On Friday I took her back to the beach, because it was so much fun the day before, and because from the first of November we're not allowed on the beach during the main part of the day. It was cool day and we had the beach to ourselves, and probably I let her overdo it with the swimming.
This time I took a thin throw-toy, so she could swim with her mouth shut and possibly not swallow so much salt water.
But I think she did swallow too much, because she introduced me to the fine art of doggy frothy mouth.
At the time it seemed quite funny, but it wasn't so funny when she spent the entire evening running in and out of the house to eat grass.
I had a look on the internet that evening, but I'm glad I didn't come across this sad story of a dog that died after a visit to the beach.
WebVet has a good overview of the care we need to take when our dogs swim anywhere.
Penny seems fine after her adventure, but next time I won't let her swim so long, and I'll try harder to make her drink fresh water while we're there. (She wouldn't drink the water I offered her, until we left the beach.)
Here's a picture of the only thing that Penny was worried about - a super scary rock in the water that needed a lot of barking at!
11 comments:
Oh Penny! I think you and I must be two great minds that think alike! :-) I just did a post too about running in and out of the house to eat grass and feeling sick all day! But I'm much better today.
When I was a puppy and my humans took me to the beach I used to drink a lot of salt water too and I vomited all back up in the car on the way home! Hee! Hee!
Honey, thanks for the post you wrote on vomiting and for the links you included. I've looked at them and they are very helpful.
Hi there! I know what you are talking about! My dog has the same issue at the beach... I think he is just too excited to see the water I offer him. He has a quick drink and then he is off into the surf again... That's the point where you can't reason with a dog :( I guess you could tell a kid if you don't drink you will be sick so drink or we go home. Doesn't work with my dog - I tried :) But it got better since I don't throw the ball as much anymore. I realised that when he swims with the ball in his moth the water goes in on the sides. Now I trow stones. He still thinks it is fun but can't get them. It helped us/him/me/my car ;)
Cheers from Sydney
Tealc's mom, I guess I'll have to be brave and go back to the beach. I'll try what you say - less ball-throwing and more calm swimming. I think you're right that the water goes in at the side of the mouth if the dog is carrying a ball.
:) It's just soooo difficult to keep them calm on the beach!!! Teal'c turns into a mad thing as soon as we hit the beach... So good luck with the clam swimming! :) But honestly, I think the stones help a lot... Don't stay away from the beach - Penny seems to have so much fun!
Just last night Gracie started acting like she was going to throw up...all she wanted was to go outside and eat grass.
I always let her, because I think they have amazing instincts. After a bit I had her come in and gave her a few pellets of the Chinese Herbs that our holistic vet gave me for JoJo when he would occasionally get a tummy upset.
He gets them fairly often because he would picks up some treat at an agility trial left by someone that contained preservatives, or artificial colors/flavorings. He is really sensitive to those chemicals.
Gracie was fine in about 5 minutes, with no after effects. I've kept these pills around and used them numerous times over the past couple of years.
Here's a link:
http://www.chineseherbsdirect.com/huo-xiang-zheng-qi-wan-p-338.html
Unfortunately, I'm not as familiar with Chinese Herbs as I am with more traditional herbal medicine. But my holistic vet and I think so much a like and she has studied Chinese medicine, that I trust her recommendation. They have worked so well for us. Just something to share :)
Johann, thanks for that useful link.
Came across your blog, which is great by the way, while just returned from trip to see my daughter recently moved to a small village on the fife coastal walk overlooking forth bridge. George her 2 yr old staff has become an amazing swimmer since his move - previously it was a tiptoe in the lake on our regular walk. He goes for a swim but this has to include chasing sticks!! I noticed over the weekend he is drinking so much tap water compared to when he lived here so started a bit of research. Some tips on your blog are helpful but i would like some reassurance that we aren't doing our family pet any damage, especially after reading the tragic story of the dog who died due to the sodium levels. Any pointers? Sonia
Came across your blog, which is great by the way, while just returned from trip to see my daughter recently moved to a small village on the fife coastal walk overlooking forth bridge. George her 2 yr old staff has become an amazing swimmer since his move - previously it was a tiptoe in the lake on our regular walk. He goes for a swim but this has to include chasing sticks!! I noticed over the weekend he is drinking so much tap water compared to when he lived here so started a bit of research. Some tips on your blog are helpful but i would like some reassurance that we aren't doing our family pet any damage, especially after reading the tragic story of the dog who died due to the sodium levels. Any pointers? Sonia
Thank you all for sharing your comments. For Mother's Day my daughter and I took my 2 Boston Terriers (Sami and Chase Michael) to the beach for the first time since they were only puppies. They're 3 1/2 now. Anyhow my little boy had the best time and though he was spitting up the white stuff I knew it had to be the salt water but never knew it'd make him so miserable and sick the rest of the day. I've been doing a lot of internet searching, that for the most part, has scared the death out of me. It's 1:30 in the morning now and my plan was to stay up all nite, call out of work, and rush him to his vet first thing in the morning. He's snoring and breathing so much better then early but I didn't want to take any chances but finally I came across this site that shared the same symptoms so I now feel at ease and know he's gonna be okay so thank you. :-)
Oh, I'm so sorry you had that worry about your little terrier. Please come back and tell me how he is today.
Recently I went to the beach with my trainer and all our walking group and two of the dogs did the most amazing watery poo. It was as if their bowels had turned to water. It was so reassuring for me to be with all the other, more experienced, dog owners who took it calmly. I learned from them.
How is your little boy???
By the way, Penny is much more careful at the beach these days, and I suspect that on that earlier visit she actually drank the water.
She never does that now, and will only drink if I pour water from a bottle into a dish. She drinks the falling stream of water.
Given that we were walking for three hours or more on our recent trip to The Ninety Mile Beach, I was quite concerned that she drink something. You might find taking water and pouring it will reassure your little dogs that the water is safe to drink if you provide it.
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