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Do you enjoy taking your dog to the beach? Do you both have fun swimming in the ocean or chasing waves? It can be so much fun with your fur baby at the beach! But what happens if he drinks ocean water? Can ocean water make a dog sick?
Has your dog drunk ocean water? Are you worried the ocean water will make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog drinks something like this.
We’ve put together some information about ocean water and whether it can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Ocean Water?
Ocean water comes from the ocean, of course! But it’s pretty different from freshwater. Ocean water is full of salt. Seawater has a salinity of about 3.5% (35 g/l, 35ppt, 600mM). This translates into about 35 grams of salt in a kilo of ocean water.
Why Do Dogs Drink Ocean Water?
Think about the times you head to the beach. It’s usually in the summer and very warm. As your furry friend enjoys the beach, he becomes pretty thirsty from all that fun! So, naturally, he sees water and chugs it down to stay hydrated. Unfortunately, your dog doesn’t realize the water’s not good for him.
Dogs will drink whatever water is available, including ocean water. Dogs may also accidentally swallow ocean water at the beach as they play in the waves and sand.
But can ocean water make a dog sick?
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Ask a Vet Live NowOcean Water & Dogs
The problem with ocean water is that it contains salt. If a dog drinks plenty of ocean water, the salt quickly dehydrates the dog. This may lead to the canine drinking even more seawater to quench his thirst.
When the levels of salt are too high in the dog’s body, he can develop very unpleasant symptoms.
Symptoms of Ocean Water Toxicity in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog drinks a lot of ocean water:
- Excessive urination
- Extreme thirst
- Confusion
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Odd behavior (anything that’s not normal for your dog)
- Muscle spasms
- Seizures
- Death (rare, but can happen)
If your dog has any of these symptoms after drinking ocean water, call the vet immediately. This could be an emergency.
Heading to the beach with your dog can be fun! However, be sure to bring plenty of water for you and your fur baby. Make sure your canine companion drinks about every 30 minutes or so. This will keep him hydrated, and he won’t feel as tempted to drink the ocean water.
The good news is that most dogs do recover after drinking ocean water. However, prevention’s always the best medicine!
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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