips on how to help your dog in this situation.
Be An Advocate
The final piece to our Autumn health & safety puzzle is possibly the most important.
As your pet's guardian, you should advocate for them with your vet so if they require it, please seek medical advice.
Every day we see pet guardians asking Facebook and other social media channels for advice regarding their pets' health.
If your dog is injured, please seek medical advice, even if it's only over the phone, and discuss options for a pain trail if needed.
If your dog is unwell, please seek medical advice, even if only on the phone, and use our blog Species Appropriate Diet: Dealing with illness.
Please do not ask any social media channels for advice in these situations, both warrant a trained medical professional’s help, RFFDMSUK are not medically trained.
Other ways you can advocate for your dog are:
1. Provide them with daily gut support in the form of Bone Broth – see our Bone Broth guide for more information.
2. Provide them with additional vitamin C in the diet, especially around stress inducing events such as if fireworks scare them or if they are a dog who part-takes in sports. Good food sources for vitamins and minerals can be found on our blog A to Z of vitamins & minerals blog. Did you know that stress can continue in the body for 3 days after a stress inducing situation? Maintain the increased vitamin C focus until the stress has fully passed
3. Provide them with good quality natural joint care support, see our blog on Joint Support for information on options to consider for this.
Winter Wellness
As winter drawers in its important we look after our dogs health & wellbeing and recognise that they can be more prone to certain conditions than they are in the warmer months.
Luckily there are simple things we can do to help support and protect our dogs even on the coldest of days.
If you don’t already give up to 10% of your dog's daily food as plant matter, or a ‘General Health’ supplement with your dog's diet, this is the time to consider it. Check out our list of Supplements with all the information to help you make an informed buying choice. Over winter it is a great idea to add in a little extra joint support too, the supplements list can be filtered to find some great options!
Rydale Clothing & HotterDog as well as others sell doggy fleeces that can help your dog to stay warm whilst also protecting them from mud slashes and even light showers.
Gut Support is absolutely vital too. Year on year we see members caught out when their normally healthy dog gets the dreaded winter gastrointestinal bug. We cover what to feed in this event to help aid recovery in our recovery guide however as a group we also recommend being prepared with either:
In the event of illness requiring medication, Four Leaf Rover Saccharomyces Boulardii is great gut support.
Local raw Honey or Manuka Honey: This can help to combat coughs and colds that even the fittest dogs can catch. We have a full guide detailing all about the amazing healing powers of these types of honey.
Soup, Broth & Kefir: Several companies sell these options and having products designed for dogs specifically is preferable of course.
A daily dose of dog safe or homemade bone broth supports the gut and whole body. Every dog can benefit from bone broth. See our bone broth guide for more information.
Kefir again has incredible probiotic qualities and can be purchased from boil and broth in water form, or Alexander's Natural in coconut water, goat milk or cow milk form.
Did you know there is even soup for dogs? The team at Alexander's Natural have designed a soup using bone broth and fermented veggies in kefir whey, giving you an option to serve chilled or gently warmed soup for your dogs!
The biggest, most important part now:
If your dog becomes unwell with diarrhoea and or vomiting, please see our blog on dealing with illness.
If they are ill, do not worry about them missing a walk. It is strongly recommended a sick dog should stay at home until they are fully recovered - at least 24 hours preferably 48 or more after symptoms end.
Walking a sick dog not only increases the chances of their recovery being slower but also risks spreading bugs further which could include old or frail dogs with lower immune systems.
ALWAYS wash your dog down after walking near gritted areas to avoid illness from the salt used.
Due to other risks, we recommend also washing or at least wiping your dog down after muddy walks or seaside trips.