I saw this story on the ABC site. Must be Karma, because I am off to Bondi Junction to buy my dog a pair of sunglasses. He loves sitting in the sun. He is white with a couple of brown patches. Black nose but is pink around his eyes. Only way to protect his eyes / skin is sunglasses
Vet shares advice on how to keep your pet healthy over warmer months
ABC RADIO HOBARTBy Georgie Burgess
Posted about 5hrs ago
Vets often see an influx of pet skin issues during the warmer months. (Supplied: Brooke Van Nooten)
Summer is the perfect time to be out and about with your pet, but it also means interactions with snakes, grass seeds, insects and the sun.
Like humans, dogs feel the heat, and and can suffer from insect bites during the warmer months.
Insect bites and skin irritations
Veterinarian Melinda Salter said her practice at Southern Beaches in Tasmania received an influx of pet skin issues over summer.
"Allergies tend to be a lot more prevalent over summer, with more flowers, dust and pollen around," she said.
Summer brings more mosquitos, fleas and ticks, as well as grass seeds. (Reuters: Natasha-Marie Brown)
"That can overstimulate the immune system of the dog, and they end up with bacteria and fungi overgrowing on the skin and end up itchy or infected and get stuck in an itch-scratch cycle."
Mosquito bites can cause allergic reactions and flea numbers increase in warmer weather.
"It's not just the bite being annoying, but the saliva of the fleas or mosquito, and some animals have an excessive immune response to that."
But managing the skin irritation doesn't always mean a trip to the vet. Dr Salter said bathing the area in cold water could provide relief.
