A vet has warned dog owners about the dangers of going on windy winter walks as it could blind dogs.
As the mornings and evenings start to get lighter and the temperatures lift, dog owners are tempted to walk their pets on the glorious seafronts but as the UK prepares to be battered by another storm Corrie this weekend, a vet has issued a firm warning over avoiding the sandy locations when it's windy.
It comes after pet owners were warned against walking their dogs following a mystery illness.
Vets are warning that beaches, seafronts, and other sandy locations could present a serious danger to dogs in stormy weather as gusts of sand being whipped up in windy conditions are so dangerous to dogs eyesight that it could even leave your beloved pet blinded.
Unlike humans, dogs have nothing to protect their eyes from sandstorms, and are also much closer to the sand being kicked up from the ground.
The fast-moving sand can permanently scratch their eyeballs, leaving lasting damage if left untreated.
A spokesman for pet care website Vet UK told the Telegraph that owners should check weather forecasts and go somewhere more sheltered or stick to a pebbled beach if strong winds are predicted.
"When the conditions are right, there is absolutely no better place to walk your dog than on the beach. It's one of life's true pleasures.
"Yet it's also vital owners see things from a dog's eye view. You might venture on to the beach and think it's not particularly windy – but try putting your head on the floor next to the sand and you'll experience things from a different perspective.
"It can be a really shocking and scary situation for both pets and owners. On a windy day you're doing the equivalent of putting their heads into a sand-blasting machine.
"It causes severe irritation, interferes with their tear film, and a vet will have to introduce eye drops - essentially false tears - to restore balance. I do think dog owners need to be better aware of the risks."
According to the Met Office weather reports, this weekend Storm Corrie is set to bring gusts of up to 90mph in exposed coastal locations in northern Scotland, and gusts of 70-80mph gusts in the north.
A dog virus notably swept the country back in 2019 and last year an Instagram trend was carrying a hidden danger to pets.
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