It is nothing new to go out for a walk on the weekend, get some fresh air, and taking our dogs with us is even nicer. Veterinarian Carlos Ortega gives us some tips to do a mountain hike with your furry friend without putting at risk their health.
Before starting the walk with your pet, it is very important to ensure that the pet is in an optimal state of health that allows it to endure the exercise, on the other hand we must be sure our pet has to deworm and vaccines up to date, avoiding this can cause them to catch some disease since it’s a new environment.
So once we know that we have the above, we must:
1 – Ensure that our pet has good body condition that allows them to endure the exercise of a walk in the mountains, also endure slopes, mud, cross rivers, raffle stones and slopes.
2- Once on the mountain it is important to keep our pet well hydrated, just like us. For this, it is necessary to carry enough water with us and to be offering them every so often. Do not forget to bring some type of bowl or portable cup that allows them to drink well.
3- If the walk lasts more than four hours, you should offer the pet a few snacks, so they don’t lose their energy.
4- Protection against fleas and ticks is essential. For this reason, we can use the different products that exist in the market, such as necklaces, tablets, etc.
5- You should always wear an ID tag and collar, even better If it contains the name of the pet, owner and phone numbers at least.
6- The use of the strap is also very useful, especially if we are introducing them to this type of activity, so when we want to protect them from any danger we can keep them close to us.
7- Know our pets, to identify if they are tired or not or if they are not having a good time. Therefore, we should not demand more than they can bear, in case there are signs of fatigue: you do not look happy, you are left behind during the walk, limping, excessive panting. This is avoided by taking periodic breaks every so often and taking advantage of them for rehydration.
8- Do not forget to protect them from the sun with some sunscreen if they have sensitive parts and when they are exposed to long periods of sun and heat it is good to spill water on the back and head to avoid heatstroke.
9- Always carry with us a first aid kit, for emergencies, where we find: bandages, gauze for cleaning wounds, antihistamines, analgesics. All recommended by your veterinarian, to protect them in case of any cut, blow or trauma suffered by the pet.
10 – Finally and most importantly, have a good time with your pet, play, interact, and enjoy a lot of that time, create a master-pet bond that only you will understand.
Take a hike!
