Your pup may be happy at the beach, but did you know that saltwater is a threat to their health? And, it’s saltwater that turned Chris Taylor’s and his black lab’s day at the beach a nightmare.
Back in 2018, the then-Florida University student and his 6-year-old black Labrador went to the Honeymoon Island State Park Dog Beach to enjoy and play in the summer sun.
For them, this was the most normal afternoon.
But, something wasn’t right when they came back home that night-the pup wasn’t his usual goofy self.
One of the Most Stressful Days for Lab Owner Chris Taylor
As the evening approached, the dog was tired and a bit wobbly from the long beach day. Taylor took him to the car and the lab had a slight diarrhea.
However, the next morning, the lab seemed well-he was still groggy and lethargic, but was normally eating and drinking. Still, Taylor watched him closely and fed him boiled chicken and rice.
However, the next day, everything went sideways. Taylor had to take O.G. to the vet because it was unresponsive and didn’t eat.
The Dog Begins Having Convulsions & Taylor Takes Him to the Vet
The vets told Taylor that the dog was dehydrated and had a brain swelling because of high levels of sodium.
And, then, Taylor saw something that no other owners wants to see-the dog was convulsing the previous night and Taylor felt like the dog didn’t know where he is.
After a seizure and several convulsions, the vet said to Taylor that the brain damage is irreversible and they recommended putting the dog down-his best friend.
Warning Other Owners When Taking their Pets to the Beach
The loss still remains a shock and a sad memory for Taylor, but he keeps on urging pet owners to understand that a normal beach day can have dangerous consequences for their pets.
Although Taylor claims the dog drank fresh water, he was also drinking the salty one.
Unfortunately, the sad story of O.G. isn’t the only one- other users on social media shared their sad stories about their pets and saltwater.
How to Keep Your Pet Safe at the Beach
Salt poisoning isn’t just a problem at the beach-in addition to drinking it from pools and oceans, dogs are also at risk if they consume salt ornaments, paintballs, table salt in large amounts, rock salt, or play dough.
The best way to keep them safe is prevention-if you’re at the beach, and the dog insists on drinking the water from the ocean, move them away and offer them fresh one.
Still, if you’re dog is one that gulps while swimming, avoid playing in saltwater.
Make sure you know the symptoms of poisoning such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, tongue hanging out, seizures, ataxia, muscle tremors, and ‘drunken’ attitude. Call your veterinarian right away if you see them in your dog!
Sources: