Camping Safety Tips for Pet Owners

Is there anything better than gazing up at the star-studded night sky with your furry pal curled up beside you by the campfire? We don’t think so. Camping with your pet is a great way to enjoy fun adventures together, but you need to keep your four-legged friend safe. Follow our team’s camping tips to ensure your pet’s safety.

#1: Perform a tent trial run before camping with your pet

If this is your first camping trip with your pet, let them get accustomed to the tent by doing a trial run in your backyard. Set up your tent and let your furry pal sniff, lick, and walk around inside it to become accustomed to its scent, texture, and noises. Do not force your pet to enter the tent, but reward them for being brave and exploring on their own.

#2: Ensure your pet is visible

No electricity leads to poor visibility at night, especially if your pet has dark fur. Ensure your furry pal is easy to spot by using a reflective collar or harness at night, or by purchasing an LED collar for them to wear.

When hiking during the day, make your pet highly visible with the aid of neon colors. A bright orange collar or vest can help you find your furry companion if they wander off.

#3: Study up on pet first aid

When camping, your four-legged friend can tumble down a hill, run across a thorn, or encounter a nest of stinging insects. If you’re in remote wilderness, you need to be proficient in pet first aid to stabilize your pet’s condition so you can head to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital for treatment.

#4: Schedule a veterinary visit

Before pitching a tent at your campsite, ensure your pet is ready for a wilderness experience. Vaccinations against leptospirosis—a disease transmitted via wildlife urine—and Lyme disease—a tick-borne illness—may be recommended in addition to your pet’s core vaccines. Protection against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes is also necessary, so stock up on parasite prevention before heading out.

Whether your pet needs urgent care after getting tangled in thorny brush or requires updated vaccinations and parasite prevention before your outdoor adventure, our team is here for you. Give us a call to schedule an appointment.