Beach Days: Sand, Salt and Paw Care

Hot sand burns

Beach sand in a South African summer regularly exceeds the temperature at which paw pads burn. The rule is simple: press the back of your hand to the sand for seven seconds. If you cannot hold it, your dog should not walk on it.

Burned pads look red or dark, may blister, and the dog will limp or repeatedly lift its feet. Cool the paws with cool water and see a vet — pad burns become infected readily.

Walk early or late. Most pet-friendly beaches on the Cape and KZN coasts have restricted hours anyway, and those hours are usually the cool ones.

Salt water

A dog that drinks sea water while retrieving takes in a large salt load. Small amounts cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Larger amounts cause salt toxicity, which is a genuine emergency with tremors and seizures.

Bring fresh water and offer it often. A dog that is not thirsty is far less likely to drink from the sea.

Rinse the coat with fresh water afterwards. Dried salt irritates skin, and dogs lick it off and ingest it.

After the beach

• Rinse thoroughly, including between the toes and under the tail
• Dry properly — damp coat plus warm air is how hot spots start
• Dry the ears with a vet-recommended drying solution, not a cotton bud
• Check between the toes for grass seeds, thorns and shell fragments
• Check for ticks, which are common in coastal dune vegetation

Grass seeds and devil thorns

The dune grass and verges along most South African beach access paths produce seeds and thorns that lodge between the toes and burrow.

A seed that has migrated causes a swelling and a discharging tract days later, and often needs surgical removal.

Check feet every time. Ten seconds of looking prevents a R2,000 procedure.

Who should skip it

Flat-faced breeds in the heat, dogs with poor recall near currents, and dogs that cannot swim — which includes many Bulldogs and Pugs.

Rip currents on the South African coast take dogs as readily as people, and owners drown going in after them. Keep dogs on lead where the water is not calm.