Credits: Social Media
Why you should never let your dog drink seawater, as vet warns against it
As much as your pet dog enjoys playing on the beach in summer, you should not let it drink the seawater.
Several things that are safe for humans can cause major health hazards in dogs. Saltwater is among the things your pet pooch should avoid consuming at all costs.
Seawater can be fatal for your pet dog, warns vet
Experienced vet Dr. Andrew Jones has shared in one of his videos on TikTok that water from the ocean can be “seriously toxic” for your dog.
According to the vet, as little as one teaspoon of salt for a 5-pound dog can be a health hazard, causing “serious signs of toxicity.”
The water in the ocean has a high content of salt; each cup of seawater has about 2 teaspoons of salt, so you can imagine what could go wrong if your pupper drank too much of it.
When a dog drinks a small amount of salt water, it can suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
However, if it drinks seawater in large quantities, it could result in salt poisoning causing seizures, coma, and other severe symptoms, which can turn fatal in some cases.
The vet mentions another instance where a dog was fed salt water to induce vomiting upon eating chocolate, but the action caused more harm than good as it led to toxic salt poisoning.
How to stop your pooch from drinking from the ocean
While drinking a small amount of seawater while playing is inevitable, there are several ways to restrict their access to it.
Always carry fresh water on you while taking your dogs to the beach and feed it to them at regular intervals so they don’t get thirsty easily.
Keep a close watch and take your dog away from water if you notice it drinking from the beach.
Bring their favorite treats with you to use as a distraction if you find your pooch is consuming the seawater.
Sometimes, using a muzzle may be the only option if none of the above works for your pet canine. You can always remove it for short durations and put it back on when the dog gets close to the water.
