Swimming and Diarrhea

[Erin & Sasha]

My doodle has recently begun to swim in earnest in our salt water pool.  When she swims she seems to drink a lot of water in the process.   The past few days she's been swimming way more than usual, and she has also developed a case of diarrhea.  Has anyone else experienced this with their dog?

I hate to keep her out of the pool because she seems to enjoy swimming so much, but dog diarrhea at 2:00 am is really hard to deal with too.

Any suggestions?

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

No suggestions but the same thing happens to Gracie Doodle when we take her to the beach. We throw her ball into the ocean and she swims out and gets it. Obviously, she takes in water. It never fails, as we are walking back across the beach she always has at least two attacks that look just like a waterfall. We have a bit of a walk and usually by the time we get to the sidewalk she is over her attacks. We walk her two blocks to the Dog Beach Dog Wash and so far, have never had a problem there or in the car afterward on the way home!!! I don't know how you can get your Doodle to not drink or take in the water. It is the salt that is doing it!!! Happens to my neighbor's Springer Spaniels too.

[Zoe, Benny and Tyler]

I am not sure if it is only the salt which is causing it as both of my boys have it as well. They swim daily in fresh water and not salt water. Both have always shortly after swimming a short attack of watery stools. It never lasts so as Nancie we don't have any problem after that but indeed after every swim they get a short diarrhea attack.
I don't know what is causing it and I think that the salt plays a role in it but as you can see in my case it might not be the only reason for it.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Hunter has that happen to when she swims and all of her swimming is done in fresh water lakes - no salt water. I wonder what causes the diarrhea then......

[Holly Doodle]

Holly has a very sensitive stomach and gets diarrhea from about everything, but hasn't gotten it from swimming in our fresh water lake here in Iowa. It actually really surprised me, I thought she would for sure the first time. Sorry I'm no help but good luck!

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

from vetinfo - I think you need to keep you dog out of the salt water...

How Salt Water Further Dehydrates Your Dog
Salt water has an osmotic effect, pulling liquid into your dog's intestines. This can cause diarrhea, which contributes to dehydration. If your dog drinks too much salt water too fast, he could vomit, leading to further dehydration. Even if your dog doesn't actually drink salt water, he can ingest small amounts by handling salt-water-soaked balls and toys or by swimming in salt water.

Sand ingested with salt water can exacerbate the effects of the salt water itself, as it can irritate the lining of the intestines. Bacteria, algae, or other microorganisms or toxins in the water can cause more severe symptoms later on.

Side Effects of Drinking Salt Water
If your dog drinks too much salt water quickly, he'll probably vomit it back up. This contributes to dehydration, so you should offer your dog clean, fresh water to drink.

If your dog drinks a smaller amount of salt water, he might succumb to the phenomenon known as "beach diarrhea." This type of diarrhea occurs because the salt water has caused excess amounts of water to accumulate in your dog's intestines, as discussed above. Beach diarrhea has the following characteristics:

•A liquid consistency
•Urgency and frequency
•Causes your dog to strain to evacuate
•Contains blood or mucous
How to Keep Your Dog From Drinking Salt Water
Discourage your dog from drinking salt water by offering clean, fresh water frequently while on the beach. Carry a small bowl or collapsible dish for this purpose; ideally, the container should be one your dog is familiar with. If you don't have a container or your dog won't drink willingly, use a water bottle with a sports cap to squirt fresh water into your dog's mouth.

Your dog should take a break from exercise every fifteen minutes while on the beach; take him into the shade and make sure he drinks fresh water. Have your dog sit or lie down in the shade to rest. Try to minimize his exposure to salt water.

Frequently administering fresh water can significantly decrease the incidence of beach diarrhea. Since this type of dirrhea can be unpleasant and difficult to pick up, administering fresh water regularly can make going to the beach more fun for your as well as for your dog.