10 springtime pet care tips

When your pet is out playing in the garden, supervise them as best you can. If they’re stung, we recommend contacting your vet to have them checked over.

Know your poisonous plants

Plants such as lilies and daffodils can be poisonous to dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. Do you have them in your garden?

Keep your lawn tidy

Watch out for rocks, stones, gravel or dry patches of soil in your garden. If you use lawn feeders of fertilizers, read the labels carefully and don’t let your pet out into the garden until it’s safe to do so. If you store products like slug pellets, antifreeze or herbicides in your shed, make sure it’s securely locked and your dog can’t get to it.

Try not to feed lawnmower clippings to your rabbit/guinea pig as a foreign body might have mixed up with it.

How hot is too hot?

Extremely hot weather increases the risk of dehydration or heatstroke. Always make sure your pet has access to shade and clean drinking water. Consider bringing them indoors during the mid-afternoon when the sun is highest.

Stay one step ahead of parasites

Nasty fleas will also be more prevalent during the spring. Along with staying up to date with their preventative treatment, you can protect your dog or cat by washing their paws thoroughly after an outside adventure.

Ticks like to linger in long grass, so arm yourself with a specialist tick remover – just in case.

How to check your dog for fleas and ticks: watch now!

Clean responsibly

Be sure not to leave any of these lying around when you’re spring cleaning:

• Creams and lotions
• Shampoo or shower products
• Medications (ibuprofen in particular)
• Perfumes/sprays
• Toys or accessories
• Bleach
• Paint/paint stripper
• Plughole unblockers

Keep your tasty treats to yourself

Many popular human snacks are toxic to pets! Store foods such as chocolate and grapes well away from your pets, and take care while you’re eating them.

Is your pet fully vaccinated?

Your dog will be out on longer walks, your cat will be off on their own adventures, both will be encountering more animals than they do in the winter so it’s important to stop the spread of nasty diseases by making sure they’re up to date with their vaccinations.

And microchipped?

Microchipping has been a legal requirement for dogs since 2016 and vets will recommend microchipping cats too – the process is quick, painless and dramatically increases your chance of finding your pet if they wander off a little too far.

Keep your eyes open

Pets are full of surprises – it’s what we love about them! In public places, you might see rabbits, squirrels, birds or other people’s pets – stay alert at all times and think about popping your dog back on the lead if they get too excited.

Need more info?

If you need further advice on springtime pet care, have a chat with your local vet.

Find your nearest vet using our Find a Vet page, or speak to a vet online using Online Vets.