- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
You love beaches. Dogs love beaches. You love being with your dogs on beaches. But as devil-may-care as a jaunt by the sea may seem, the truth is that even a leisurely romp in the sand can be fraught with danger.
A lot of local councils throughout the UK have implemented dog bans on their beaches during the summer with fines of £75 if owners breach the rules. Bans typically run from the start of May to the end of September, so it’s no surprise that many owners are dying to take their dogs out for a run around as soon as October comes.
While that sounds like an excellent idea, it’s important to check the weather conditions before hitting the beach as animals can sustain terrible ‘sandblast’ eye injuries if it’s windy. Top veterinary surgeon and founder of Vet UK, Dr Iain Booth, has warned that walking on your dog on windy beaches can cause severe irritation and inflammation of their eyes.
He says, “When the conditions are right, there is absolutely no better place to walk your dog than on the beach. It’s one of life’s true pleasures and you can understand why some dog owners are passionately against the summertime beach ban.”
He’s right, there’s something so joyful about watching your dog romp happily across the beach. It’s a beautiful sight—until he comes back pawing at his eyes. Dr Booth goes on to say that it’s important to think carefully before heading to the beach:
“It’s also vital owners see things from a dog’s eye view. You might venture onto the beach and think it’s not particularly windy. But try putting your head on the floor next to the sand and you’ll experience things from a different perspective. What typically happens is that an owner will walk their dog on the beach, and then dash to the surgery later when they realise their animal has now got really painful, bright red eyes.”
Of course this is the last thing we want our furry little friends to have to go through, and what’s more horrifying is that Dr Booth says that taking your little buddy to the beach on a windy day is “the equivalent of putting their heads into a sandblasting machine.” Crikey.
Signs your dog has an eye issue
If your dog has slightly red eyes but doesn’t seem to be in pain, you can buy a range of eye gels, ointments and sprays to protect their eyes, but if your dog comes back with his face covered in sand and you suspect he’s in pain, you should head straight to the vet. Dr Booth says to look for the following signs:
- Pawing at the face
- Red inflammation
- Big ‘eye bogies’ as the eye tries to fight the inflammation through extra lubrication
What’s the upshot?
According to Dr Booth, sand in your dog’s eyes “causes severe irritation, interferes with their tear film, and a vet will have to introduce eye drops—essentially false tears—to restore balance.”
He goes on to say “I don’t want to take away the joy of playing around on the beach, but I do think dog owners need to be better aware of the risks.”
Now that you know what the risks are, think carefully about the conditions in advance so that you can have a safe, pain-free trip to the beach. And if it’s a little windy out there, maybe a walk in the woods or a nice game of fetch in the park is in order. If you can’t hit the beach with your little buddy for whatever reason, you can find a loving sitter who offers dog boarding on Rover.com.
