25/05/2026
I have learnt something new today! Thank you to Best Friends Animal Care
Yesterday, I recieved a message from Oscars mum to say he wasn't himself.
His mum soon realised that he had drank a lot of water from the paddling pool whilst enjoying splashing around and keeping cool.
Oscar is like a basking shark in water and takes in a lot of water that way.
After a chat we discussed about secondary drowning and a vet appointment was made straight away for him.
After an examination the out come was, yes he had had far to much water,but it was not secondary drowning,( thank goodness) he was drooling, peeing and had a very sore tummy.
He was given medication to help with the symptoms he was showing.
I popped in to see him this morning and he is doing much better. Showed me his tummy and recieved lots of kisses.
The point of this post is as follows:
The majority of us have hose pipes, paddling pools etc, we all see the videos of spraying water direct at the dogs face or dogs ( like Oscar) drinking so much that they make themselves poorly.
Oscar was very lucky and his mum has always been very careful with him where water is concerned and was quick to seek medical advice and help.
There are times that that spray in the mouth or that extra slurp will and can cause Secondary drowning.
Please be careful when playing with water.
Secondary drowning (or non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema) in dogs occurs when aspirated water damages lung tissue and causes a fluid buildup. Even if a dog seems fine after a water incident whether swimming or playing in the garden, fluid can accumulate in their lungs hours to days later, making it a critical, life-threatening emergency
Watch for these symptoms in the 1 to 48 hours following any water play or near-drowning incident:
Breathing Difficulties: Rapid, shallow breathing, heavy panting, or using stomach muscles to breathe.
Persistent Coughing: Frequent, hacking, or wet-sounding coughs.
Lethargy: Extreme, unusual exhaustion, or a refusal to move, play, or eat.
Distress: Pacing, whining, and showing clear signs of anxiety.
Physical Changes: Vomiting, drooling, or a pale or bluish/grey tint to the gums and tongue (indicating a lack of oxygen).
If you are ever in any doubt please contact your vet immediately as it could save your dogs life.
Oscars mum gave me permission to use yesterday's incident as an example to help other people understand and to be careful. It can happen to anyone and any dog. 🐾🐾
