How to care for your pet's skin and ears during summer

Summer can be a great time to bond with your pets but higher temperatures also mean higher risks - more injuries, and more skin and ear infections! Make summer more manageable for your furry companions by learning how to care for their skin and ears during these warmer months! As you know, prevention is always better than cure!

Protect their paws and noses

Paws and snouts often take a knock during summer. Walking your dog when the ground is too hot can cause great, painful damage to their precious paws, so try and take them for walks in the cool early mornings or evenings. If you're unsure whether it's too hot for them, press your hand to the pavement - if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for your pet's paws!

Another concern is your dog or cat's nose. They can easily become sunburnt, so make sure they're protected from the sun's harmful UV rays at all times! Remember, they're at risk of skin cancer, too!

Tip: Keep their paws and noses protected and moisturised with this natural Snout & Paw Balm. Reduce their risk of skin cancer with a moisturising and high protection SPF30+ natural sun screen for dogs and cats.

Avoid sunburn

Pets get sunburns too, especially the short-haired or light-haired breeds. Just like with people, it hurts and can even lead to skin cancer! If your pet spends time out in the sun, apply sunscreen every 3-4 hours, focusing especially on the exposed areas such as bellies, ears, and nose. Also make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun!

Tip: Use only sunscreens made specifically for pets. Also make sure the sunscreen you use is non-toxic so that if your pet licks it off, it will not be harmful to their system. 

Prevent flea, tick and bug bites

In summer, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects are practically everywhere! Once those little parasites start making themselves comfortable on your pets and in your home, it's not only bothersome for the fur babies, but for the entire family! The common method to get rid of fleas and ticks is to buy synthetic topical flea and tick treatments. While these products do successfully control the flea and tick problem, they also contain harmful chemicals which may not be best for your pet's, or your family's health.

Make sure you take precautionary measures to avoid infestations, and if these pests start making a nuisance of themselves, know that there are various natural, healthy methods of flea and tick treatments.

Tip: Use a non-toxic pet-friendly insect-repellent especially when taking your pets outside, on hikes, etc. Vondi's Khakibos Flea & Tick Spray is ideal for dogs and can also be used safely for cats, however, some kitties do not like being sprayed. If your feline is one of them, rather use Vondi's Flea Repellant Powder for fussy felines! Vondi’s Khakibos Flea and Tick Shampoo is also a natural pet wash that will help to get rid of unwanted fleas and ticks AND keep your dog clean at the same time!

Don't shave your pet

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to shave their coats in summer! When we get our pets shaved, we think we're doing them a favour, but actually we're taking away their natural, biological cooling system which leads to discomfort, overheating, skin irritation and other dangers like sunburn or skin cancer.

You might think shaving your dog a cat for the summer is the best solution to overheating. But a pet's coat is naturally designed to keep it cool during the summer and warm in the winter.

Avoid ear infections

Summer is ear infection season for dogs especially. Swimmer's Ear (also known as otitis externa) is an infection in the outer ear canal. It's often caused by water that gets trapped in the ear after swimming, creating a moist environment that aids bacterial growth. Pets are more prone to getting Swimmer's Ear in summer when heat and humidity can fuel the growth of the bacteria and fungi in the ear.

Dogs are especially prone to getting ear infections in summer as they typically enjoy swimming and splashing around. Dogs also need more baths in summer, which can also contribute to ear infections.

Tip: Ear infections can be prevented by drying your pet's ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing. Silverlab Sport Swimmer's Ear Drops contains natural anti-inflammatory and healing properties for the relief and prevention of Swimmer's Ear. Natural Ear Cleanser can be used on a regular basis to keep the ears clean, smelling nice and prevent future infections. For active ear infections, Feelgood Pet's Ear Dr  relieves infections, pain, inflammation and itching of the ears.

Manage seasonal allergies and itchy skin

The reactions animals have to allergens are slightly different from those of humans. Itchy skin and recurrent ear infections are the most common signs of seasonal allergies in pets, but they may also experience red, swollen eyes, a clear, runny nose and fits of sneezing. Summer is a common time of year for pets to develop allergies as there is more pollen in the summer, and moulds thrive in warm, damp environments.

Tip: AllergiClear Pets acts as a natural antihistamine and reduces and prevents the symptoms of allergic dermatitis, flea bite dermatitis or inhaled allergens such as grass or pollen. AllergiClear Pets is often recommended along with Allergy Itch Ease, a homeopathic remedy for acute itching in pets. You can also relieve your pet’s itchy skin by giving him regular baths to wash the allergens off his skin and coat. Use a natural shampoo to treat allergic or sensitive skin. Foot soaks will also offer your furry pal much needed relief and will help to reduce the amount of allergens he brings into the house. 

Let’s make summer fun for everyone with these natural summer pet care tips!

If you have any questions, please contact our team or leave a comment below for FREE pet health advice. We always love hearing from you!