5 Ways to Keep Your Dog Safe Around Water

Whether you live near the water or you spend your spare time at a nearby body of water, take steps to protect your dog from drowning. About 5,000 pets drown in family pools each year. That statistic doesn't account for the number of pets that drown in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your dog safe around water.

If you haven't invested in swim lessons for your dog, now's the perfect time to. Many people assume that dogs are natural swimmers. Unfortunately, that's not entirely true. While most dogs can handle a basic doggy paddle for a few feet, they can't all hold their own in a larger body of water.

To make sure your dog doesn't drown, give them swim lessons at an early age. Canine swim lessons train your dog to keep themselves safe when they're in water.

If you have a dog and you spend any amount of time on - or around - the water, invest in a canine life jacket. You know that young children need to have a life jacket on when they're around water. However, you might not realize that your dog has the same need.

You never know when your dog is going to jump into the water. If you have a body of water that's accessible on your property, your dog should have their life jacket on each time they head outside, whether they're supervised or not. You need to make sure they're protected. When you head to the beach, lake, or river, your dog will need their life vest on for those activities as well.

If your dog enjoys dips in the pool on a hot day, wait for the right time to let them jump in. If they go for a swim on an empty stomach, or right after eating a large meal, they're at an increased risk for bloat or stomach torsion, which is a potentially fatal condition in which the stomach flips top to bottom and twists.

To protect your dog from both of these conditions, you should give your dog a light meal and then wait about 30 minutes before they enter the water.

Finally, if you have a pool in your yard, or you own waterfront property, take steps to prevent unsupervised water time. This step is particularly important if your dog has a natural love for the water. If they fall in the water while you're not present, or while they don't have their life jacket on, they could drown.

To reduce the risk, take steps to prevent unsupervised water time. For pools, place a secure gate around the perimeter. For lake and river safety, install an alarm on the doggy doors. That way the alarm will sound each time your dog leaves the house, so you can go with them and supervise their water time.

If you and your dog spend any amount of time on the water together, you need to enroll in a canine CPR class. Your dog can drown in just a matter of minutes. If your dog suffers a near-drowning, you can save their life if you know how to perform CPR.

Once your dog has recovered from the event, transport them to the nearest emergency veterinary center. The vet will perform a medical checkup to identify any medical concerns and ensure that your dog's lungs don't contain any residual water.

Don't take chances with the safety of your dog. Use the tips provided here to keep your dog safe when they're around water. If you're in the Hayward, CA, area, and you would like additional water safety tips for your dog, contact us at Alta Vista Veterinary Clinic.