What a total cutie! Great expression!

Do NOT let your little buddy swim in ponds, lakes, etc. Gators love dog and can snatch them up much quicker than you or the dog can respond.
Snakes can be an issue if your dog goes after them, but most snakes here are not poisonous.
Fleas can be a problem as can heartworm. Best to use meds or drops to prevent these problems. We've been here 11 years and haven't had a bad flea year yet.
Pavement can get hot enough to burn your feet and your dog's. Allow him to walk on the grass and let him toughen up slowly. Many of us have dogs and many of us have come here from out of state.
I don't know what you are talking about with the virus in Cocoa... parvo? something else?

Kate (proudly owned by 2 Shelties)

I don't know about the virus. Fleas will be a battle...my dog is on flea meds and still we find the occasional flea on her. As for snakes and poisonous frogs/toads, the best advice is to never leave your dog outside unattended. I have been training my dog not to mess with anything outside. There are many plants you can grow down here that can also be toxic to your dog. As for the heat....we do not walk our dog in the summer time...we have an english bulldog which has problems breathing normally....we let her outside in our fenced in backyard under supervision to do her business and then right back in she goes. As for the water...on cooler days we bought her a little pool which she plays in and we have taken her to dog parks with a lake and she swam for a bit...no problems with the water...not sure what you are concerned about. With my dog I have to be careful because if she falls in water she can't get out...I did have to rescue her once when she chased a rabbit. Again the best advice is to not leave your dog out unattended. When I first moved to florida (don't laugh) but I used to take her out at night with a big stick in my hand to chase away anything I thought could hurt her like posums...up north I never worried...down here I was scared...but I have since learned that its not that bad. A few general rules ...If its too hot for you..its too hot for your dog...as much as they may like to play in the sun its not good...at least with my breed of choice. Ice cubes make great treats for those hot summer days :-) teach your dog the leave it command and you should be fine.

I'm a Florida native, and under no circumstances would I ever let a dog of mine swim in a Florida lake. Kate is right. It's not worth the risk to me. I would be much more concerned about that than any venomous snakes, unless you are living in a rural area. MOST urban snakes are not likely to be a problem. That doesn't mean dogs are never bitten by venomous snakes, just that it doesn't happen as a daily occurence around the state, especially not in urban areas.

Kate, this year the fleas are so bad that even Advantage isn't working for my dogs. It only lasts about 2 weeks, and then we have to start spraying. My vet says it is the worst season they've seen in nearly 20 years. You are lucky if you aren't having a problem. But all years aren't that bad. Most of the time, a topical flea treatment is all you need, and often only during the summer.

The advice given above is all good. You absolutely must keep your dogs on heartworm meds and some sort of good flea protection. But after that, it's mostly the same thing you would do anywhere. Never leave your dog in a hot car, never leave them shut outside on a day like this past weekend, and make sure they always have plenty of water, etc. It's common sense stuff.

Get yourself in with a good vet and ask for their guidance as a newcomer to Florida. They will give you plenty of advice on keeping your dog safe.

Yes, we have some animals here you don't always encounter in all other states (like our alligators) but again, it's just common sense. Just know that any body of water in Florida can have gators in it big enough to attack a dog, and don't expose your dog to that possible threat. And just because you don't SEE an alligator in a nearby pond doesn't mean there's not one there. (Try checking it out at night by shining a light across the water, and you will probably be amazed at the red eyes shining back at you.)

Sounds scary, but believe me, thousands of people in Florida have dogs who live long, happy lives without incident. I'm sure yours will, too.

Marcia

Your dog is darling!!! I don't blame you for wanting to be sure it will be safe!

Marcia

OMG...I never even thought about alligators...probably because I don't live near a lake or pond or any body of water other than a canal down the street which I would not let her in anyway...we let our dog go into the poond at the dog park where tons of other dogs were swimming...do you guys think that was unsafe? She does not go in deep as she's not the best swimmer....but now you guys have me worried...should I take her to dog parks without ponds?

That's a good question about dog parks...
Honestly, I would evaluate each one on it's own merits. If it's a body of water not entirely surrounded by dog park fencing then I don't think I would allow it. If it's a small pond completely enclosed AND other dogs are already swimming then I guess it would be OK. Again, why risk it?

Probably the old adage holds true in this case as well: you don't have to be faster than the lion, only faster than the slowest gazelle. So if there's a slower, fatter dog in the same pond your dog will probably be OK! (Ok, I know that was bad so you all don't need to post how horrible I am. LOL).

Thanks all for the tips!

I already have him on heartworm & use the the drops along his back for fleas. Is there a better name brand than another? Surprised that you only need to do it in summer down there, good to know otherwise I would be doing it all year.

So nobody has heard of that virus? GOOD! If it was prevalent you would all have heard about it so I'm not going to worry. I was just wondering if I needed him to get a shot before getting there.

Kate (proudly owned by 2 Shelties), LOL! Great breed! I had one growing up & they are such good dogs. He never needed to be on a leash. Thanks for the tip on his feet adjusting slowly. It's comforting knowing he will eventually adapt. I visited AZ a few yrs ago & saw all the dogs walking around with booties & visors. Quite comical actually. Wasn't sure if I needed to get him booties & not really sure if he would like that so much.

I know my guy is Mr. Investigator & will sniff, chase & go after anything that makes him curious. I don't think I will ever be able to have him off of a leash, even in the backyard. He loves to play as you can tell in the pic, so that will be very difficult on leash. He listens very good EXCEPT in those situations where he wants to investigate, it's like he loses his head & becomes super focused on that one thing. I've been working on that here to no avail. He is White Shepherd/Pointer & wish he didn't have any Pointer in him at all. I think that is where the investigating comes in.

Poisonous frogs/toads?! Looks like I'm in for more research to enable me to ID those too!

The only plant that I've ever seen him eat is grass so I'm pretty confident he won't eat anything poisonous. He could have a smorgasbord in my yard & have never even seen him slightly interested. I think he visualizes them more as pee targets than food. I was successful in training him to pee in the middle of the yard, still needs to lift the leg though.

I do have a little pool for him & the only way I can get him in it is if I get in myself. I wish he would use it more than a big water dish.

The dog parks sound great! I think that would be one place I could have him off leash. He would be more interested in the other dogs than hunting. I hope there will be one near me. I would assume that pond would have to be safe.

Trini, I'm guessing a pond inside a fenced in dog park probably wouldn't be a problem, especially if lots of dogs use it daily. But me...I'd still worry. Gators can climb fences, believe it or not, and I once saw a picture of one about 7' long or so actually getting OVER a chain link fence to try to get to the dog on the other side. Now, lala, this is an exception...the house was on a lake, I believe, where there were a lot of gators seen regularly. This doesn't happen on a regular basis in normal housing areas with fenced yards, so please don't panic. I'm just saying that a pond in a park, even a doggie park, might not be 100% gator proof all the time. So...once again, it's use your best judgement for the situation at hand before making a decision.

Personally, I don't like lake water on me or my dogs. It always has little critters in it, and algae, and can have a high bacteria count. So, I'd prefer my dogs swim in pools. Except being dachshunds, they don't particularly like to swim, so it's no problem keeping them out of the water. (Some dachshunds swim well enough to enjoy it, but as a breed, they aren't built right for it...legs way too short for the body length and weight).

The poisonous toads are exotic cane toads which have invaded south Florida. They aren't found in great numbers throughout the entire state, but depending on where you might be locating, would be something you would want to keep an eye out for. You'll know if people have had trouble with them in your area.

Some people DO keep their dogs on flea meds all year long. I just don't like to do it if we aren't having a problem, so I usually wait until I see fleas starting to show up, and then I treat them monthly until the weather cools down. That's just my own choice. I have used Advantage for years with good results, but this year, not so much so. I'm thinking of switching to an internal pill (like Confortis) to see if it is better. I'm having more trouble with them than usual. The dogs don't seem to mind, and the Advantage does kill them, eventually. But I have one cat who is highly allergic to flea bites and if a live flea comes in on the dogs and bites HER before it dies from the Advantage, we have a big vet bill to deal with shortly thereafter. So I like to keep those fleas GONE, and as I say, this year, Advantage isn't working as well as it has in the past.

Lala, mostly the dangers for dogs in Florida are about what they are anywhere else. A dog can eat a poisonous plant or get bitten by a venomous snake anywhere in the country. With the exceptions of alligators and some exotic toads, it's mostly a matter of knowing what the dangers might be in YOUR neighborhood...busy street with dangerous traffic, wooded areas close by that might harbor a rattlesnake or two, disturbed people who seem to enjoy targeting animals, toxic plants in the garden, fleas, ticks and heartworms...in other words, the usual suspects. Being a responsible pet owner always means looking out for inherent dangers in your home or yard, so it won't feel that much different down here, honest.

When are you planning to move? Do you know where you will be yet?

Marcia

Thanks Marcia!

My better judgement says to NEVER EVER let him swim anywhere. Hopefully I will buy a home with a pool that he can easily get in & out of.

If the only poisonous toads are in south FL, I should be OK. I'm moving to St. Pete Beach. I have a friend there that I will be moving in with until I find a place of my own. I'm planning to move as soon as I can sell my house, ideally this fall. I think it would be an easy transition for weather, although we are experiencing that kind of hot here lately. Up to 92 today.

I will take your guidance on the flea meds. I can see how it so important for you to keep fleas at bay!

I found a great website for dog parks! I see a quite a few in the area I will be moving to. One is near a lake, I may just stay away from that one! It is fenced in, but after hearing the story of the climbing alligator, NOT! As solstice98 would put it, he is faster than the slowest gazelle, but wonder if he would even know to run?

Here is a link that might be useful: Dog Park USA

I bring my dogs to the Ponce Inlet Dog Beach to swim sometimes. You do have to have them on a leash, but they seem to enjoy the ocean. You should have some dog beaches in your area too. We don't go for walks in the summer, unless it's early morning or late evening. I just let them in the backyard to play.

Good questions lala .
I keep my 4 dogs on heartworm/flea combo pills ( called Sentinel ) for all 12 months . Since they are ranch dogs - fleas and ticks are always a concern .
This Spring was THE worst season for fleas ! I switched to Comfortis and Heartguard and could not believe the difference ! Comfortis really , really works well .
Best thing you can do is find a Vet Clinic you personally like . Word of mouth is the best advertising so ask around . With proper vaccinations , your dog can live a healthy life and you can relax about airborne viruses or other canine health concerns .
I would never , ever walk a dog on the road or sidewalks this time of year . Doesn't matter how much their feet have " toughened up " . Put your hand down sometime and see how long you can leave it on a hot black parking lot . Grass is fine but even sand can burn in this heat .
When in doubt , err on the side of caution for your pet's safety .

Kate..unfortunately my dog is the fattest and slowest dog in any park :-) She would make a very yummy treat for a gator. I think I will not be going back to that dog park...there were lots of dogs swimming but MY dog and her bulldog friends were swimming away from the other dogs...on a side with enough vegetation for a gator to hide.

I have tried Frontline and advantage as well for the fleas. The vet actually said it seems as if the fleas get immune to it. When I am through with my current supply I may switch to comfortis as well. I also keep my dog on Interceptor for heartworms..and we keep her on the meds year round.

In Brevard County, one of our pet shelters had to be closed because of some sort of virus outbreak. I can't recall which one. That is probably what the dogs in Cocoa were exposed to.

Canine distemper caused the shelters to close in a few counties
I believe it is preventable with up-to-date vaccination?

I think you are right Olya. I'm sure there is a vaccine for distemper, and your vet should include it in the dog's yearly shots. And your new vet will also be able to tell exactly what problems they see in your area, so that will give you some professional guidance.

I'm glad to hear that you like Comfortis, gatormom. I read that Sentinel does not kill fleas. It "sterilizes" them. So you don't get them reproducing, but it doesn't kill the ones that are biting the animal. Man, THAT wouldn't work for me at all. My dogs are on Heartguard already, so I think I will try the Comfortis this month. I need all the help I can get!

Lala, I can't swear that there are no cane toads in St. Pete, but my sense of it is, the biggest problem is definitely farther south, and the chances of you having one show up in your yard there are probably much lower. You won't miss them, if you do...apparently they are approximately the size and girth of a volleyball! (haha) Okay, maybe not quite, but they ARE really big. If you see a giant toad, do not let your dog near them. They excrete poison through their skin, I think. A lick could be very, very bad.

I will bet that in general, your concerns for your dog won't be that much different in St. Pete than they are where you are now. You have to adjust for the heat (105 heat index this weekend...unBELIEVABLE!) of course, and make sure your dog has protection from that. Yes, I'd avoid the sidewalks and pavement in the summer. Grass will be better. Don't go swimming in the lakes with them (YOU are definitely slower than a gazelle, I'm sure!) and just use your good common sense. I think you'll be fine.

Marcia

Try this when you first give your dog Comfortis :
Have the dog stand or lie down on a light colored towel or blanket . In less than 30 minutes you will see dark specks of flea bodies --- DEAD flea bodies !! -- against the light colored surface . Simply amazing .
In 4 hours all fleas and eggs are dead and any new ones are killed . The active ingredient is Imacloprid and lasts for 30 days .
Sentinel normally works well and this is the first time I have had to switch products . When we get through the summer , I will return to using Sentinel .
Comfortis is more expensive but SO worth the extra cost .
Too bad there is no similar product for cats .

Lalalandwi, I live in St Pete and as far as I know there are not any cane toads here.

Fleas are the only thing in my yard that have been a problem for my current dog (West Highland Terrier), or my previous dog (Corgi). I don't know if the Westie tastes sweeter or if the fleas have been worse in the past two years, but they never really bothered my Corgi too much. With the Westie the fleas have been a constant battle.

There are lots of feral cats and possums here, and the dog loves to chase them. A fenced yard is a must if you want to let him out without a leash.

The only snakes I've ever seen in my yard have been harmless ones (black racers and ringnecked snakes).

St Pete Beach is an island and is completely urbanized with no undeveloped land except for the dunes and beach, so you probably don't have to worry about poisonous critters there.

Ft DeSoto Park is close to St Pete Beach and has a great dog park/dog beach where your dog can swim. There's no risk of gators because it is salt water, where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico.

John

John- funny you should say that about the gators preferring freshwater over saltwater. I'm a native and I know that is the general rule but my husband likes to windsurf and has seen gators in the river. If I'm not mistaken, that is saltwater. I have attached a link to a news story that happened just this past weekend when I took my children to the beach. As a footnote, I have no pets, but I do not let my kids swim in the lakes or the ocean. Too risky when I have a pool in the backyard. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Croc/Gator at the beach

The river is either fresh or brackish near the mouth. (Brackish being part fresh, part salt, where the two "waters" meet.) That area will often have critters that like salt water mingling with critters that like fresh water, since it is a mixture of both. I have seen sharks and alligators both in brackish water. Of course, the gators get more and more plentiful as you go farther downstream, away from the brackish parts and into the fresh, where the sharks don't usually follow.

Gators will, on occasion, head out on a beach, but not often. (I've seen this behavior on Sanibel Island). And when they do, they are usually just moving from one area to another via the shoreline. They definitely prefer to make their home in fresh water.

The American crocodile prefers salty water, but will also frequent brackish river areas, and once in awhile a bit of fresh water. Just opposite of the alligator.

I saw the footage of the croc on the news, and several people said they ID'd it as a croc...but the footage I saw definitely looked more like a gator to me. Then I heard that a gator had been seen near the croc, and both had been in the surf. So I'm thinking the footage might have been of the gator instead of the actual crocodile. (It looked very dark, where crocs are lighter tan, and the head looked rounded instead of pointed.) Of course, with the waves washing over its head, it was hard to tell, but the head looked much more like a gator than a crocodile to my old eyes.

I'm not saying there wasn't a croc there, but just that the particular film I saw didn't look like one. Satellite Beach is pretty far north for them, so I'm wondering what it was doing in that area. They are much more frequently seen in the Everglades and the very southern tip of the state. I'd love to see a better picture or footage of this one. Maybe even footage of the two animals near each other for comparison.

Either one would chase me out of the surf, but as a rule, the doggie beaches at the ocean are safe in the shallow areas. Me, I don't personally go swimming in any area that isn't enclosed in turquoise concrete! That's my rule, and I'm stickin' TO it!! *grin*

Marcia

Make that "further UPSTREAM", meaning away from the mouth emptying into the ocean, and towards the headwaters, or start of the river, farthest away from the ocean.

Marcia

Marcia, I will have to totally agree with you. When I saw the footage on tv it was definitely a gator. I had looked it up online later to see why they called it a croc and saw the part about there being two of them. Perhaps they just threw that in there so they wouldn't look so silly for calling it a croc to begin with. I agree with you about swimming. My husband and I have had our share of disagreements over the whole thing about letting the kids swim in the ocean and lakes. I stand my ground though. :-)

Thank you, Joyful. I kept hearing croc, croc, croc, and I was just sure I was looking at a gator, gator, gator! But I started doubting myself as some of the people interviewed were so sure it was a crocodile. (Of course, they weren't identified as being any experts, so I don't know for sure that they knew the difference.)

Because we do have crocs in south Florida, and they are making a surprising comeback after nearly being wiped out, it IS possible that there was one which ended up this far north. But I don't think it was the one they were showing on the news. If there were actually a croc AND a gator, I think the film footage I saw was the gator. That bulbous round nose and dark color just doesn't say "croc" to me. I keep checking the videos on You Tube, etc, to see if I can find one that actually shows a croc, but not so far.

I wish there were more photos and films from the event. I would have liked to see it if the croc was actually there. That would have been very interesting.

If I wasn't concerned about anything else, I would be concerned about that deadly bacteria in our lakes when the weather is this warm. And parasites. I let my kids swim in clear, cold springs that were closed off from the rest of the river (and river critters), but not lakes. And I discouraged swimming in the ocean, in most cases, for many reasons. When you've been in Flordia as many years as I have, you see some pretty scary things, even in knee deep waves. (I saw a very large shark once, trapped in a tide pool with only 2 feet of water in it. When the tide went out, it was stuck. And it finally slithered on it's side across the sandbar to get back to deeper water.

I've also seen aerial shots of our beaches full of people, and all these sharks swimming near them that show up clearly from the air. I know shark attacks are rare, in the grand scheme of things, but I just couldn't bring myself to expose my children to that risk. (Or myself.)

I have snorkled in the Keys, but I confess to having to check the area out carefully first, and I'm only comfortable when I can see for miles in every direction. And even that was years ago. I don't do it any more.

My kids are grown now and do what they want, of course, but neither is fond of getting too carried away in the ocean. Splashing in the surf is about it for us, I'm afraid. I love to be ON the water in a boat or canoe, but not IN it.
*shiver*

Marcia

Marcia

This is great advice. I'll get him started on Comfortis when we go to the vet next month. He will be updated on all shots & renew his prescription for heartworm as well. Thanks to all of you, he will be ready for the move!

Thanks John for putting my mind at ease as to what I can expect in St. Pete. I love the idea of taking him to Fort De Soto! The only problem I see is the discrimination of large dogs vs. small dogs! He loves playing with small dogs too! I wasn't sure about ocean water as an option because of sting rays. I know the chances of sharks in the gulf are lower because of the warmer water so that wasn't bothering me so much. It looks like a great place for me to take him & have a feeling we'll be regular visitors :).

lalalandwi,

I too live in St. Petersburg and have two Siamese cats and a Pomeranian dog. I have the best vet in the county and he is not very far from St. Pete Beach. His name is Wyatt Authement at Gulf Animal Hospital in South Pasadena. The phone number there is 727-343-6696. My best friend is a vet and lives in Tampa and she concurs that he is the best vet around. If you want more information please contact me privately.

Elaine

lalalandwi, they have separate fenced-in areas behind the beach for big dogs/small dogs, but out on the beach it is open to all dogs. It is fun to see the little dogs playing with the big dogs and vice versa. We take our dog down there just about every weekend and there's always a good crowd of well-behaved dogs there.

As far as sting rays vs sharks, I'm more concerned with sharks. And I have been stung by a sting ray before -- not pleasant! I've never seen a shark at that beach, but I'm sure they're around. The only marine life I've seen there are dolphins (just about every visit) and an occasional manatee.

John