After a hurricane, the biggest risks to a dog are on the ground, not in the sky - standing floodwater that can carry leptospirosis, debris that cuts paws, wildlife pushed into yards, downed lines hidden in water, and heat in a house with no power - so for the first week keep the dog leashed on dry pavement you can see, give it only clean or boiled water, rinse it after any water contact, watch for illness for up to a month, and rebuild its routine on purpose instead of waiting for normal to come back on its own.
Isaias made landfall near Destin on the night of October 9 as a Category 2 hurricane, according to CNN's live coverage, before weakening as it moved inland. By the next morning the wind was gone and most of the coast was looking at the same thing - a yard full of limbs, a street with water standing in the low spots, and a dog at the back door that has no idea why it is not allowed out.
I grew up here. I have watched enough of these come through to know that the storm itself is rarely what hurts a dog. The week after is. People are tired, the routine is broken, the yard looks different, and the dog gets let out into a landscape nobody has checked yet.
This is the checklist I would want taped to the fridge. It is built from what the CDC, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Okaloosa County actually say, with the local conditions as of October 10. I am not a veterinarian. Anything that looks like illness goes to yours.
The water is the main problem, and it stays a problem
Rain stopped. Rivers did not. As of October 10 the National Weather Service still had flood warnings out across our area - the Shoal River near Mossy Head in Walton County at major flood stage and running slightly above its January 2010 crest, the Shoal near Crestview forecast to reach moderate flooding into Tuesday, and the Blackwater River near Baker and Big Coldwater Creek near Milton both rising over their banks. Standing water in yards and ditches will outlast the flood warnings by days.
Here is why that matters for a dog. The CDC explains that during a hurricane or heavy rain, urine from infected animals in soil and on surfaces washes into floodwater and contaminates it, and that leptospirosis cases can increase after hurricanes and flooding. The bacteria get in through cuts and scrapes or through the eyes, nose and mouth.
Dogs are built to find that water. They wade it, drink it, lick it off their legs, and roll in the mud at its edge. The AVMA's client guide on leptospirosis in dogs notes that the bacteria can survive for weeks to months in urine-soaked soil, that outbreaks have been reported after heavy rainfall and flooding, and that risk in dogs generally runs higher in late summer and fall. That is this exact window.
What leptospirosis looks like in a dog is the frustrating part. The AVMA lists loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, abdominal pain, diarrhea, yellowing of the gums or skin, dehydration, drinking or urinating more than usual, and stiffness or muscle pain. Some infected dogs show nothing at all. Others get mildly sick and recover, and some progress to kidney or liver failure. The same guide says that when it is treated early, the chances of recovery are good. So the job is not to diagnose it at home. The job is to notice, and to tell the vet the dog was in floodwater, because that sentence changes what they test for.
It is also not only a dog problem. The AVMA calls leptospirosis one of the most widespread diseases that passes between animals and people, so if your dog does get sick, wash your hands after handling it and clean up any urine in the house with gloves and disinfectant.
The practical rules for this week:
- No floodwater, no puddles, no ditches. Not to drink, not to wade, not to splash through on the way to the car.
- Clean water only, in the bowl and in the house. Okaloosa County's own storm guidance says to assume a boil water notice is in effect until you are told otherwise. If you are boiling water for yourself, the dog's bowl gets the same water.
- Rinse after contact. If the dog gets into standing water, rinse its legs, belly and paws with clean water before it can lick them, and dry it.
- Ask your vet about the lepto vaccine. The AVMA guide says experts recommend vaccinating dogs against leptospirosis, starting with two doses and then yearly boosters. If your dog is not current, this is the week to ask.
People are part of this too. Florida's Department of Health has warned after past storms that floodwater raises the risk of infections like Vibrio for anyone wading with an open wound. If you are walking the dog through the aftermath, you are the one with cuts on your hands from clearing branches. Wear real shoes, cover the cuts, and do not wade.
What is hiding in the yard
Before the dog goes out, walk the yard yourself. AVMA guidance for owners returning home after a disaster says to check for sharp objects, dangerous materials, wildlife, contaminated water and downed power lines before letting pets back in, and to keep them from roaming because familiar landmarks and scents can be washed away, which can leave a dog disoriented.
Downed lines and water together are the deadliest combination out there. Okaloosa County's storm FAQ warns plainly that live power lines can be hidden in floodwater. If a line is down anywhere near standing water, that whole area is off limits to you and the dog until the utility says otherwise.
Debris cuts paws. Roofing nails, flashing, broken glass, splintered fence boards and shingle grit all end up in grass where you cannot see them. A dog does not slow down for a pile of limbs, it goes over the top. Leash it, walk it on pavement you can see, and check its pads when you come back in. A small first-aid kit with clean gauze and wrap is worth having in reach this week, and I keep the list of what goes in one on the first-aid kit page. A cut that is deep, gaping, or will not stop bleeding is a vet visit, not a home fix.
Wildlife moved in. The FWC's storm guidance says alligators may turn up more often in flooded areas and that snakes are more likely to be seen where water is high after a storm. Most snakes will be nonvenomous and will leave on their own, but a dog nosing into a brush pile does not know that. Keep hands, feet and noses out of places you cannot see into. If an alligator is threatening people, pets or property, the FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline is 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). Bears may also come in after spoiled food set out with storm debris, so bag that separately and keep the dog away from the curb pile.
Rotting food and dead animals. Storm debris and spoiled fridge contents are exactly the kind of thing a dog will try to eat. The same instinct I wrote about in the red tide post, where a dead fish is the most dangerous thing on the beach, applies to a yard after a flood.
Heat without power is a real risk in October
It is mid-October and it still does not feel like it. The National Weather Service forecast for Destin after the storm showed sunny skies and highs in the low to mid 80s for the following several days. A closed-up house with no air conditioning gets hotter than the air outside it.
The AVMA's warm-weather guidance lists the warning signs of heat stress in pets as anxiety, heavy panting, restlessness, heavy drooling, unsteadiness, unusual gum or tongue color, and collapse, and says to seek emergency veterinary care if you see them. It also says to keep unlimited fresh water and shade available and to exercise dogs in the cooler parts of the day. Older dogs, flat-faced breeds and heavy-coated dogs are the ones to watch first.
What actually helps with no power:
- Keep the dog in the coolest room, usually an interior room on the lowest floor, with the sun-side blinds shut.
- A cool, damp towel to lie on and a shallow pan of clean water to stand in do more than you would expect.
- Do the walking at dawn and after dark. If you are not sure whether the pavement is still too hot, the pavement heat checker runs off your ZIP code and will tell you, and I covered the reasoning in when it is too hot to walk your dog.
- Never leave the dog in a parked car while you wait in a line for ice, fuel or supplies. The AVMA notes a car can climb as much as 40 degrees in an hour.
- If you run a generator, Okaloosa County says to set up a carbon monoxide detector before you start it. The dog sleeps on the floor of the same house you do.
The dog's routine broke too
Every dog on this coast had a strange week. The barometric pressure dropped, the wind screamed all night, the house went dark, and the people in it were tense and loud and gone in the yard for hours. Some dogs come out of that clingy. Some come out jumpy, barking at every chainsaw on the street. Some will not settle at all.
That is normal, and it usually fades as the routine comes back. The AVMA's post-disaster advice is to let pets rest without interruption and to get them back on a normal schedule as quickly as you can, and to see the vet if signs of stress or illness hang on. If your dog was already a storm-phobic dog, I wrote about what is going on in its body during the storm itself in the thunderstorm anxiety post, and a dog with that history may need a few extra days.
Here is the part nobody puts on the checklist. A high-drive dog that has been shut inside for three days is carrying a full tank on top of all that stress. The walks that usually spend its energy are cancelled or cut to five minutes on a leash around debris. The energy does not go away because the outlet did. It shows up as pacing, chewing and barking, which is the mechanism I laid out in what under-exercised energy does to a dog. That is also when doors get left open by tired people, and when a dog with a full tank tests a fence the wind already loosened.
So treat the dog's outlet as part of the recovery, not a luxury you get back to later:
- Short, safe, frequent. Three or four leashed walks on dry, visible pavement beat one long one through a debris field.
- Use the house. Scatter feeding, a stuffed frozen chew, a find-it game down the hallway. None of it replaces real exercise, which is the whole point of the piece on mental stimulation versus exercise, but it lowers the dog's baseline on days when real exercise is not possible.
- Keep the schedule even if everything else is chaos. Meals, walks and bedtime at the same times tell the dog the world is still the world.
- Plan the way back. A dog that lost a week or two of its normal work will be out of shape when the roads clear. Ramp back up over a couple of weeks instead of trying to make it all up on the first good Saturday.
If your dog is missing, or you found one
Check the fence before the dog goes out, every time, until it is repaired. Gates, lattice and old boards are what fail.
If a dog does get out, or a strange one shows up on your porch, the answer to "who do I call" changed in Okaloosa County. On September 23, 2026 the county ended its decades-long animal control contract with PAWS and split the service by area, and as of October 10 the county says it is not handling non-emergency stray pickups. I put the numbers for each part of the county, plus Walton and Santa Rosa, in one place in lost or found dog in Okaloosa County.
FAQ
My dog drank floodwater. What should I do? Rinse the dog off with clean water, give it clean drinking water, and call your veterinarian to tell them about the exposure. Floodwater can carry leptospirosis and other contamination, and the AVMA lists vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, increased thirst or urination, and yellowing of the gums among the signs to watch for over the following weeks.
Can my dog get leptospirosis from puddles after a hurricane? Yes, it is possible. The CDC says urine from infected animals washes into floodwater and standing water after hurricanes, and the AVMA lists drinking from or wading in stagnant water as a risk factor for dogs. Keep the dog out of puddles and ask your vet whether its leptospirosis vaccine is current.
How do I keep my dog cool without power? Keep it in the coolest interior room with the blinds closed, give it unlimited clean water, a damp towel to lie on and shade, and do all walking at dawn or after dark. Heavy panting, drooling, unsteadiness, unusual gum color or collapse are signs of heat stress that need emergency veterinary care.
Is it safe to walk my dog after a hurricane? Yes, on a leash and on dry pavement you can see. Stay away from standing water, debris piles, downed lines and brush where wildlife may be sheltering, and check its paws for cuts when you get home.
Why is my dog acting strange after the storm? Pressure changes, noise, a dark house and a broken routine stress most dogs, and some come out clingy, jumpy or restless. Restore the normal schedule as quickly as you can, give it safe outlets for its energy, and see your vet if the behavior or any sign of illness does not settle within a few days.
The short version
Keep the dog leashed, on dry ground, away from water and debris, and on clean water. Watch it for a month, not a day. Give it a routine and an outlet, because a stressed dog with a full tank is the one that gets hurt or gets loose. And if it looks sick, call the vet and say the word floodwater.
Free tool: Too Hot to Walk - check the heat index and pavement temperature for your ZIP before you walk a dog in a house that has had no air conditioning for days.
Kai's Run is not taking dogs yet. Join the launch list and you will hear first when conditioning opens in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, and the rest of the Emerald Coast.