Are you and your pet outdoor enthusiasts?  We encourage you to spend time outdoors with
your pet, but remember to be careful of infectious diseases from improperly
cooked food, insect bites, and contaminated water.  Here are a few safety tips to help make sure
you and your pet are healthy.

• Start Healthy – Avoid camping or
  hiking if you or your pet are feeling ill. 
  People and animals are both more prone to disease if their immune
  systems are weak.
• Get Vaccines – Make sure your pets
  are up-to-date on their vaccines, especially rabies.
• Use Preventative Medication –
  Consider using preventative treatments for your pet, such as heartworm
  prevention for dogs and cats.
• Prepare First Aid – Make sure you
  are well versed in first aid techniques for both yourself and your pet.
• Watch for Ticks – Humans and dogs
  are especially vulnerable to tick-borne diseases.  Prevent tick bites by applying tick-control
  treatments, limiting access to tick-infested areas, and checking your pet
  frequently for ticks.

By taking preventative steps, you can avoid various
diseases and keep your pets healthy.  When
you keep safety in mind, you can prevent tick-borne diseases like anaplasmosis
and babesiosis, diseases caused by parasites like camplybacteriosis and
cryptosporisiosis.  Read more about the
different diseases pet owners need to watch out for on the AVMA
website.