Fetching Sticks at the Pond or Lake Could Be Fatal -- Beware of Water Intoxication

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

A friend shared this with me and it’s something I had never heard about before. We take Wally and Charlotte to the beach all the time — oceans, lakes and ponds. Such fun! They love romping on the sand, swimming and fetching sticks. Who knew that our dogs are at risk for more than just fatigue when racing around in and out of the water?

https://en.newsner.com/animals/dog-dies-after-playing-common-game-w...

Hugs,

Laurie

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is certainly a very tragic story, but it's a little bit misleading. Hyponatremia (the article had it spelled wrong) is actually not "water intoxication" but rather a condition in which there are low sodium concentrations in the blood. It occurs only when there is a defect in the kidney's ability to excrete water.  There are a number of health conditions that can cause hyponatremia, including diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart, and circulatory system. Often, people may not know if their dogs have any of the conditions that can cause hyponatremia, but a normal healthy dog is not going to be put at risk from racing in and out of the water for a reasonable period of time. 

I think people need to exercise caution. Like children, dogs who are having a ball playing in the water don't always realize when they need to take a break, so we as their parents should enforce breaks. It's also really, really important to keep your dog well-hydrated any time they are getting a lot of hard exercise outdoors. :)

[Stella]

I know someone who's dog died from water intoxication, and one world level agility dog who almost did after swimming. It is more common than people think, and is often not recognized by vets until it is too late to save the dog. If your dog becomes unwell after swimming or playing in water, it is really important to tell the vet what they were doing before getting ill. Dogs that swim with their mouths open, or who are allowed to repeatedly 'bite' water from hose pipes are especially at risk. 

Interestingly, hyponatraemia (English vs USA spelling) is also very common in marathon runners, as historically they have been told to make sure they drink even if they aren't thirsty when running. So, they drink more than they are sweating out and get water intoxication. 

[Ron English]

I also know of someone whose dog died in the same way, much to the owner's surprise. I had never heard of this before but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thanks for bringing this to a discussion.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

One of my dogs will fetch sticks from the water for hours on end if we continued to throw them for him. He isn't young enough to continue this activity for very long, and we have to limit him because doesn't have the ability to self regulate. I never worry about him taking in too much water, though. A friend's dog, on the other hand, is younger and wouldn't become sore or lame after too much zipping in and out of the water. However, it's clear that he swallows way too much water. This article brings to our attention the potential dangers associated with what before had been a seemingly innocuous activity.