Last Updated on 7 months by Dr. Shannon Barrett
Beach, swimming and waves, oh my! That sounds like a great summer for you, but what about your dog? Luckily, these are all activities that you can both enjoy as long as appropriate precautions are taken.
Taking your dog to the beach can be one of the best parts of summer for you and your furry friend. Letting them go for a swim is a great way to keep cool and get exercise. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for dogs prone to joint issues. It allows for low impact exercise while building muscle strength around their hips.
Although swimming provides great exercise and a good way to cool off, it can lead to skin problems such as ear infections and “hot spots” on their skin.
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Best Overall Ear Cleaner
To help reduce their risk ear infections, ensure you clean your dogs’ ears after swimming. Wet ears serve as a perfect breeding ground for infection and a good ear cleaner will help dry them.
I find that many owners try to clean ears by using ear medications from a previous prescription, not an actual cleaner. Medications don’t clean the ears and can lead to resistant infections so if your doggie plans to swim, make sure you have a good ear cleaner at the ready! We like Epiotic Advanced Ear Cleaner.
Since wet skin can also lead to increased skin infections such as hot spots, make sure you rinse and dry your dog well after swimming. One way to keep your dog’s skin clean is to dilute your favorite dog shampoo and keep the bottle handy so you can give Fido a quick bath after swimming.
Best Gentle Shampoo and Conditioner for your Dog
We like a gentle shampoo such as this Aloe and Oatmeal Shampoo.
Since frequent swimming can dry out their skin, we always recommend following their shampoo with the Aloe and Oatmeal Conditioner. It helps keep their coat moisturized and imparts and very slight coconut scent. Nothing smells more like summer than coconut scented dogs!
Here’s to the start of a great summer filled with dry ears and happy paws.
Dr. Shannon Barrett brings an exceptional blend of academic excellence and professional expertise to the world of veterinary medicine. With a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences, where she graduated with honors, and dual Bachelor degrees in Biological Sciences and Psychology, her depth of knowledge is extensive. A member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Barrett's insights and contributions to pet health have been featured in leading publications such as Rover, MarketWatch, and Newsweek.
