Most dogs love to romp around in the water during the hot, humid months in Western New York and while its fun to see your furry best friend enjoy themselves there are a few problems your dog can encounter while swimming.
Ear infections can occur in dogs just as they can in humans. More often then not, ear infections are irritating to the dog, and will cause your dog to excessively shake their head, scratch/itch, produce swelling, cause pain, and sometimes produce a stinky odor. While ear infections can be caused by other foreign objects like yeast buildup or ear mites, water in their ears can turn into an ear infection very quickly. Of course, always check with your Veterinarian before treating.
Through my experiences, I've always taken the precautionary route when it comes to my pet's ears and my client's pets. I make sure to have a towel on hand and dry their ears after swimming. This usually can prevent ear infections. In some cases, an ear cleaner may be needed once a week if your dog is prone to ear infections. I am most familiar with Virbac's "Epi-Otic Advanced" ear cleaner. It can be used routinely to help flush out ears and honestly I think it smells pretty good too! A different, all natural ear cleaner is called "Ear Clear" from Natural Animal Solutions. I haven't used it enough to gauge the effects, but it's all natural ingredients are a plus in my book.
Living in CHQ county, another problem we face with our pets and swimming are the HAB's or Harmful Algal Blooms. These can be found during the Summer months in certain areas of Chautauqua Lake. They form due to a buildup of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that, in great numbers, can produce toxins. If ingested, these toxins can cause a range of symptoms in your dog; from repeated vomiting, diarrhea to excessive drooling and difficulty breathing.
To make sure this doesn't happen to your pet, always keep them on a lead and know where they are. Dogs won't think twice if they are thirsty, even if the water has scum and smells funny. I carry a jug of fresh, clean water with me on walks to make sure the pet in my care can stay hydrated and healthy. If your dog is swimming in the area where a bloom is present, but not drinking water, make sure you bathe them and dry them well afterwards.
Following these tips during Summer can help you and your dog stay happy and healthy as well as get to cool off. Here are some helpful links:
http://chautauqualakeassociation.org/hab-info-2/
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/habspets.pdf
https://us.virbac.com/home/our-products/pagecontent/product-selector/epi-otic-advanced-ear-cleanser.html
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