When a dog fell in the pool, there may be chances of drowning, leading to death due to asphyxia or difficulty in breathing. Inhalation of a huge amount of water leads to death in the dogs. And, even when it inhales a small amount of water, there might be fewer or no symptoms in the starting but can lead to severe respiratory diseases in the future.
Sometimes dogs on drowning inhale only a small amount of water that does not cause instant death but can lead to severe respiratory or breathing disease in dogs. So we never recommend taking the dog’s drowning less seriously, even when they seem okay and do not show any symptoms.
Sometimes people ask that what to do if my dog fell in the pool. We advised you to visit your vet soon, even when there are no symptoms in your dog, and it is looking extremely fine. Sometimes when they inhale only a small amount of water, in the beginning, they show no symptoms, but it can lead to the development of severe breathing issues in dogs.
Here in this guide, we share with you all details related to the drowning of the dog in the pool and possible precautions.
Table of Contents
What are the symptoms of drowning in Dogs?
In the case when your dog fell into the pool, visit your vet as soon as possible. However, even in the case when your dog seems absolutely fine, it is still recommended to meet your vet and let him access the situation. Sometimes, when the dog inhales only a small amount of water, they, in the beginning, seem fine but may develop the respiratory disease later; thus, it is recommended to meet your vet.
The symptoms of respiratory illness in the case when dog fall in the pool includes:
- Difficult labored breathing
- Irregular breathing
- Weak pulse
- Change in the posture f your canine buddy
- Sometimes maybe loss of consciousness
- Decrease in body temperature
- There may be a bluish change in the color of the mucus membrane known as cyanosis.
The Clinical symptoms include:
- Decrease in blood pH
- Fluid-filled in the lungs known as pulmonary edema
What are the causes of the drowning of the dog?
The dog may fell in the open pool nearby or inside your house and may drown in it. The swimming pool near or inside the house is a major hazard for dogs who do not know to swim.
Sometimes, when the dog is drinking water from the hose and fell in, it can also lead to inhalation of a lot of water and lead to drowning.
While you are teaching your dog to swim and during the session if they inhale water, this is another reason for drowning the dog in the water.
Note: There is more need for caution when the dog fell in the saltwater or in the seawater as the saltwater, even in a small amount, can cause major health issues.
What to do if the dog fell in the water/ pool?
As mentioned earlier, take your dog even when it seems fine to the vet as soon as possible. The veterinarian, after accessing the condition, will start the treatment. For an emergency, you should first clear the airline of your dog by applying pressure in the stomach area. This will help the dog to vomit or spit out all the inhaled water. When your furry baby is shivering of cold, wrap them in a blanket but do not cover their face allowing them to breathe properly.
Depending on the condition, the veterinarian will administer oxygen when needed. In addition, there might be a need to administer some alkalizer in order to bring the bold pH to be normal.
Sometimes, your vet doctor may prescribe to sedate and tranquilize the dog in order to reduce their stress level, comforting them, which will help them recover soon. In the case of bacterial involvement and pneumonia, there might be a need to administer some antibiotics.
The dependency of recovery depends on the amount of water inhaled and the severity of the case. Therefore, there is a need to admit the dog under the observation of the vet doctor until it recovered fully or not in the danger zone.
How long it takes for the dog to drown?
When the dog does not know how to swim, it can drown even within few moments. However, the time may decrease with certain breeds with certain disease conditions.
What are the precautions to prevent the dog from felling down in the pool?
As mentioned, the drowning of the pet can lead to severe circumstances and sometimes maybe the pet’s death, so there is a need to follow some precautions to prevent the canine buddy from felling in the water.
The first thing you can do is to avoid taking your dog to the pool area. Also, keep the door of the pool closed, restricting the dog from going near the water.
Also, you should teach your dog some swimming skills that will help them get out of the water in the case when they fell by chance. Also, while teaching the dog swimming skills, there is a need that you are fully alert and take care of your dog to prevent them drown in the water.
The bottom line
So these are all related to the drowning of the dog in the water. It would be best if you never ignored even the small pool accident of your dog as it might have severe circumstances later. Never delay visiting your vet doctor in the case when the dog fell in the water.