Vaccinating Your Dog this Summer? Here’s Why You Should

Summer is one of the best times of year for dogs. It’s a time that’s meant for running around and frolicking in the warm sun, spending time at the beach, and going on fun trips! But when it comes to health, it can also be a dangerous time for doggies, which means vaccinating your dog and preparing for all the other seasonal threats should be at the forefront of your mind.

Are you and your doggy ready for a fun, safe summer? Here’s why you need to make sure all your dog’s vaccinations and medications are up to date before em-BARK-ing on the next big adventure.

Vaccinating Your Dog for Travel

You’ve planned a vacation to your favorite destination, and you’re lucky enough to be able to bring sparky along for the ride. That’s great! We hope you have a fantastic time together! But you should be aware that traveling to exotic (and not-so-exotic) locales can expose your dog to new risks. Vaccinating your dog against these risks can help prevent your dream vacation from becoming a dog health nightmare.

When you travel to new environments, your dog becomes a strange visitor in other animals’ territory. These animals may feel threatened just by your dog’s presence, and when wild (or even domesticated, free-roaming) animals feel threatened, they may be more inclined to try to bite your dog. You can prepare yourself for these encounters by familiarizing yourself with the types of animals that inhabit your destination, but the only way to protect your dog from diseases like rabies is to vaccinate before you go. If you are traveling far, you may also want to consider the need for permits. For example, if you are traveling to the Bahamas, you might benefit from checking out Wellington at Bahamas Pet Permit Service. But there are other things you must consider such as diseases.

Lyme disease is another danger that your dog can encounter when out and about in the wild. Applying medication for ticks can prevent ticks from attaching themselves to your dog in the first place. But did you know you can vaccinate against this disease? Ask a veterinarian if vaccination is the best option for you.

Vaccinating Your Dog for Boarding

Sometimes, you just can’t take your dog with you when you go out of town. If you decide to board your dog for the duration of your vacation, even though they won’t be exposed to the risks they would encounter in a new place, you should still make sure they are up to date on their vaccines. In fact, you should only put your dog in the care of a boarding facility that requires vaccinations (Doggies Gone Wild is one of them).

The reason that places like Doggies Gone Wild do this is to keep your doggy safe. When your dog is going crazy and having fun with all the other dogs, they’re also being exposed to things like the H3N2 virus, which causes canine influenza. While many dogs only display mild symptoms from the virus, others can become seriously ill and require medical attention if they contract it. Vaccinating your dog and maintaining your dog’s vaccination schedule is the best way to prevent that from happening.

Other Ways to Keep Your Dog Healthy this Summer

While keeping your dog up to date on his vaccines is an important step to take every year, there are other ways you can keep him healthy this summer. For instance, heartworm is a year-long concern, though your dog’s chances of being infected increase in the summer when mosquitos, which transmit the parasite through their bites, are most active. You can prevent your dog from getting heartworm with some simple preventive medicine.

You should also be sure to keep your dog away from stagnant water if you plan to visit subtropical and tropical regions. Pools, puddles, and mud often contain bacteria that can cause kidney and liver failure in dogs.

Is Fido protected this summer? Doggies Gone Wild can help make sure your dog has a happy, healthy summer. We’ve partnered with Fetch My Vet and now offer vaccinations. Talk to us today about vaccinating your dog!