Water Games, Swimming Pool in the Garden, Filling bowls from the Hose etc are all part of helping our dogs stay cooler when it’s hot.
Help keep the fun safe with our tips – be aware, reduce length of time, help your dog stay cooler while keeping healthy too!
1. Limit the amount you might be encouraging diving for toys
As dogs swim or dive to fetch their toy they will open their mouth and while swimming and holding the toy the mouth will be open somewhat too – both allow water to be swallowed accidentally. Swallowing lots of water in a short time can lead to health issues – mentioned in a few slides time (water intoxication and aspiration)
If your dog likes to swim with toys or dive for them consider only repeating this a couple of times then changing the game or give your dog longer times in between throwing the toy for them to allow their body to adjust.
2. Consider how you use the hose pipe in the garden
On hot days even in the morning the excess water sitting in the garden hose from its last use heats up – drastically! It can also reheat after you have used it – evening in 20-30 minute durations!
If filling up a water bowl or dog pool, or if your dog drinks from the hose check how warm it is to begin with. You may be surprised at how hot the water can get and often it’s not just the first trickle – I run our garden hoses every day for our chickens, ducks etc and run it at various times of the day and it can reheat the resting water in only a few minutes.
If the water coming out of the hose is hot let it run but you can run the water into a watering can for a short while and use that water later to do the garden or to top up your dog’s pool once the water is cool.
3. Watch for signs of your dog having ingested water
- Nausea or vomiting
- Staggering or no coordination
- Lethargy
- Excessive drooling
- Abdominal bloating
- Pale gums
- Difficulty breathing
- Glazed eyes or dilated pupils
- Weakness
- Seizures
Stop the games and call your vet if you see these! These can be symptoms that your dog has too much water in their body so if you spot your dog changing suddenly by becoming tired quickly, drooling, breathing becoming shallow and being sick, for example, stop everything and get your dog to the vet. Call them on the way if possible rather than pausing to call them at home.
It’s worth noting that these symptoms and side effects of water inhalation can be seen even a few days after being in a pool or lake, so if you believe you are seeing your dog struggling due to water but they have been on dry land all day it can still be from previous days.
4. Place paddling pools, water bowls etc in the shade
Being in a paddling pool of water at home or at a dog show can be cooling for the area of a dog that is under water, but if that water source is in the full sun your dog’s body is still going to heat up – but now they might not notice as quickly as they feel cooler in the important places (groin, belly, chest) so are still at risk of overheating! They might also be playing in the water or with toys in a pool and so not notice they are getting warmer.
Add a parasol over the water, or move the paddling pool to a shaded area to help protect your dog as much as possible. Water bowls can also heat up, especially metal ones, so keeping these in shade can help keep the water cooler as well as reducing risk of your dog burning themselves on a hot bowl.
5. Don’t leave your dog’s water bowls out to refill each day
Did you know that leaving water bowls outside can lead various health issues for your dog? For example, when bowls are left and not cleaned properly between filling each day they can have a biofilm develop on the surface of the bowl which needs cleaning off – when ingested multiple times it can cause bad stomach upsets and more. Bowls staying out ready to be refilled or topped up and not properly cleaned can lead to issues such as Giardia, E-Coli, Salmonella, Leptospirosis and even produce a bacteria that your dog will ingest that contributes to periodontal disease.
Instead clean them with a dog friendly cleaner – I like to use Apple Cider Vinegar when it’s not a dishwasher clean, and bring in overnight to reduce the risk of anything crawling through the bowl and leaving contaminants.
6. If your dog swims a lot ensure you dry them after …
Have you heard of swimmers tail? It can occur after a dog has been swimming or playing actively and is a painful muscle sprain causing the tail to hang loose or even be tucked right under the body. It’s not only with dogs who are in water but is seen a lot in dogs who are in water a long time and then the muscle is over used as well as then getting cold from being wet. Drying the lower back and tail (especially the base of the tail) helps reduce the risk – this can even be a concern for dogs doing hydrotherapy so not only cold water but more risk with cold water!
7. Be careful when using communal water bowls
Hydration is so important but there are risks with communal water bowls such as viruses being passed via water droplets – these include Kennel Cough, Canine Papilloma Virus, Giardia, even Leptospirosis!
Communal bowls can often be seen at dog shows, pet shops, vet surgeries (!!) etc but you can of course take your own water bowl and water to take that risk away. Just be aware that if you then offer that bowl of water to another dog you don’t know there can be that risk again. At our training venue we don’t leave water bowls down or have communal bowls, but have spares in case a dog needs water, and encourage owners to bring their own bowls as we have water on the premises from the natural spring nearby!
8. Water Spray Dog Toys and Games – the risks
Dog toys that spray water were popular a few years ago where you plug the hosepipe in and it fires water when the dog jumps on it or sends out a continuous stream of water for dogs to run through. While many dogs will find this fun please do be aware that games with the hose attached can send water directly down the dog’s throat which can quickly can lead to aspiration or water intoxication and make a dog very unwell or worse.
If your dog likes running through water hold the hose so the water forms an arc to run under rather than it hitting them in the face and going down their their throat!
What are the risks with too much water?
Aspiration:
When a dog has gulped large amounts of water it can go to their lungs. Activities such as when drinking from a hosepipe pointed straight at them, constantly going back to the water bowl and drinking the whole thing in one go at speed, playing in water and trying to grab something under the surface including ‘bobbing for treats’ or getting a toy can all lead to Aspiration.
Symptoms include constant coughing or gagging, difficulty breathing, being unusually quiet, gums have a blue tint, not eating suddenly – these can be instant or over a few days.
Water Intoxication:
Ingesting large amounts of water over a period of time which then can alter the body’s sodium levels – this confuses the body and can cause it to absorb even more water thinking it is needed.
Symptoms can include being uncoordinated, bloated, dilated pupils, vomiting and even seizures or collapsing can be signs of water poisoning
If you suspect your dog is unwell following playing in water, drinking too much water etc contact your vet or just get your dog there. If possible contact the vet on route so they can prepare for your dog arriving.
Water Games for Dogs –
Please keep your dogs safe!!
I really dont want to appear to be too negative or that I’m saying never let your dog go near water at all, but seeing so many suggestions on social media over the years to keep Dogs cooler using water Games without any cautions makes me feel uneasy! I feel I would be being irresponsible to not share some knowledge and maybe prevent something awful happening:
An example: when a dog has ingested too much water while repeatedly diving into a river, with the mouth open, trying to catch a ball for example, they take on too much water in a short space of time and this causes electrolyte levels to drop. This causes thinning of blood plasma and leads to swelling of the brain and other organs. This may be an extreme result to a dog having extended periods of water play but it’s worth knowing!
Have fun with your dogs but please stay safe!! Share this post to help more dogs enjoy water safely and ask your vet on your next visit with your dog if you have questions about water and health.
You may also be interested in doing a Canine First Aid course – we host them every year for our training team and for pet owners and other dog professionals to update their knowledge and skills and there is always something that has updated or a law that has changed! There is also a fantastic online Canine First Aid course by Rachel Bean RVN – if you are learning about saving your dog’s life isn’t a registered vet nurse with over 20 years experience who teaches first aid all over the world going to be your ideal tutor!
Take a look at Rachel’s course here: Canine First Aid Online
Joe Nutkins
