Delmarva Unleashed Early Summer 2016

Unleashed Complimentary

Vol. 8 Issue 3 - Early Summer 2016

Delmarva

Time to Hit the Beach!

“Marla”

Pooch Palooza Wrap -Up 1

Delmarva Unleashed

Summertime Blues Pre-Planning for Your Pet

Early Summer 2016

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contents Vol. 8 Issue 3 Early Summer 2016

6 10 22 26

Bark of the Town Pooch Palooza 2016 Pre-Planning For Your Pet Time to Hit the Beach; But What to Watch Out For

30 Managing Chewing 34 Summertime Blues

Delmarva Unleashed Publisher Sandy Phillips Editor Grammerly Creative Farin Phillips creative@grandlivingmag.com Contributing Writers Polly Elliott Nicolette Craig John Maniatty, V.M.D. Jaclyn Wolinski, D.M.V.

Advertising Info: (410)726-7334

On the Cover:

Delmarva Unleashed Canine Staff - Marla Delmarva Unleashed is published six times a year; Winter, Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Fall, and Holiday. It is circulated throughout Maryland’s Lower Shore, Mid Shore and onto Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The magazine can also be found throughout Delaware and is published by Grand Living Magazine, LLC. Delmarva Unleashed is protected under trademark registration. No portion in whole or part may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Copyright 2016©, Grand Living Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. Content in Delmarva Unleashed is intended to provide information only and is in no way meant to treat or diagnose. Always consult with a specialty professional to address your own personal needs. The company makes every effort to ensure that all information presented is correct, however, we do not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy of the information, and reliance on information provided, is solely at your own risk.

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6 1 0 2 l l a F ng i m o C “The Golden Paw”

(aka, the Best Of....in the Eastern Shore’s Dog World)

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Canine Favorite Delmarva Unleashed is often asked for referrals.

Which groomer? Which kennel? Can you recommend a vet?

Which dog food should I feed? Where can we take the dogs to eat?

It’s time to see who our readers would refer their friends and family to. Because the shore is so large, we are going to break this down by region and there will also be a few over-all categories as well. Voting will occur on our website and we will also have a ballot in the Fall issue for our readers that prefer snail mail.

Winners will be announced in the Holiday issue, just in time for your holiday, shopping, holiday grooming, holiday travel etc...

Winners will receive a decal for the door of their business indicating they are a Delmarva Unleashed readers favorite!

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Contact us to be sure your business is on the ballot!

410-726-7334 Creative@grandlivingmag.com

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Bark of the Town

Elevated Tick Threat Delaware State Dog Announced On April 21 of this year, the Delaware State House approved a bill that would make the Golden Retriever Delaware’s state dog. The process began when Kathryne Peterson’s fourth grade class, at Learning Express Academy in Newark, DE, was studying state symbols. It then evolved into letters from the students to legislators and ultimately a favorable vote that would allow the Golden to hold the title.

In 1964, Maryland lawmakers chose the Chesapeake Bay Retriever as the state dog and in 1966, the American Foxhound was chosen as Virginia’s state dog.

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According to the Cary Institute disease ecologist, Rick Ostfeld, 2016 will be a boom year for ticks. As scientist learn more and more about Borrelia burgdorferi – commonly called Lyme Disease, we know that the organisms primary source of transmission to humans and dogs is the black-legged tick. While we know there are other methods of contracting the disease, ticks remain the primary vector. The prediction for a bountiful tick population stems from 20 years of field studies, so please heed this word of caution. Check your dog regularly for both attached and crawling ticks. Past studies have indicated that ticks needed to be attached for at least 48 hours for transmission, however, that study has now been replaced by ones that indicate that transmission can take place in less than 24 hours, according to the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).

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Leptospirosis You can help prevent Leptospirosis for both you and your pet by keeping rodent problems under control. On the Eastern Shore, this includes Opossums which are much more active during the warmer months. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), rodents can carry and spread the bacteria that causes the disease. While there is a vaccination for Lepto, it does not provide 100% protection against all strains. If your pet exhibits any of the common clinical signs a trip to the vet is in order, even if they have been vaccinated. Symptoms may include the following: Fever Vomiting, Abdominal pain Diarrhea Refusal to eat Severe weakness and depression Stiffness Severe muscle pain Inability to conceive If our pet is treated for Lepto, it is imperative they finished all of their prescribed medication and that you take the necessary steps to prevent further spread to other animals in the home and human family members. Your veterinary professional will, of course, review those specifics at that time.

Heat Exhaustion

The process of perspiration helps cool the body, but unlike humans, who sweat over the entire body, dogs only sweat through the pads of their paws. This reason alone makes it even more important to NEVER leave your dog in a hot car, they are not biologically designed for it. It’s also a primary reason to be certain shade is available on hot days. Do we even have to mention the fur?

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Signs of Stress?

A "half-moon eye" or "whale eye” which is where you can see the white portion of the eyes at the corner or the rim, is a common sign of stress or anxiety in dogs.

Stanley Coren, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of British Columbia, recently evaluated 250 photos of dogs being hugged by humans and “noted stress signs such as licking and certain ear or eye positions in 81.6% of the photos.” While we know

our dogs love us, they are cursorial animals, meaning they are programed for a speedy departure when stressed.

While this may not apply to all dogs.

Coren believes that the dogs stress level may rise because the “hug” is restraining.

Summer Treats for Dogs on Special Diets Hot summer day? Even dogs on special diets can have fun summer time treats. If your dog is on canned food, simply spoon the soft food into an ice cube tray and freeze. You can even add a healthy :stick” shaped treat, like a liver chew to the center, if the dogs diet will allow. When frozen, simply pop out for your dog to enjoy. (Older dogs may appreciate a treat that is only partially frozen.)

Don’t forget, some frozen treats can pose a choking hazard so be sure to supervise your dog while he enjoys!

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Divorce?

According to the ASPCA, 29% of dogs surrendered at shelters are there as a result of a divorce. Bloomberg reports, “There's no legal framework for dealing with pet ownership in a divorce beyond the discretionary division of property, so although separating couples may battle fiercely over who keeps the pet, they often have to work it out on their own. Some mediation firms provide help with the issue, and experts urge owners to consider finances, time commitments and the well-being of the pet when planning for a split.”

Canine Travel Conveniences

Photo: Matthew McDermott

According to the New York Post, John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport recently opened a pet potty — “complete with fake grass and a red fire hydrant — in Terminal 4.”

The restroom is a single-stall bathroom which is decorated with paw prints, lined with Epoxy and includes waterproof turf. It’s already a huge hit with traveling pet parents!

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TM

P

ooch Palooza was held on Saturday, April 16 at Frontier Town Western Theme Park and Campground. The event was enjoyed by over 1400 humans and 842 canines!

Thank you all so much for coming out and celebrating your dogs! We were able to provide Worcester Animal Control with cash, toys, and food valued at approximately $1800.

We saw big dogs, little dogs, athletic dogs, fru fru dogs, you name it, and all having a great time at the event.

Dogs enjoyed participating in the contest and sports and watching while other dogs do the same. There was a canine photo booth, canine snack bar, and vendors for canine shopping.

We ran the inaugural FastFetch Cup, and finalist posted outstanding 10

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times. The title winner in the large dog category was Mylo, owned by CL Marshal of Pocomoke, MD posting the winning time of 2.28 seconds to claim the Cup. Brandywine, owned by Jeff Tetrick of Wilmington, DE, claimed Reserve Champion with a time of 2.56 seconds.

In the small dog division, Sam claimed the Champion ribbon and trophy with a time of 2.59 seconds.

Annie, with a time of 2.71 seconds, took home the Reserve title. Both dogs owned by Loretta Mattingly of Greensboro, DE. Seventy-nine dogs participated in the qualifying rounds, but only two dogs emerged on the top in each divison.

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FastFetch Cup:Large Dog Winner, Mylo FastFetch Cup:Small Dog Winner, Sam

From the FastFetch Cup...

In 2017, we will be changing the categories to include a toy division and grouping the retrievers all in one group to help level the competition.

Toy dogs will be required to run a shorter distance. Visit PoochPalooza. com for updated details on the rules, as well as dates and locations for qualifiers. Start practicing now! Dogs that posted competitive times play a great deal of fetch and times were close in many qualifiers.

Cover Model Search is always competitive and at Pooch Palooza this year 132 dogs vied for the title. As always many dogs have what it takes to grace the cover of DU, but there is only one winner and Deuce, owned by Tonya Brady of Dover DE, claimed the Delmarva Unleashed Cover for Holiday 2016.

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This year fetchaholic dreams came true when 500 tennis balls fell from the sky in a Helio Tennis Ball Drop. Inside Ocean City and Concord Pet teamed up to add a whole new level of excitement to Pooch Palooza. Once the balls were on the ground, dogs and humans were allowed to retrieve balls which offered prizes valued from 80 cents to $80.

There is even more in store for the 2017 Pooch Palooza scheduled for April 15 & 16. The first 2-day event holds many new possibilities including a canine sporting event that has never been held in the US, but is hugely popular in Europe. Mark your calendar now, so you don’t miss the fun and stay with us on Facebook at Delmarva Unleashed and PoochPalooza for updates as they are available. .

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We had two readers who participated as backup photographers at Pooch Palooza. Amanda Micciche and Brooke Brittingham did an outstanding job. Most of the images featured in this story are their work. Excellent job ladies! We look forward to including you as part of our regular team!

From the Costume Contest...

From Pie Eating...

We hope you didn’t miss the Agility Demo hosted by the Salisbury Kennel Club. Not only was an overview provided, but dogs were permitted the opportunity to try their paw at the sport.

For those pups enthused by the fun, visit SalisburyMarylandKennelClub.org to get started!

The K-9’s took center stage in the afternoon as the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department taught us about the vital role their dogs play in the community.

Skilled dogs shared their talents in everything from drug scans to suspect take-downs, in an exciting demonstration nothing less than impressive.

The Delmarva DockDogs made a splash. Both local dogs and those from as far away as Vermont competed in the day’s competition. Diving for bumpers and reaching new heights in the Extreme Vertical. The DockDogs never disappoint.

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Candids

Candids

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Cover Model Search...

Cover Model Search by Next Wave Studios

Pre-Planning for Your Pet

by Sandy Phillips

A Candid Conversation

I'm going to guess you have not

thought about making your pet's final arrangements. While we would all like to think they will be here forever, like us, they have a finite life here on Earth. If your dog has reached an advanced age or has been diagnosed with a serious illness, such as cancer, then perhaps pre-planning should be a part of the larger picture.

I recently visited and toured the Parsell Pet Crematorium, in Lewes.

I have to admit that I wasn't sure just what to expect, yet I was very impressed with what I experienced. After my visit, I can clearly see why having a plan in place has great value to both the pet and the family, at that painful time when your dog crosses the 22

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Rainbow Bridge. I have lost four dogs to this point in my life and each a little differently, three in circumstances that would have benefited greatly from pre-planning.

My very first dog as an adult, Zeke, was euthanized at approximately 14 1/2 years of age in front of a warm fire at home. It was tragic of course, and at the time, the attending veterinarian asked if he would be taking the body with him for cremation. It was the first time the word "cremation" ever really entered my thought process.

Since Zeke's health had been steadily declining we knew his time was coming and had chosen a final resting place here on our farm. Cremation?

Early Summer 2016

Euthanasia at home has become a trend and for the modern day large dog in particular. Many dogs with mobility issues are too cumbersome for one human to carry to the veterinary facility and others, like us, simply want our dogs to be at home to cross the Bridge. Zeke was a great deal of pain and taking him to the vet just seemed like a struggle we didn't want to put him through. We knew our vet offered home services for this procedure, so we had planned ahead and made the call when we knew it was time.

For many, after the pet has crossed the Bridge, answering that same question "what to do with the body" comes next. Burial at home is not always an option, and many states and counties are beginning to impose new laws that prohibit the practice to protect the drinking water. So, do you send them to the vet? If so, what happens then?

Do they have a procedure for pets after death? Are your dog's remains treated with respect? Are they just "bagged and tagged," with a Hefty and masking tape? Please note that I am not saying that is the norm, but it does happen, and you should ask exactly what happens if your pet is left there for cremation. In particular, ask how the body is identified, it's absolutely a critical component of the process. If you pick up your pet's remains at the vet, how do you know it's really your pet? That's something that was top of mind on the subject and to me, that answer key to the story.

If you have pre-planned for your dog with Parsell Pet, you will notify them when you make arrangements for the vet to come to the home, or they will, of course, discreetly retrieve your

pet’s body from the veterinary office as well. They will send a car for your dog. It will arrive with a stretcher to remove the body, and your pet will be placed in a sealed bag designed specifically for the cremation process.

(You are most welcome to send your dog in a blanket and it will stay with your dog throughout the process.

Parsell Pet is very tuned into your needs as well as those of your pet.)

The special bag is clearly labeled with both your name and the pet's name, in ink that can withstand cold temperatures without smudging. In short, your pup’s body leaves their home in a very dignified manner.

As you pick up the pieces of your heart, your family member is transported to the funeral home where the arrangements you have made are put into motion. Parsell offers private cremation which assures you that only your pet is in the urn returned to you.

The facility is an impressive one with high clinical standards of cleanliness adhered to between each cremation; all the way down to the paint brush used to whisk away any remaining debris from the crevices. Upon arrival, your pet receives a stainless id tag which follows the body throughout prep, cremation and preparation for the urn. It is then sealed with a tamper evident band for yet another added layer of confidence. Again the stainless tag is threaded within that seal.

Your dog is never without id when out of your sight.

Integrity is at the root of the service at Parsell Pet. TJ Bishop, who manages the Pet Crematory, tells me that they use the very same standards of procedure and care they use on the human side of the funeral home. They

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also clearly understand that today's dog is truly "family" and that your grief is very real. They encourage pre-planning because they understand that making choices at that difficult time makes the situation even harder.

It's much better to face it with a level of confidence in your choices. The pre-planning process is quite simple and includes the completion of one page of information and the selection of an urn. Parsell Pet will take it from there.

I know that some of you are thinking that this level of detailed, personal service must come with a huge price tag.

While I won't offer a price because you have many price point options when choosing an urn, I will tell you that the cost of this well thought out plan will cost you less than a typical vet bill.

I would encourage you to visit Parsell Pet and tour their facility. I'm confident you will leave with the same feeling that I did, knowing that having your pet's final arrangements handled by a funeral home, with a dedicated facility just for pets, will make that day just a tiny bit easier.

Share your message with over 220,000 dog people in DU!

Candid thoughts on improper labeling.

Picture the crematory employee who has six black labs to complete. Each dog is completely black, with no physically identifying marks. As he begins his preparations, each is in a bag that is poorly labeled with quickly applied masking tape. The tape has now become partially adhered to another bag during transport.

The bodies arrived as a group from an outside source, and each is labeled for a private cremation. Since all bodies are held in a cold environment to await cremation, masking tape is an inferior choice for labeling because it looses it's adhesive properties when cold. As the employee separates the bags the tape, which is partially stuck to another bag comes off and in just seconds the question arises...

Now which dog was that? It may seem very simple, but labeling is crucial if you wish to have YOUR dog returned! Ask questions!

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by John Maniatty V.M.D.

Time to Hit the Beach; But What to Look Out For I

t’s that time of year to think about hitting the beach and taking our dogs with us. The beach can be a wonderful place for them to run, swim, and play, but we need to watch for hidden hazards.

One of the concerns which you need to be aware of is washed up debris. We see horseshoe crabs, seashells, crabs, jellyfish, small rocks, dead fish, and other debris that the tide has deposited along the shoreline. Dogs by nature love to lick or pick things up and chew. Some will chew and drop; others will chew and swallow. Either can lead to an upset belly, diarrhea, and swallowing can lead to a foreign body ingestion. A "foreign body" can be one that is lodged and not moving or one that is simply slow moving. Some 26

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require surgery while others require our help to get or keep them moving.

An example of one that needs help to get and keep moving is sand.

Every summer we see dogs that have ingested enough sand that it blocks their intestinal tract, just like sand blocking a pipe. They usually present the day after going to the beach not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydrated. We will take radiographs and you will see areas in the bowel where the sand has accumulated and making a long smooth mass, sometimes in multiple areas. Treatment requires hospitalization, fluids, some type of gastrointestinal (GI) lubricant, antibiotics, serial radiographs to make sure it is moving and medication to coat the GI tract. This can be

Early Summer 2016

The song is ended, but the melody lingers on...

Irving Berlin

2001 - 2016 Cosmo

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time consuming for the veterinary staff and costly for the owner. If left untreated the situation can be life threatening.

Jellyfish in North America are not highly toxic but can create an allergic reaction.

If swallowed, they must be monitored to watch for hives or signs of the severe allergic reaction. Most dogs that eat them will either show no signs or may have one or two episodes vomiting and diarrhea.

Treatment can be something to coat the stomach, water and with hold food for the night. Contact your veterinarian to get information on what to give to coat the stomach.

Fishhooks are another hazard we see multiple times a summer. Typically they are in a lip or cheek. Occasionally we see them in the stomach. Sedation is almost always needed to allow us to remove the hook because the barbs usually are embedded and too painful to enable us to pull back or push through. Antibiotics are also needed to protect against infection.

Other hazards to watch for are lack of fresh water and shade. Dogs when thirsty will sometimes lap up the ocean or bay water and dehydrate themselves. Compound this with a hot day and no shade; you have a recipe for disaster. They can get sunburn or worse heat stroke, which can occur rapidly and be fatal. Signs of heat stroke are excessive panting, red skin, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy.

When this happens, we need to get them to shade and place a towel over them moistened with cool or room temperature water not ice water. The extreme cold of ice water will trigger shivering and cause the blood vessels to constrict. This keeps the core body temperature up. If awake and not vomiting, offer some fresh cool water. Seek medical attention immediately. Prolonged heat stroke can result in liver failure, kidney failure, brain damage,

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Continued pg. 38

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Managing Chewing

by Nicolette Craig Teething: For puppies aged between 14-28 weeks, chewing on objects helps sooth and loosens the gums around teeth, letting the ‘baby’ teeth fall out.

Exploratory Chewing: Dogs use their mouths much like humans use their hands. They pick things up, explore them and carry them about using their mouths. Chewing lets them know what something feels like, how it tastes, and whether it’s good to eat.

Calming: Chewing releases a stream of endorphins that help to calm your dog.

C

hewing is a natural behavior for dogs and shouldn’t necessarily be suppressed. However, when everything left within reach of the dog gets destroyed, it’s time to look into the cause of the destructiveness.

Why do dogs chew?

There are four main reasons why dogs chew:

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Boredom: Chewing is fun! If you have ever watched a puppy dismantle a sofa cushion or chew the corners off their dog bed, you will see that this is pretty obvious. If your dog is bored, it is far more likely to chew things.

How to stop dogs from chewing: There are some ways that you can stop your dog from chewing inappropriate things. The easiest solution is to tidy away things that you don’t want them to chew. This may seem obvious, but look around the room from your

Early Summer 2016

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dog’s physical perspective and you will discover things that you may inadvertently leave lying around; shoes, pens, reading glasses etc…are an open invitation to your dog.

Provide your dog with his chew toys and praise him when he chews on them. If you catch your pet in the act of chewing some that he shouldn’t take the item away from the dog and replace it with one of these toys. If you are consistent in this approach, your dog will quickly get the message that the “toys” are for chewing.

For things that you can’t remove such as rugs, and furniture you can either buy special sprays from your local pet supply, like a bitter apple spray, or make your own using a weak apple cider vinegar solution. These sprays taste unpleasant and bitter and discourage the dog. They will need to be frequently reapplied until the dog learns that the furniture doesn’t taste nice. Don’t cringe at the smell, properly mixed, the odor won’t linger and if it’s still an unpleasant smell for you adding a just a couple of drops of an essential oil, like lavender or lemon-grass will keep everyone happy.

Finally, and most importantly, make sure your dog has adequate exercise and that you play with them regularly.

Bored dogs chew more often simply for something to do. If you can provide your dog a long walk in the morning and play with them regularly in the afternoon, they are far less likely to chew things as they will be too busy napping to get into destructive behaviors.

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by Stephen Frolich

I

Summertime Blues

f the first few weeks of June haven't already convinced you, this summer will be extremely hot and humid. When it’s this hot, any responsible dog owner knows the dangers of leaving an animal in the car. But are you just as aware of the other possible dangers summer heat can cause? So when you pack up Fido for the next outdoor adventure in the sun, sand, and surf, keep in mind these other possible heat-related health issues.

Funny as it may sound, dogs are able to get a severe sunburn just like you.

Many people don't realize that a dog's skin is thinner than ours. We have 20 epidermal layers while they only have seven, which can cause a sunburn to happen much faster. As a rule of thumb, if YOU can see your dog's skin through the fur, then so can the sun's harmful UVA and UVB rays. Applying a sunscreen to the nose and the skin can make 34

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all the difference in preventing possible skin cancer melanomas later in life.

Take special care to remember to apply sunscreen on the extra thin skin of the stomach/belly of your dog. UV rays can do more damage scorching your pup's underside, when they radiate upward off the ground from light surfaces, such as a sandy beach or pool deck. Sunscreens made by Epi-Pet are best because they are the only FDA compliant broad spectrum spray approved for dogs, and is equivalent to an SPF 30+. It absorbs immediately into the skin and has a pleasant vanilla scent. However, in desperate pinches, a human grade sunscreen equivalent will also work, because some level of protection is better than none.

A “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is nothing compared to paws on a pavement. We don't often consider the dangers and pain on our dog's feet, when we walk them

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out to the car or across a parking lot, or onto the patio in the summer months.

When temperatures are in the 90's, and the sun has been beating down for hours, the surface temperature of that parking lot can jump into the triple digits; hot enough to inflict painful first-degree burns to your pup's paws!

Recognizing signs of your dog's distress is a great way to avoid a painful experience. Refusal to walk or go out on normal sidewalk routes, subtle limping, rapid shifts of weight and pulling to the shade or grassy sections, are all indications that your dog is walking on a hot griddle. Licking of the feet afterwards may be your dog's best attempt to cool and soothe the pain. Look for redness and cracks between the pads, and remember, if you can't walk on the surface without flip flops, then your dog shouldn’t be walking there either.

Another very common summer health issue is beach diarrhea, caused by nothing more than your dog drinking salt water as he swims or inadvertently swallows as he fetches that beloved ball bobbing in the surf.

Salt water has the same affect on your pet's system as it does on you. The extra salinity causes an osmotic affect that literally pulls water out of the body tissues to help balance the extra salt in the digestive system. This extra water turns into….well, you guessed it…diarrhea.

Coupled with the accumulation of sand that has covered your pet’s favorite ball, you have all the ingredients for stomach irritation distress. If you see your dog lapping at the waves, that should be a signal it's time to take a drink break.

There are no excuses for not being able to provide your dog with an adequate quantity of fresh water to combat these symptoms. Many big-box stores or small boutiques are filled with a vast selection

of no spill bowls, electrolyte supplements (yes, Gatorade for dogs), and travel containers. H204K9 makes wonderful stainless steel travel bottles which clip right to a belt or sling over your shoulder, incorporating a drinking bowl right into the lid, making it easy for your dog to naturally lap up. The opening is wide enough to throw in ice cubes, and since these travel bottles are not plastic, they are PCB free, reducing the potential of ingesting cancer-causing chemicals.

Best of all, they are completely reusable, thus reducing the waste of plastic water bottles.

Whether you are just visiting the Eastern Shore, or you are fortunate enough to live here year round, a little awareness and caring of owners can help their dogs remain safe and comfortable all summer. It goes without saying that keeping your pet home on those oppressively hot days, in an air conditioned home with plenty of water, is best. But if you should venture out remember; if it will cause you to go "Ouch! Ouch!, Ouch," then it will probably hurt your beloved pet as well.

Pooch Palooza 2017 April 15 & 16 Frontier Town, Berlin, MD

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“The bond with a dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be."

- Konrad Lorenz

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Continued from pg. 26 Time to Hit the Beach: But What to Watch Out For

pen Now O s! ay Saturd

Worcester County Animal Control

and gastrointestinal tissue damage.

Some times these conditions do not show up immediately, monitoring urine output and doing blood tests immediately and then repeating in 2-3 days is necessary. Once a dog has had heat stroke, if they survive, they are more prone to future episodes.

Another hazard that is unassuming are insects. The local state parks with beaches have horse flies, dog and cat fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and sand fleas, which is a misnomer because they are not fleas or arthropods, but crustaceans that live in sandy soil.

The horse fly, mosquito, and sand flea do not live on the dog; unlike the dog flea, cat flea, and tick, but all will bite.

This can lead to severe itching and pyro traumatic Dermatitis (Hot Spots).

Some dogs will get a severe allergic reaction and develop hives or severe tissue swelling. When hives or severe swelling occur seek immediate veterinary attention. Ticks can carry several different diseases, some that can be fatal. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm.

It is important to stay up to date on your flea, tick control, and heartworm prevention before going to the beach.

The beach is a fun place and knowing what to watch for with regards to your dog, can keep it that way.

ENJOY!

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