Having suffered this myself, I can genuinely say water intoxication is no joke. I passed out and ended up in the emergency room. They thought I'd had a stroke. I was completely dysfunctional—all from having drunk too much water. Drinking too much water (
hyponatremia) dilutes the sodium/electrolytes in your body causing swelling of cells which can impact your brain and other organs in your body.
So when I saw this
article stating the same thing is possible for dogs, I knew I needed to address it. A couple of years ago, I think Bella was close to experiencing this. We'd gone to a friend's lake place and Bella was in heaven. Not only was there water to play in, but the gathering hosted nearly 20 people—all of them more than ready to toss a ball for the B-Girl. I was watching her pretty closely and was concerned about the length of time she'd been retrieving the ball in the salt water. Her swimming had slowed down, but not her drive.
 |
Nothing like water and a ball to make a puppy happy, but it
can be a dangerous combination if not monitored closely. |
I finally called a halt to the play despite the fact that everyone thought I was over-reacting. It was a good lesson to always trust my gut instinct when it comes to my girl. I am with her more than anyone else and was aware she wouldn't stop until she collapsed. I have never seen her quite so worn out. She was definitely feeling the effects of ingesting a lot of salt water. She vomited several times and had diarrhea—both signs of water intoxication—and her coordination was slowed. Dilated pupils? I don't know. Excessive salivation? That's one of Bella's trademarks.
Luckily, she didn't succumb to water intoxication, but I can attest to how quickly I deteriorated, so I don't doubt it's as fast, or faster, with a dog. So while you have fun with your pup in the water this summer, be mindful. Don't let her stay in too long and be sure to give her plenty of breaks.
