Farm season is one of the few outings the whole household does together, dog included. South Surrey and Langley have no shortage of pumpkin patches within a short drive. Most visits go perfectly. The ones that do not usually involve a corn cob, a nervous animal, or a dog who was never going to enjoy a crowd.
Start with the honest question: should the dog come?
Farm visits are loud, crowded and full of novelty. Children move unpredictably, tractors and wagons rumble past, and there are livestock, other dogs and food everywhere. That is a wonderful afternoon for a confident, well-socialized dog and a genuinely stressful one for a dog who finds new places hard.
Signs your dog is not enjoying it are easy to miss in a busy field: lip licking, yawning, a tucked tail, panting out of proportion to the weather, trying to get behind your legs, or a hard stare at passing children. A dog showing those things is not going to relax later in the afternoon. It is kinder to take them back to the car and come back another day.
Also check before you drive out. Many farms allow dogs only in outdoor areas, some only on certain days, and a few not at all. Barns, food areas and petting zoos are usually off limits, and a leash rule is normal.
The corn cob problem
If you remember one thing from this article, make it this. A corn cob is the classic autumn obstruction. It does not break down, and it is the wrong shape and size to pass, so it lodges. Dogs find discarded cobs on the ground at corn mazes, in bins, and in the back of the car on the way home.
A dog who has eaten a cob may vomit repeatedly, refuse food, become quiet and hunched, and strain without producing much. Signs can take a day or two to appear. If you know or suspect a cob has been swallowed, phone us the same day rather than waiting for it to pass, because it usually will not. Our urgent care team would much rather see a well dog on suspicion than a sick one on day three.
The same applies to whole small pumpkins and gourds swallowed by enthusiastic large dogs, and to the stalks and netting that come with them.
What else is on the ground
- Rotting pumpkins and squash. Fine when fresh, but mouldy flesh can cause tremors and stomach upset, and a mushy pile at the end of the season is a magnet.
- Windfall apples, fermenting under the trees, which can cause stomach upset and, in quantity, act like alcohol.
- Livestock feed. Cattle and horse feed is not designed for dogs, and feed containing livestock additives is a genuine hazard.
- Manure, which many dogs regard as a delicacy and which brings parasites and bacteria with it.
- Standing water and mud, in fields where wildlife and livestock have been, is not water you want your dog drinking.
- Baling twine, netting and plastic wrap, all of which can cause obstructions, and swallowed string is particularly serious in cats.
Bring your own water and offer it often. A dog with a full stomach of clean water is less interested in the puddle by the gate.
Livestock, and why the fence matters both ways
Sheep, goats, alpacas and poultry are prey species, and even a friendly dog staring through a fence reads as a threat to them. Stressed livestock injure themselves, and a startled goat or a horse’s kick does serious damage to a dog. In British Columbia, a dog worrying livestock is also a legal problem for the owner.
Keep your dog on a short leash, not a flexi, near any enclosure. Do not let them greet through fencing. Walk past rather than stopping, and if your dog fixates, turn and go the other way.
The same applies to the petting zoo, where children and small animals are at dog height and everything smells interesting.
People, children and other dogs
Farms in October are full of small children who have been told that all dogs are friendly. Position yourself between your dog and oncoming traffic, keep the leash short, and be willing to say no when someone asks to let their toddler hug your dog. A dog who is polite at home can be overwhelmed after two hours of noise.
For dog-to-dog greetings in a crowd, the honest answer is to skip them. A narrow gateway with a queue behind you is the worst possible place for an introduction.
Before you go, and on the way home
- Make sure preventive care is current. Mixing with other dogs, livestock areas and long grass means parasite exposure, and vaccination status matters in group settings. Our wellness program is the place to check what is due.
- Check identification. A collar tag and a registered microchip matter most somewhere unfamiliar, and farms have open gates.
- Long grass means ticks. They are active well into autumn here. Run your hands over the whole dog before they get back in the car, and again at home.
- Check paws for cuts from gravel, stubble and hidden wire.
- Plan the drive. An excited dog on a full stomach and a bumpy farm road is how car sickness happens. Secure them properly and crack a window.
- Wash hands and paws before everyone piles back indoors.
Our guide to outdoor safety for dogs in South Surrey covers the same ground for trails and parks, and most of it carries over to a farm field.
Frequently asked questions
My dog swallowed a corn cob. Can I wait and see if it passes?
Please do not. Cobs rarely pass on their own and an obstruction becomes more serious the longer it sits. Phone us the same day with your dog’s weight, the size of the cob and roughly when it happened, even if your dog seems completely normal right now.
Is pumpkin safe for dogs?
A spoonful of plain cooked pumpkin suits most dogs well, and it can settle a delicate stomach, though an upset that carries on for more than a day needs a call rather than more pumpkin. What causes problems is the carved jack-o’-lantern that has stood outside for a week, the stalk, large pieces of skin, and anything baked with spice blends and sugar.
Can my dog get sick from being near livestock?
The main risks are parasites and bacteria picked up from manure and contaminated ground, plus injury from a startled animal. Keeping your dog leashed, out of enclosures and away from manure handles nearly all of it. Mention the farm visit if your dog develops diarrhoea in the following week.
Are ticks still a problem in October?
Yes. In this part of BC ticks stay active through autumn and into winter on any mild day, and long grass at a farm is exactly their habitat. Keep prevention going through our pet care services and check your dog after the visit.
What about hay and straw?
Hay bales are mostly a hazard for what is inside them: dust and mould that irritate airways, plus baling twine. Dogs with airway problems will be more comfortable outside the barn. Straw itself is fine to walk on.
My dog is nervous in crowds but loves the car. Any middle ground?
Go early on a weekday when the farm is quiet, stay near the edges, keep the visit under an hour, and leave before your dog asks to. If that is not possible, leaving them at home is not a failure. Plenty of dogs enjoy the walk beforehand and the nap afterward far more than the field in between.
Speak to the team at Campbell Heights Animal Hospital
If your dog has eaten a corn cob or come home unwell from a farm outing, phone us the same day.
Published by the team at Campbell Heights Animal Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Campbell Heights Animal Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Campbell Heights Animal Hospital
102-2755 192 Street, Surrey, BC V3S 3X1
Phone: (236) 500-9000
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Sunday and statutory holidays 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM