THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605240228
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 34 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JACK DEMPSEY
LENGTH: 66 lines
Of all the pets that visitors bring on vacation, dogs get sick or hurt most often. That makes life unpleasant for the animals and tarnishes their owners' vacations.
Local veterinarians Dr. Amy Campbell and Dr. Barry Welch say many of these ills are entirely avoidable.
Simply not letting Rover run loose will prevent most of the frequent and serious problems he can encounter.
For instance, dogs love to sniff and poke strange, creepy-crawly creatures. This may result in snakebites, usually to the face or on the front legs.
Since your dog can't describe his woes, look for swelling, purple discoloration and pain. Seek professional attention if you suspect a bite.
Unrestrained exploration also increases the likelihood of nasty encounters with fishhooks, wasp nests, burrs, wild mammals and other marauding dogs.
Canines also love to romp through underbrush where ticks wait patiently for their next blood meal.
Many ticks here carry the organisms for Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and erlichia.
Both dogs and man can contract these diseases. Removing ticks protects the health of both the pet and the people he may share his ticks with.
Frequent inspection and removal of ticks is recommended, since it takes about six hours for one to infect a pet or man. If you see any physical or behavioral changes in a pet after removing an embedded tick, seek professional attention for antibiotic treatment.
The beach isn't the healthiest place for free-running dogs, either. Drinking salt water, for example, causes vomiting, to the dismay of nearby bathers.
Also, dogs find well-rotted morsels of food too delectable to pass up. This may produce vomiting and diarrhea, again to the dismay of nearby bathers. Rover's not enthralled with it, either.
The beach's unique contribution to canine discomfort is the sprained tail. Although most dogs are excellent swimmers, rough surf frequently dumps them harshly on their posteriors.
The tail acts as a rudder during swimming. In a tense, extended position, it may be severely sprained by an unexpected dump. Anti-inflammatory medication is a compassionate solution for very uncomfortable pets.
Most importantly, free-running dogs are never far from traffic. Campbell and Welch say too many pets are killed by cars each summer.
Although not allowing dogs to run loose prevents many of these problems, restraining them also introduces some risks.
Dogs are quite good at sensing dehydration and overheating. They will automatically seek shade and water when they need to.
So if you tie your dog up, make sure water and shade are readily available to him. Then check him frequently; there are many cases of dogs knocking the water container over and dying in a couple of hours.
There are also too many cases of dogs dying in hot cars parked in full sun with partially cracked windows. If you return to your car and find your pet in distress, hose him down immediately or pour water over him. Seek help if recovery is delayed.
Finally, Outer Banks residents should advise incoming visitors to start their dogs on heartworm preventive medication. A large proportion of the mosquitoes here carry the heartworm organism.
Also share this good news with them: There hasn't been a confirmed case of rabies here since 1993. MEMO: Jack Dempsey has a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins
University and has published two books on health care. His columns are
based on interviews with area health care providers. by CNB