Question
Being Obedient
My 2 yr old shorty jack, Pearl, is just a wonderful dog! I'm in love and think
jacks are the best dogs ever! My question has to do with the garden hose.
When I water the garden Pearl LOVES to attack the water and drink it. She
especially loves it if the water is on jet! I'm concerned about her swallowing
too much air as she often gags/coughs and throws up while she does this.
However, it is hard for me to get her to stop. She enjoys it so much (though
it's hard for me to get my job done!) I try my best to limit how much she
drinks. I guess my question is should I try to stop this behavior all together
or would a little bit not hurt her? I've heard about bloat, so I worry...
Kathy in Massachusetts
AnswerHi Kathy,
I smiled when I read this because I understand how you feel - my dog does the same thing and she LOVES it!! You're correct that bloat is a concern, but even moreso is water toxicity also called hyper-hydration. This is a potentially FATAL disturbance that occurs in the brain that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body (cells get saturated) is pushed outside of safe limits by over-consumption of water. If it were up the the dogs, they'd literally kill themselves playing/drinking water. It happens in pools too, they jump in and bite at the water or their reflection and don't realize just how much water they are consuming. It's so dangerous and can kill a dog quickly.
I advise that you continue to play with Pearl with the hose but just make sure to strictly limit it (hard for Jack Russells, I know). Keep an eye on just how much water she's ingesting and stop or bring her in the house if you need to finish your gardening. Better to have her disappointed than sick or worse. I have great respect for your question and concern, most people don't think about water dangers and you could have just saved your dogs life. Good job.
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