Keeping Your Dog Safe in Autumn

Even Autumn has it's risks!

The temperature changes brings out both environmental changes and some human behaviour changes, plus the shorter days and holidays like Hallowe'en and Bonfire night that are often scary for dogs. Whilst we don't want to be wrapping our dogs up in bubble-wrap, and not all dogs and their owners will come across these things, here are some potential risks that might affect you.

Shorter Days and Darker Nights

Evenings are getting darker, so walking our dogs is getting riskier. Consider investing in a highly reflective lead/coat/harness or add a light up collar to your walking outfit either alongside or instead of your usual collar.  You can also buy hanging lights such as the Rogz Safety Light to clip onto existing collars. Consider your own visibility too. Does your dog walking coat have reflective trims?

A dog at night wearing a safety light

Fallen Leaves and Finding Poop

The great autumn poop hunt is never fun. Fallen leaves are not easy to search in and not always that hygienic, especially given how many dog owners seem to give up the hunt quickly 🤮 Consider adding a plastic glove to your pocket and a small torch or headtorch for those darker searches.

Collecting Autumn Treasures

Conkers and acorns are fun to collect in autumn, especially for kids, but they are toxic to dogs. If your dog is likely to pick them up, carry tasty treats to swap or teach a solid 'drop'.  A 'leave it' cue is also useful as long as you are watching closely enough to be able to say it BEFORE they pick up the contraband item. If bringing home conkers or acorns, please keep them safely out of reach of your dog.

As well as causing severe stomach upsets, conkers and acorns can also cause gastro-intestinal blockages, which can be fatal.  Some mushrooms are also toxic, so be cautious of these too.

Conkers are often found on the ground

Toxic But Essential Car Maintenance

As people prepare their cars for colder weather, you're more likely to run across leaked/spilled antifreeze, which is extremely poisonous. Stay away from suspicious leaks where cars are parked and if your dog walks through something you think might be antifreeze, wash their paws as soon as possible and prevent them from licking.

Pest Increases - Ticks, Fleas and Lungworm

Autumn is a good time to treat your dog for ticks, fleas and lungworm as the risk for these increases at this time of year. Snails and slugs commonly carry lungworm infections, so don't let your dog pick up or eat them, and check their fur if they've been out in damp conditions to make sure there are none stuck to their fur that they might accidentally eat whilst trying to remove. Speak to your vet about effective anti-parasitic prevention methods.

Many people assume fleas and ticks will be less active when the colder weather arrives, but the opposite is true. Cooling temperatures can cause dormant flea eggs inside homes to hatch and the abundance of leaf litter and dying vegetation is the perfect place for ticks to thrive. If you don't use a preventative, check your dog regularly to avoid infestation or disease.

Other Poisons to Watch Out For

Other poisons that might crop up around this time are rat/mouse poisons, as the cold weather drives them towards homes and buildings, slug/snail pellets as the damp weather brings them out, spring bulbs freshly planted and tempting to dig up and windfall fruit as any mould, pips and seeds can be toxic.

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