Pet owners warned not to let dogs drink seawater at the beach

Dogs that consume too much seawater can experience dangerous side effects, according to a vet that has issued a warning over allowing dogs to drink seawater at the beach.

Head vet at tails.com, Sean McCormack, revealed that seawater can lead dogs to experience serious kidney and brain damage if they consume too much.

“Seawater contains a high balance of salt, approximately 35g of salt in every one litre,” he explained. “If your dog drinks too much, it can quickly become dehydrated and symptoms can worsen if your dog isn’t provided with fresh drinking water.”

“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.”

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As the bank holiday marks the start of half-term holidays, the warning comes as many plan to go to the beach with their pets.

McCormack shared the symptoms to look out for when your dog is at the beach. These are: diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy, lack of appetite, convulsions, increased heart rate, instability, excessive thirst or urination, and seizures.

If you recognise any of these signs it’s important to take your dog to the vet as soon as possible. “If left untreated, they could suffer serious kidney damage, brain damage and rapid dehydration, which could prove fatal,” McCormack warned.

If you are taking your dog to the beach try to make sure your dog has a break from being in the sea roughly every 15 minutes. Allow them to drink fresh water in order to rehydrate them.

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