Hi,

Wondered if anyone can help. We have a 7 month old golden retriever who has probably been one of the poorliest dogs I have ever known. He has had on/off diarreah since we had him ( which has been treated as one time was guardia, had stool analysis etc etc), an ear infection and repeated conjunctivitus over the last 2 months. Went to a different vet and said that he quite often goes in river water and he said that it was a haven of bacteria and can cause all sorts of infections, namely what we have been suffering. He advised not go near river water with him as the conjunctivitus will flare up again. I am sure this is not what Jester wanted to hear as he is a retriever, need I say more!!! Do you keep yours out of water?

Depends on the water.  If it's a river running through a town, for instance, I probably would prevent it but out in the countryside where I know the water is good I'll let her enjoy her swim.  If you keep yours out of the water for a few weeks and she stays clear of these problems you will know, won't you? :)

Both my dogs swim in the river several times a week and neither have had so much as a tummy upset. Although, as Isabel has said, it tends to be in 'out of town' locations where (hopefully) there are less pollutants in the water.

Poor Jester. My two would think their lives were over if they couldn't swim regularly. I hope you find a solution for his problems soon.

Hi,

I do take him to a river in the small town we live in and also in the new forest as well. Thinking about it, more recently it has been where we live which is when the conjunctivitus has started so I will settle it for a few weeks and then try just the forest ones. I love going down to the river with the kids so I really hope I dont have to avoid it!

Our Golden Retriever will swim in anything. he finds the stinkiest, dirtiest ditches, any pond that is available (including the two in our garden) and has a daily dip in the sea whatever time of year it is. He will roll in puddles if he can't find anything better and his fairly reliable recall goes out the window once he is in the water. Today we spent 10 minutes trying to get him out of the sea but he stayed just outside our reach  swimming casually up and down until finally my exasperated OH walked fully clothed into the water and got hold of his collar. When we finally let him back into the sea he came instantly when called!

my dogs regulaly swim in rivers, lakes and canels!

no problems.

and we live in burnley.

Mine regularly swims in the Thames without any problems.

Be wary of thinking that rivers in the countryside should be clean and fine for dogs to swim in.  If they're near farmland chances are they are polluted with any number of chemicals from crop spraying to weed killers which may cause skin and/or eye irritation. 

True, and conversely many of these town rivers are now being brought to a very clean state but if it is your own area you tend to know what is going on and if you are not sure you could always check with British Waterways.