Head of tails.com Sean McCormack urges pet owners to pay attention to their pups for saltwater ingestion while enjoying the beach.
“Seawater contains a high balance of salt, approximately 35g of salt in every one liter,” says McCormack.
Once ingested in large amounts, your dogs “can quickly become dehydrated” and worse if left unnoticed.
“The high levels of sodium chloride (salt) in the seawater can disrupt the fluid balance in your dog’s body, drawing water from the blood into your dog’s intestines.”
As a result, dogs can suffer from a lack of appetite, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, increased heart rate, and excessive thirst or urination.
“…it can be challenging to tell if they have been drinking seawater whilst splashing about,” says McCormack, especially during holidays where an influx of visitors is expected.
As the half-term holidays officially started in the UK in May, experts are urging pet owners to watch their pooches while at the shore.
“…they could suffer serious kidney damage, brain damage, and rapid dehydration, which could prove fatal,” warns McCormack.
Accordingly, pet owners should give their dogs 15-minute breaks or longer to drink fresh water and relax.
Dog owners are also encouraged to limit saltwater exposure to 2 hours maximum to prevent pups from accidentally drinking saltwater.
