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Keeping Your Maltese Safe
Overview
There are many aspects to taking good care of your dog. A careful eye must be paid to a Maltese puppy, although even older dogs can get into trouble. There will be many elements to be aware of regarding your pet:
- Eating foods that they digestive systems cannot handle
- Swallowing non-food items
- Chewing on dangerous objects
- An attack from another, perhaps larger dog
- A female dog in heat in danger from male dogs
- Weather conditions that cause health issues
Almost everyone is familiar with the knowledge that dogs must not eat chocolate; however there are many other foods that one may be quiet surprised to learn that dogs can have severe reactions to. Part of pet care is keeping your dog away from foods that they may think smell delicious but are in fact a huge no-no for your dog! Many of the following foods can cause major health problems to your beloved pet:
- The seeds of almost every fruit
- The core of fruits, especially apples
- Raisins
- Coffee or any food or drink with caffeine
- Mushrooms
- Onions
The Maltese breed is a naturally curious dog; even if you think your pet would never think to ingest non-food substances, it does happen. Keep detergents, soaps, cleaners, anti-freeze and any non-food liquids out of reach. If your dog is snooping around and a fluid spills over, all it takes is a couple of laps and your dog could become ill at best and die at worst.
The Symptoms
If your dog ingests a human food that acts as a toxin in their body or a non-food item the first symptoms will be diarrhea, vomiting and sometimes weakness. If action is not taken, the dog may suffer convulsions and become unconscious. If the dose is strong, the dog may then slip into a coma and death will be the outcome in some cases. If you believe that your Maltese did indeed eat or drink something that they should not have, rush your dog to an animal hospital. If the drive would be more than 10 minutes, you should attempt to find the substance that was ingested and follow the same directions that apply to humans in case of accidental ingestion.
The Symptoms
If your dog ingests a human food that acts as a toxin in their body or a non-food item the first symptoms will be diarrhea, vomiting and sometimes weakness. If action is not taken, the dog may suffer convulsions and become unconscious. If the dose is strong, the dog may then slip into a coma and death will be the outcome in some cases. If you believe that your Maltese did indeed eat or drink something that they should not have, rush your dog to an animal hospital. If the drive would be more than 10 minutes, you should attempt to find the substance that was ingested and follow the same directions that apply to humans in case of accidental ingestion.
Your Home
While it may not hit the headlines in the news each day, dogs are injured at home often. Anything that can harm a small child can do the same to your pet. For example, a dog can fall out of a high window by leaning against the screens or they can get electrocuted by chewing on electrical cords. "Baby" proof your home for your Maltese.
See Chewing & Teething
Learn how to help your
Maltese with these issues
Other Dogs
While there is not a valid reason to be overly concerned about an attack from another dog, care should be taken when walking your dog. When walking your Maltese, keep an eye out for larger dogs. Always have your Maltese on a leash. If a larger, aggressive dog approaches or you spot a loose dog, it may be wise to keep your distance. The biggest threat from other dogs will be in the event that you have a female dog in heat. Believe it or not, male dogs will smell your female from as much as 3 miles (4.82 kilometers) away. Any un-neutered male dogs that are roaming free will do their best to find their way to your home. Beware if you bring your female Maltese outside to eliminate; a bit of blood will be mixed in with the urine and will leave an invisible "sign" to stray male dogs to come running. It is recommended to limit outside activities while your dog is in heat.
Weather Conditions
The Maltese breed is very sensitive to outdoor weather conditions. For this reason, not only is this dog an inside dog, care must be taken when venturing outside. Outside exercise is very important; however this is a breed that is very vulnerable to temperature and precipitation. Ideally, the best outside environment for the Maltese dog is a dry and warm day, with temperatures between 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.77 Celsius) and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23.88 degrees Celsius). While you can certainly take your Maltese outside on days that are not this perfect, time should be limited. On days with ideal conditions, a Maltese can spend hours outside (with their owner) and on days that are damp or cold, your dog should not be exposed for more than 20 minutes.
What happens if a Maltese dog gets wet or cold? This breed can get wet of course, and will do so during bath time! However, the Maltese breed can experience the chills and have trouble regulating body temperature if they are cold and wet for an extended time.
See Chewing & Teething
Learn how to help your
Maltese with these issues
Other Dogs
While there is not a valid reason to be overly concerned about an attack from another dog, care should be taken when walking your dog. When walking your Maltese, keep an eye out for larger dogs. Always have your Maltese on a leash. If a larger, aggressive dog approaches or you spot a loose dog, it may be wise to keep your distance. The biggest threat from other dogs will be in the event that you have a female dog in heat. Believe it or not, male dogs will smell your female from as much as 3 miles (4.82 kilometers) away. Any un-neutered male dogs that are roaming free will do their best to find their way to your home. Beware if you bring your female Maltese outside to eliminate; a bit of blood will be mixed in with the urine and will leave an invisible "sign" to stray male dogs to come running. It is recommended to limit outside activities while your dog is in heat.
Weather Conditions
The Maltese breed is very sensitive to outdoor weather conditions. For this reason, not only is this dog an inside dog, care must be taken when venturing outside. Outside exercise is very important; however this is a breed that is very vulnerable to temperature and precipitation. Ideally, the best outside environment for the Maltese dog is a dry and warm day, with temperatures between 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.77 Celsius) and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23.88 degrees Celsius). While you can certainly take your Maltese outside on days that are not this perfect, time should be limited. On days with ideal conditions, a Maltese can spend hours outside (with their owner) and on days that are damp or cold, your dog should not be exposed for more than 20 minutes.
What happens if a Maltese dog gets wet or cold? This breed can get wet of course, and will do so during bath time! However, the Maltese breed can experience the chills and have trouble regulating body temperature if they are cold and wet for an extended time.
