Hi All,

Just wondering, what are the health risks of allowing your dog into puddles to play in? I walk Nando in a wooded area, however there is a big rocky area that has huge pools/ponds of water (Rain water that has collected up to about knee height!)

I caught him drinking some today so re-called him and he did leave it, however other than muzzling him not sure what else I can do to stop this behaviour!

Should I ignore it, or is there some big health risks? The main thing I was thinking of is guardia (or giardia?) because I know this likes cool areas, however can't remember if this effects dogs too?

Josh

Yes, giardia does affect dogs.  Panacur is effective if your dog gets it, but you would know, he would be poorly.

My one Beardie will drink stagnant crap, I just try to discourage it.

Rats pee :) Vaccinate against Leptospirosis I would say.

Would he be noticably poorly? He has had a few bouts of stomach upsets recently. Would a giardia infection be worse?

Anything else I should be careful of? I don't particularly want to stop him doing it as he does just like to run about like a lunatic in the puddles with a fellow puppy that I walk him with, but if it is a health risk I can just walk a different route.

He is due his first booster soon.

You can only do so much, and worry about so much before the two of you should just getting on with enjoying life :)

You are right! I am just a worrier sometimes!

As someone else has said stop worrying so much. Mine play in puddles and drink out of them, if they seem like they have been stagnant for a while i'll try and move them away, you can normally see a nasty film over it. Mine eat all kinds of animal pooh, while others think its disgusting and how could I allow it, well its not really any issue, cow, horse, rabbit etc..

What will be will be I say..

Yup, you're a worrier! :)

Can't keep mine out of puddles which is fine when we're out in the fields, but I don't let him drink from roadside puddles in town, and stop him walking in them, as they may have been contaminated with anti-freeze.

I can remember years ago my Mums cocker and my own drinking a puddle dry in a local park, they were off lead and playing hard and kept going back for another slurp till all the water had gone,never thought about them picking up any bugs, they then marked every tree and lamp post on the walk home.

If it was stagnant water I would be more concerned, my dogs have drunk canal water,even lost their balance and fallen in on each occasion, bar for needing a bath they didn't come to any harm.

I think the acid in their stomachs kills off most bugs unless they were in huge numbers.

I can remember years ago my Mums cocker and my own drinking a puddle dry in a local park, they were off lead and playing hard and kept going back for another slurp till all the water had gone,never thought about them picking up any bugs, they then marked every tree and lamp post on the walk home.

If it was stagnant water I would be more concerned, my dogs have drunk canal water,even lost their balance and fallen in on each occasion, bar for needing a bath they didn't come to any harm.

I think the acid in their stomachs kills off most bugs unless they were in huge numbers.

I can remember years ago my Mums cocker and my own drinking a puddle dry in a local park, they were off lead and playing hard and kept going back for another slurp till all the water had gone,never thought about them picking up any bugs, they then marked every tree and lamp post on the walk home.

If it was stagnant water I would be more concerned, my dogs have drunk canal water,even lost their balance and fallen in on each occasion, bar for needing a bath they didn't come to any harm.

I think the acid in their stomachs kills off most bugs unless they were in huge numbers.

I can remember years ago my Mums cocker and my own drinking a puddle dry in a local park, they were off lead and playing hard and kept going back for another slurp till all the water had gone,never thought about them picking up any bugs, they then marked every tree and lamp post on the walk home.

If it was stagnant water I would be more concerned, my dogs have drunk canal water,even lost their balance and fallen in on each occasion, bar for needing a bath they didn't come to any harm.

I think the acid in their stomachs kills off most bugs unless they were in huge numbers.

Mine eat all kinds of animal pooh, while others think its disgusting and how could I allow it, well its not really any issue, cow, horse, rabbit etc..

Mine eat poo as well mainly cows and horses and I have not worried very much, however Vino found a nice pile of very fresh horse poo in the woods a couple of weeks ago and scoffed a good lot before I noticed and stopped her...she had a few very losse stools after and I have since wondered if the horse had just been wormed, it has never affected her before and the other two were fine.
Aileen

My dogs drink from puddles all the time, whether I want them to or not. I remember vividly being really worried when I had my very first pregnant btich and she decided to drink from a puddle during a walk. Both her and pups were fine though.

The one thing to be VERY wary of is lakes, ponds etc with blue green algae as that does kill.