14/05/2024
Hi everyone
It's holiday season! A time when we love to take our dogs with us for a stroll along the beach.........what could be better!
So, without wanting to be a kill joy I just wanted to make you aware of the dangers associated with the ingestion of too much sea water in dogs.
Extract from Kennel Club:
Dogs Drinking Salt Water
Dogs love the beach, but playing games of fetch, chasing waves, and swimming can all lead to a thirsty dog who consumes salt water. In most cases, a few mouthfuls of salt water may only cause diarrhoea. Consuming large amounts of salt water, however, can be fatal.
When a dog ingests salt water, the excess salt draws water from the blood into the intestines, leading to diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration. Salt water also disrupts the fluid balance in your dog. Dogs with toxic levels of sodium in their systems have a mortality rate higher than 50 percent, regardless of treatment.
When too much salt builds up in a dog’s body, their cells release their water content to try and balance out the sodium disparity. This, in turn, causes a litany of serious health effects. It can cause seizures, a loss of brain cells, injury to the kidneys, and severe dehydration. If a dog with saltwater poisoning isn’t treated medically, the condition can easily lead to death.
Treating Saltwater Poisoning in Dogs
If you suspect that your dog has consumed a toxic amount of salt water, your best bet is to get them to the veterinarian as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for saltwater poisoning in dogs.
Your veterinarian will attempt to restore your dog’s water and electrolyte balance to normal levels. Lowering sodium levels too quickly, however, can be dangerous, increasing the likelihood of cerebral oedema (fluid on the brain). A veterinarian will administer IV fluids to try and flush the excess salt out of your dog’s body. Your vet will also monitor your dog’s electrolytes, provide treatment for brain swelling, control seizures, and offer supportive care.
In ideal cases, the water and electrolyte balance will be restored over a period of 2-3 days. This usually involves hospitalization. Further supportive care and medications may be given, depending on your dog’s condition.
Just something to be aware of when holidaying near the coast!
Have lots of sunny summer fun!