Best Vacations with Dogs

When you’re planning your summer vacation, consider bringing your dog along as your traveling companion. This gives your dog a chance to get out of the house and explore new surroundings, and it offers both of you an opportunity to bond. What kind of vacations can you take with your dog? Keep the following dog-friendly vacation ideas in mind while you’re making your travel plans.

Camping Trips

If you enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, camping trips are a wonderful vacation idea with your dog. Whether you want to rough it and stay in a tent or rent a camper, look for campgrounds that allow dogs. Keep in mind that you should make sure that your dog’s ID tags and microchip information are up-to-date in case she runs off. During your camping trip, you and your dog can hike along nature trails in the area or hang out by the water if you’re near a lake.

Staycations

You don’t necessarily need to go away for a vacation. If you prefer staying at home this summer, you can still have an exciting vacation with your dog. While planning your staycation, look around for local places that are dog-friendly, especially if you’ve never been to them before. Visit local parks and attractions that allow dogs, and plan on having a meal at restaurants in the area that are dog-friendly. This kind of vacation can help you find new places to visit on a more regular basis with your dog.

Road Trips

If you don’t have a particular destination in mind, or if you have family or friends in another state or part of the country, consider doing a road trip with your dog. Road trips offer a chance to see new places or visit loved ones who live far away. If you plan a road trip, make sure your dog is on a leash whenever you stop to rest. You should also plan on making frequent stops, and bring a portable water bottle or dish for your dog. Look for dog-friendly hotels along your route if you’ll be spending more than a day on the road.

Dog-Friendly Destinations

If you plan on going somewhere you’ve never been to for your vacation, choose a place that offers a lot of dog-friendly options. Find hotels or other accommodations that are pet-friendly, and look for tourist attractions and local businesses, such as shops and restaurants, that allow dogs. Whether you travel to a different city or head to a pet-friendly beach for your vacation, make sure that your dog has plenty of things to do in order to prevent boredom or anxiety. Make a list of local animal hospitals and veterinarians as well in case there’s an emergency.

When you can’t bring your dog with you on vacation, dog boarding is a great option. DoGone Fun offers a clean and safe environment with caring staff members. While you’re away, we can take care of your dog for you, and your dog can have hours of fun playing with other pups. Contact us to learn more about our dog boarding services in the Chicago area.

This article was previously published at: https://www.dogonefunchicago.com/dog-boarding/best-vacations-with-dogs/

The Nasty Little Worms Your Dog Can Get

Worms are an unpleasant and potentially serious health problem for dogs. When your dog is around other dogs, such as at the local park or at a boarding or day care facility, there’s a risk of being exposed to contagious worms. Knowing more about these worms and how to protect your pup is important, especially if you plan on bringing your dog to facilities or places where he’ll be around many other dogs.

Heartworms

Heartworms are worms that can cause life-threatening complications in dogs. These worms are spread through mosquito bites. When mosquitoes carrying heartworm larvae bite dogs, these larvae can enter their bloodstream. They end up spreading to the heart and other areas and live up to seven years inside dogs.

Heartworm infections don’t cause noticeable symptoms in the early stages, but they can lead to heart failure and other damage to major organs over time. You can protect your dog from heartworm by using a heartworm preventative product. Some of these products offer protection against other types of worms as well, such as hookworms.

Hookworms

Hookworms are contagious worms that can cause fatal infections, especially in puppies. These worms can cause a wide range of symptoms, such as diarrhea with blood in it, decreased appetite, dark stool and coughing due to worms in the lungs. Some dogs with a hookworm infection also have pale coloring in their lips and nostrils.

Dogs with these infections need to undergo treatment. Any dogs that are around them, such as other pets in the house, need to be treated as a precaution. Vets can test for hookworms and provide treatment if needed. You won’t see hookworms, since they’re very small, but your vet can test your dog’s fecal matter for them.

Roundworms

Roundworm infections can affect puppies, adult dogs and even people. One type of roundworm, which commonly occurs in puppies, is the kind that can infect people. Roundworms are intestinal worms that can cause diarrhea, vomiting and other symptoms in dogs. Puppies can get these worms from drinking infected milk from their mother. Adult dogs can get them by ingesting contaminated soil or other items.

Vets can test fecal matter for roundworms and provide medication that treats these infections. You can prevent roundworms by using a heartworm preventative that also protects against these worms.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are worms found in fleas. Dogs can get these worms when fleas are around either indoors or outdoors. Tapeworm infections might cause no symptoms, but they can cause diarrhea, appetite changes and other symptoms in more severe cases.

Your vet can check for tapeworms in your dog’s fecal matter. Treatment for these infections includes medication that eliminates them from the intestinal tract. Using flea control products can help lower your dog’s risk of tapeworm infections.

Whipworms

Whipworms are worms that can live in a dog’s large intestine for several years. These worms don’t always cause symptoms in dogs, but some can cause weight loss, anemia, diarrhea and other symptoms.

Cleaning up dog feces right away is an important part of preventing whipworms from spreading. Whipworm infection treatment involves medication that kills these worms. Certain heartworm preventatives protect dogs from whipworms.

At DoGone Fun, we have certain requirements for dogs that board or visit for day care. These requirements, which include a fecal test, are meant to protect dogs from catching worms and other health problems. Owners must show proof that a fecal test done within the past 12 months was negative for parasites. Please contact us for more details on our requirements for dog day care and dog boarding at our facility.

This article was originally published at https://www.dogonefunchicago.com/owning-a-dog/the-nasty-little-worms-your-dog-can-get/

Yeast Dermatitis: What Your Dog Groomers Should Know

Yeast dermatitis is a skin condition that can cause itching, redness and other symptoms. While this condition is common and treatable, it can lead to more serious problems if it’s not handled correctly. Your vet can provide you with the treatment your dog needs. If you have your dog professionally groomed, keep in mind that dog groomers can also play a role in helping her recover and maintain healthy skin. Learn more about yeast dermatitis in dogs.

Causes of Yeast Dermatitis

The fungus that causes yeast dermatitis normally lives on a dog’s skin. However, it can cause problems when it grows abnormally. Dogs can end up with yeast dermatitis if they develop oily skin due to allergies or other causes. This condition can also occur in dogs that have an immune problem that makes it harder to fight off these infections. Other causes of yeast dermatitis include taking medication that affects the immune system, which can result in chronic yeast infections.

Yeast dermatitis is not a contagious skin condition, so your dog won’t get it from other dogs. Certain breeds have a higher risk of having this condition, including Llasa apsos, dachshunds, chihuahuas, basset hounds and cocker spaniels.

Symptoms of Yeast Dermatitis

When dogs have yeast dermatitis, they usually end up having red, itchy skin. They might also have scaly or flaky areas of skin and a musty odor. Other symptoms that can occur with this condition include darkly pigmented skin in certain areas or thickened skin. Some dogs develop chronic ear infections when they have yeast dermatitis.

Treatment for Yeast Dermatitis

Your vet can diagnose yeast dermatitis and discuss treatment options with you. Diagnosing this condition involves taking a sample of skin for analysis. Depending on how severe this condition is, different types of treatment are offered. Topical treatments that are applied to the skin through medicated shampoo are typically used as part of treatment. These shampoos help destroy the fungus that causes yeast dermatitis. Oral treatment is used for more severe or chronic yeast dermatitis.

Grooming and Yeast Dermatitis

You can follow the treatment guidelines that your vet gives you at home to make sure that your dog’s skin improves. However, professional groomers can help out as well. Groomers should know how to bathe and groom dogs that have yeast dermatitis so that the condition doesn’t get worse. It’s also important to handle the skin gently to lower the risk of developing secondary bacterial skin infections due to open sores.

Keep in mind that once your dog has recovered from yeast dermatitis, regular grooming with a professional groomer can help reduce the risk of getting this skin condition again. With routine grooming, dog groomers can help your dog’s skin stay healthy and prevent it from becoming oily, reducing the risk of yeast dermatitis.

If your dog needs a bath, haircut or other grooming services, contact DoGone Fun. We offer a wide range of dog grooming services to help your dog look and feel healthy, including medicated shampoo or other special treatment shampoos if needed.

This article was previously published at: https://www.dogonefunchicago.com/dog-grooming/yeast-dermatitis-what-your-dog-groomers-should-know/