Adored by sun-worshippers everywhere, Tenerife is an island paradise that not only serves up some of the sunniest beaches in the Canary Islands group, but also a plethora of beautiful drives, each of which contribute to memorable and unique holidays. If you really want to get to know the highways and byways of Tenerife, there's nothing like a drive to reveal the true spirit of this beautiful destination. Touring Tenerife with car hire is a joy-road rage is unheard of and generally speaking, most roads are quiet and pleasant. Those looking for a more lasting reminder of the island than a tan or cheap souvenir will find an island drive to be an unforgettable way to discover this stunningly scenic destination. Be sure to bring a camera along for the drive-there are plenty of picturesque sights worth capturing along the way.
1. Masca
The pretty coastal village of Masca is well worth exploring by hire car. Masca is situated at the northwest tip of the island, at the foothills of the Teno Mountains. The journey to the village involves a zigzag drive from Santiago del Teide encompassing dramatic hairpin bends on the way. Long before the days of Captain Jack Sparrow, the village's choppy, rugged coastline was sparking tales of skulduggery, pirates and buried treasure. Masca is a definite must-do drive.
2. Teide National Park
The natural beauty of Teide National Park has long been considered one of the world's most unique landscapes. Unusual features include a 30-mile wide volcanic crater, rare varieties of violet, various breeds of birds and lizards and Spain's highest peak, Mount Teide. In the winter months it is common to see snow on the peaks of the mountain, while in summertime, temperatures can climb to 40 degrees and over. The drive out is straightforward and you'll find the park can be accessed via the public road, which runs across the Caldera from the northeast to the southeast.
3. Pir?mides de G'imar
Heading out along the eastern coast island, past Santa Cruz, you'll encounter the ancient and mysterious structure of Pir?mides de G'imar. The pyramids form part of the island's Ethnographic Park, a site devoted to the island's ancient heritage.
Admission to the park doesn't come cheap, but discount rates are available for groups. Look out for special offers in the tourist office too.
4. Black Beaches
With car hire it's possible to experience the many varied and unusual beaches that the island has to offer. Tenerife's famous volcanic history has greatly impacted the look and quality of the island's beaches. As a result of volcanic activity in the past, many of the island's naturally occurring beaches are black or grey in appearance. Examples of Tenerife's curious black beaches include Candaleria to the east of the island, Puerto de la Cruz to the north of the island and Playa las Americas's grey beaches. However, the typical golden sandy beaches associated with sunshine holidays are to be found at Los Gigantes and San Juan to the west and Fanabe on the south of the island.
Also known as Acute Moist Dermatitis or Moist Eczema, Hot Spots can seemingly appear spontaneously anywhere on a dogs body and the area involved can rapidly spread. This raw, unsightly skin disorder has a variety of causes but the most consistent factor is a bacterial infection. There are a number of kinds of bacteria that can be cultured from a hot spot and fortunately most respond to oral and topical antibiotics. Anything that irritates or breaks the skin can create the right environment for bacterial contamination if the skin surface is wet. The bodys response is either to itch or become inflamed. The itching then causes the dog to lick or chew the area, which further damages the skin, and creates a cycle of itching, scratching and chewing. If left to develop the infection goes into the deep layers of the skin.
Hot spots tend to occur most often in the summer months, and dogs with matted, dirty coats are at greater risk of developing them. Some owners keep their long haired dogs shaved in the summer, which helps prevent the thick coat from covering any dampness on the surface of the skin. Regular grooming enables swift intervention if a hot spot is developing; often they will simply get worse and worse until treated so veterinary help is advisable. A hot spot that is left untreated may turn into a lick granuloma, which can be difficult to get rid of.
Typical locations for "hot spots" are the side of the face and the flank areas. Golden retrievers and young dogs seem to be predisposed, while they are seldom, if ever, found in cats.
What to look out for
- Scratching or biting at one area incessantly - A patch of hair loss with reddened moist skin, often with a film of pus - Scabs and crusts - Surrounding hair wet from saliva
Diagnosis is usually obvious from the clinical signs, but your veterinarian may be inclined to search for any contributing factors by doing allergy testing, or take a bacteriology swab so that antibiotic selection is targeted specifically at the bacterium responsible. If the hot spot is on the dogs back leg it is worth checking the anal glands are not the source of the discomfort by emptying them.
Treatment
- Clip the hair around the hot spot. The hot spot may be more extensive than it originally appears. Clipping will expose the area to the air and accelerate healing (scabbing over) - Topical medication: the area can be cleaned with an antiseptic solution suchas chlorhexidine, and a topical antibiotic cream applied. There is little point of this if the dog will simply lick the cream off (i.e. use buster collar, or only use topical cream if hot spot on face) - Break the scratch cycle. To allow the hot spot to heal, the dog must stop scratching at it. A one off steroid injection is usually very effective, but sometimes a short course of oral steroids is necessary. Your dog may be more hungry and thirsty while receiving corticosteroids, this is a common side effect. As a consequence, the dog may need to urinate more frequently than normal. - Oral antibiotics. The best way to deal with a deep skin infection is to deliver antibiotics to the site of the hot spot via the blood stream. If a hot spot is quite advanced, at least a 10-14 day course of a broad spectrum antibiotic is required to prevent immediate recurrence. - Elimination of predisposing factors: aggressive flea control, investigation to rule out food and pollen allergies etc.
Both Fiona Hiliard & Matthew Homfray are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Fiona Hiliard has sinced written about articles on various topics from Car Rental, Travel and Leisure and Portugal Holiday. Fiona writes for Argus Car Hire and . Fiona Hiliard's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.
Matthew Homfray has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Cats and Thanksgiving. Dr Matthew Homfray is one of the experts at Visit them today, you will be impressed by the quality. Matthew Homfray's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.