Water intoxication
IMPORTANT-WATER INTOXICATION IN DOGS DURING WARM WEATHER SPELLS
Over the past weekend our vet and nursing team had to deal with an interesting emergency case which we feel would be worth while sharing this story to warn dog owners about the potential dangers of 'Water games' in warm weather spells.
A small terrier-crossbreed dog was rushed in on Friday after experiencing acute vomitting, drooling and difficulty walking. On exmination the patient showed signs of nausea and central nervous system malfunction. The owner informed the vet that whilst it was warm the patient, Spud, had been playing in his paddling pool with water fountains all afternoon. This immediately raised the suspicion of water poisoning.
Water intoxication is what happens when a dog consumes an excess of fresh water over a short period of time. This usually happens due to prolonged playing in the pool, jumping and biting at the garden hose or repeated fetch games in fresh water bodies. The result of ingesting excess water is a dilution/depletion of sodium, chloride and other body salts and minerals, this immediately affects multiple body functions including the brain. The symptoms can vary mainly based of the amount of water consumed in proportion to the size, weight and general health condition of the dog affected and also the time elapsed since the excessive ingestion.
The most common signs are:
- Vomiting
- Wobbliness when walking
- Lethargy
- Convulsions
In view of Spud's history we immediately performed blood tests which confirmed the diagnosis of water intoxication with dangerously low sodium, potassium and calcium levels. We placed an IV drip with saline and added potassium and calcium to the drip. As by magic Spud improved quickly and by 2pm of Saturday all blood minerals had normalised and Spud was his normal happy, boisterous self and was discharged fully recovered. However, if he had not been seen and treated so promptly the outlook could have been grim.
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