Is water Intoxication in dogs a real thing? Absolutely, this is a real danger. But until recently I thought it only affected people and not dogs. However, I was wrong. It is a very real and life-threatening condition . What exactly is water intoxication, how can you prevent it, and what are the signs and symptoms to watch for?
As a Schnauzer owner, I was heartbroken when I read this post on Facebook, which is what brought this to my attention.
What Is Water Intoxication?
More often than not, dog owners are more concerned when their dog isn’t Drinking enough water, but what happens when a dog drinks too much water? Dogs that love to play in the water are at greater risk of developing water intoxication. In extreme cases it can lead to serious brain damage and even death.
Our black lab that we had absolutely loved to play fetch in the water. We used to take her out to the lake and throw in a Frisbee or tennis ball and she would swim out to get it and bring it back to us. Trouble is, she never wanted to quit. She would play this game all day until she was too exhausted to even move. Back then I didn’t realize just how dangerous this was and how easily we could have lost her from playing too much in the water.
Perhaps you have a dog that loves to drink out of the garden hose or play in the sprinklers and catch water in their mouth? Maybe they love doing that so much that they don’t know when to quit. This could also lead to water intoxication.
Ingesting too much water leads to a condition known as hyponatremia. Being a medical transcriptionist, I was familiar with this term in humans, but didn’t realize how dangerous it is for our four-legged friends as well.
Hyponatremia is caused by the presence of so much water in the body that it dilutes normal bodily fluids, which causes a shift in the body’s electrolyte balance. This causes a lowering of sodium levels in the body, which are necessary to maintain proper muscle and nerve function as well as blood pressure. When the body’s sodium level drops precipitously low it causes other cells to fill with water, such as the brain and central nervous system.
Signs and Symptoms
Things to watch for are:
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Bloating
- Glazed eyes
- Dilated pupils
- Wobbliness
- Excessive drooling
- Light gum color.
In severe cases symptoms can include:
- Seizures
- Mouth hanging open
- Inability to control bladder
- Severe muscle spasms
- Loss of consciousness
- Difficulty breathing
- Collapse
How Water Much is too Much?
Depending on the size, age and activity level of your dog, on average a dog needs to drink approximately 8.5 to 17 ounces of water per each 10 pounds of body weight, (or 110 milliliters per kilogram).
Treatment
The first thing to do if you suspect your dog has ingested too much water is to call your veterinarian or take your pet to the nearest emergency vet. As a responsible dog owner you should educate yourself on the signs and symptoms because immediate treatment in the case of water intoxication can mean the difference between life and death.
Once at the vet’s office, he/she may administer one or more of the following treatments:
- Give them an IV to replace electrolytes.
- Diuretics to increase urination.
- Mannitol, a drug which is used to reduce brain swelling in severe cases.
Prevention
Always supervise your dog when she’s playing in or near water. Dogs may be having so much fun playing in the water or even biting at the sprinklers that they just don’t know when to stop.
Limit play time in the water: Obviously that’s what we should have done with our black Lab. Fortunately she never did develop water intoxication, but this could have happened so easily and back then we knew nothing about the dangers of this condition. If you do have a dog that loves to fetch things out of the water it’s probably better to use a flat toy such as a Frisbee to throw instead of a ball. When a dog scoops up a ball with their mouth they are more likely to swallow more water.
Some dogs are simply prone to drinking too much water. This is why it’s also important to have regular checkups at your vet, because excessive drinking can be a sign of other medical issues such as diabetes. If you dog’s health checks out okay, but he is still drinking too much, you might want to be sure not to leave him with unlimited water during the day unsupervised.
At the same time, you do want to be sure that your dog has clean water available whenever your dog needs it. A dog that is overly thirsty is more likely to drink too much water at one time. I know, this appears to be the opposite to the above advice about not drinking too much. Perhaps you can keep a small bowl of water available at all times instead of putting out a huge bucket of water or having a fountain with unlimited water. A dog that is dehydrated is likely to drink too much at one time, which is why a small bowl of water may be best. You know your dog and their habits better than anyone else.
Final Thoughts
While water intoxication in dogs is not all that common, it is a very real danger and something that you should definitely be aware of. So please pay attention to your dog’s behavior and never let him/her play in or near water unsupervised. Remember, quick action is vital in cases of water intoxication.
I hope you’ll come back next time when I will talk more about other water-related dangers to be aware of and avoid.
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