Every dog owner knows how much their furry friends love to go out on a walk.

Just the word ‘walk’ will make them jump up on their paws, run to the door, and cry at it until you get up and take them outside.

And, as much fun and healthy as walks are, they are not always that simple, especially when it comes to the weather outside. 

Even though the summertime has its downsides, going on a walk during the winter is especially challenging. 

Let’s Go Out For A Walk 

Amy Fitzgerald is the proud owner of Alfie, a Wirehaired Vizsla with floppy ears. She absolutely loves this dog to pieces and makes sure he has everything he needs to lead a healthy and happy life. 

This includes going on frequent walks. However, since this pup loves playing with water, getting him dried off when he comes home can be a bit difficult. 

“Alfie needs lots of exercise, rain or shine. He will still try to find water to go in, even when it’s cold outside. I was drying him as best I could, but due to his floppy ears, water was getting trapped inside,” Fitzgerald said. 

One day, Amy noticed that her pup started acting a bit weird. He began shaking his head uncontrollably, scratching his ears, and whining in pain. 

Upon further inspection, she found out that his ears appeared to be red and swollen with an unpleasant odor coming out of them. 

Without hesitation, she packed her things and swiftly drove him to the vet’s office for a much-needed checkup. 

At The Vet

After his medical evaluations, the vet informed Amy that her pup had a quite aggressive bacterial infection caused by trapped moisture inside his big, floppy ears.

Ultimately, the infection became so bad that it took Amy and Alfie multiple vet visits, medications, and treatments to clear it up.

Learning from her mistakes, Amy decided to warn other dog owners of how important it is to dry their furry friends after having a wet walk. 

“I wanted to share this as such cost can be avoidable if you pay close attention to these things as the weather changes. Also, I was left with these bills as my insurance didn’t cover the cost so when you’re insuring your dog, pay attention to what counts as a pre-existing condition and hopefully others can avoid this and not have to spend nearly $1,290 on your dog’s ears!” she said in an interview. 

So, as much as it’s funny to watch your dog roll around in a puddle, if you don’t take care of them afterward, you can place them in terrible danger. 

The second you walk into your home, make sure to get them nice and dry before letting them enjoy their evening. The same goes after bath time, too!

It’s such a simple thing to do but it will mean so much to both you and your pup!

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Source: Los Angeles Times (edited)