What to Look out for During Autumn Walks

October 07, 2021By Maddie Martin-Binks

Fall is one of those seasons we’d safely say most look forward to. When the weather is neither too hot nor chilly, the colour of the reddish-brown leaves and the season’s harvests remind us of serenity and comfort. But let’s not forget what this brings to our closest companion. They may enjoy the cooler days, but with dip in temperatures, other undesirable factors may appear. Below we explore the common and uncommon matters that may affect our dog,

Shorter Days

With cooler weather, it is also a reminder that the days are getting shorter and colder. Some breeds with short-hair coats might get too cold without a jacket. And shorter days can mean daylight walks are now done in the dark. To keep your dog safe, consider changing your walking schedule to happen when there’s still light. If timing doesn’t work out, consider using a reflective collar, safety vest or light up gadgets that can be attached to their collar. This way there’s always visibility on your pup and you to other people, be it drivers, cyclists or pedestrians.

Beware of Antifreeze

As winter approaches, more people will be preparing their vehicles for winter, including a change in antifreeze. Pets enjoy the taste of antifreeze (especially cats) so it's important to keep antifreeze well out of their reach. Even a little amount ingested can be fatal for your pet. After walks, it’s always a good habit to clean your dog’s paws in case they might have accidentally stepped in a puddle of it. And of course keep all antifreeze clearly out of reach from your pets. If your dog ingested antifreeze, they'd be at risk of acute kidney failure or even death. Signs of antifreeze poisoning depend on the time of ingestion and worsen as the hours pass without treatment.

Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning include:

Vomiting
Depression
Seizures
Difficulty breathing
Generally appearing uncoordinated

If your dog shows any of these signs, bring them to your vet immediately.

Wild Mushrooms Season

A pile of fallen leaves is welcoming to most but with fallen leaves come an environment for cool dampness, perfect for fungi growth. Although not all wild mushrooms are toxic to consume, it is difficult to identify to harmless one from the fatal ones. To be on the safe side, keep your dog away from wild mushrooms, and any wild fruit and nuts they may find. This would mean checking your yard daily for anything growing and easily picked up by your pooch.

An effective way of teaching pooch to not pick random things off the ground outside is keeping them occupied indoors, and preferably with something to occupy them like a recreational meaty bone to chew on.

Autumn brings Flea and Tick

Fleas can carry tapeworms and other health concerns. And although we might think that the cooler temperatures kill off the fleas, fall is their peak season. Temperatures must be below -1 Degrees Celsius sustained to kill off fleas. The colder temperatures would cause these pests to seek shelter in warmer places, which could be indoors and on your dog.

To keep your dog safe, don’t cease on their flea prevention. Instead, use a flea preventative throughout the season to keep those pests away. And of course, to check between their paw pads after a walk.

That Winter Storage Body

Fall means the holiday season is about to begin. With that comes festivities and all sorts of tasty treats we humans love but should be avoided by dogs. Everyone knows dogs should avoid chocolate, but they should also avoid grapes, raisins, onions, and certain nuts.

Some nuts are toxic, and almost all nuts are high in fat. High-fat foods can lead to obesity and pancreatic issues in dogs. Never feed them if you’re unsure whether your dog can eat them.

On top of that, colder days mean a more sedentary lifestyle for both humans and pets. Shorter walks multiple times a day are possible, or you could keep their mind active with puzzle feeders.

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