First Aid for Your Pet During the Rainy Season

We break down three common ailments for pets during the rainy season and how to properly treat them.

“Huwag kang magpapabasa sa ulan!” 

“Hala, maambunan ka!” 

When it’s time for the rainy season, we’re often told to be more careful––that it’s easier to get sick when it rains. But what about our pets? Are they more prone to getting sick during this time of the year? In this article, we break down three common ailments for pets during the rainy season and how to properly treat them. 

 

1. Garbage Gut

Garbage Gut is a bacterial stomach infection that occurs when dogs ingest trash.

 

First aid: 

 

If your dog ingested something noncorrosive, try giving them highly digestible food that is high in fiber. Examples would be boiled deboned chicken, boiled deboned fish, boiled mashed pumpkin. If your fur baby vomits, monitor and watch out for dehydration. With vomiting, do not give food for at least four hours after and water should be offered not forced. 

If your dog ingested something corrosive like a small battery, do not induce vomiting. Instead of the corrosive material staying in one area, vomiting can bring that damage to other areas of your pet’s body. Call your veterinarian and take your pet to the clinic.

 

2. Toad poisoning 

Toad poisoning (or toxicity) occurs when a dog is exposed to the toxins secreted by certain species of toads

 

First aid: 

If your dog licks a frog, the frog’s poison glands come into contact with your dog’s gums. The urgent action is to immediately wash your dog’s mouth. Don’t use a hose or running water. Use a piece of damp cloth/face towel and put a little soap. Wipe the tongue, gums, roof of the mouth, then rinse and repeat. Do that cycle repeatedly for five minutes.

 

A dog doesn’t necessarily have to bite a frog to contract toad poisoning. Even the frog touching or coming into contact with the dog’s mouth and eyes is a red flag. After washing the mouth, proceed to wash your dog’s face.

 

3. Leptospirosis 

This comes from ingestion of food or water that was contaminated by rat’s pee. 

First aid:

Leptospirosis is only diagnosed by a test kit. Your vet will need to confine your dog and have them take antibiotics. If you have more than one dog, even the other dogs that test negative will be given antibiotics.

Prevention:

1. Wash your dog’s water bowl

Contaminated bowls are the main root of leptospirosis cases. Trivia fact: your cats are actually safe and do not contract leptospirosis. 

2. Update your dog’s 5-in-1 vaccine

Have more questions about prevention and first aid? Join our Vet Chats with Doc Jaline every Tuesday and Saturday night at 7-8PM! 

 

Share on: