Ridgelines & Below: Keeping Your Dog Safe and His Tail Wagging!

by Dr. Jennifer Lesser, DVM

First appearing in 4 Legs and a Tail, Fall 2014 Issue

Moosilauke, Cube, Cardigan and Smart’s Mountain trails. Footfalls on rocks and trodden earth, birds chattering, breeze blowing. Is your dog your most loyal and frequent hiking partner? Our community is rich with routes that navigate open ridge lines and narrow lush paths. Our dogs love them as much as we do! This article serves to review safety tips in keeping your dog safe, as well as to outline components of a solid canine first aid kit.

Before leaving the house, consider the needs of your companion.

Exercise tolerance: are they up for a 12 mile day on the trail or do they become winded after 2 miles? Also, does your friend have age limitations? Are they a growing puppy that requires caution of mileage that’s added to those growing joints? Is your dog becoming a bit arthritic? I recommend giving pain medications to many of our patients before and after the trip if they are subject to joint pain.

Pedicures and Haircuts: Another great precaution is to trim toenails before the hike (be careful - not too short!) to keep them from getting caught and tearing on the trail. Long haired breeds - consider a summer hair cut to avoid mats and burr accumulation, reduce the potential for “hot spots” and to aid in cooling. I generally do not recommend hair cuts for Arctic breeds as the regrowth is often terrible.

Food: If the trip requires food for you it likely requires food for your buddy. Bring their food or share some of your own; do not share trail mix that has either raisins or chocolate as both are toxic to dogs.

Water: Dogs pant! To maintain hydration and aid thermoregulation, please carry water for your dog as many natural water sources are unpredictable in volume and in safety. I love the collapsable water bowls by Ruffwear.

Consider the season: Summer has added concern for heat and humidity. Hunting season: your dog should wear a bright orange vest.

Wildlife: Keep an eye for porcupines and skunks. We share our woods with bears though there are generally very few close dog interactions.

Disease: Also, be sure to protect against the unseen dangers of Lyme and Leptospirosis diseases; vaccines are available. Lyme is spread by ticks; Leptospirosis is spread via wildlife urine and may be found in free standing water. Both infections may cause serious, sometimes life threatening, disease.

Almost nothing can ruin a day afield as much as an injured or sick dog companion. Following the precautions above work well to keep your dog happy and safe. As additional protection for lengthy trips (half day to many weeks), I recommend carrying a canine first aid kit. We have kits prepared for our wilderness inclined clients, complete with instruction, as the materials are only as effective as the medical provider. Also some commercial kits are available that may be modified per your needs. Our list details the recommended components to keep your canine friend safe: