Ever worry about what your pet could be contracting when he/she stops and drinks out of a pond or other stagnant body of water? Many water-borne parasites can cause clinical signs that are anywhere from mild to severe. The most common parasites include, but are not limited to:
Giardia: Giardia is a protozoan that can live for a long time in stagnant water. It causes diarrhea, which is often watery but not bloody. It can be hard to detect on a regular fecal float at your vet, and often further testing is required. It is shed intermittently in the feces, making detection that much harder. The most common treatments are fenbendazole and metronidazole. There is a vaccine for giardia that does not prevent the infection, but does prevent shedding of the protozoan — making it useful in kennel-type situations. Is it transmittable to humans? Yes, humans can be affected by drinking contaminated water.
Coccidia: Coccidia is a single-celled organism that is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, meaning that it is passed in the stool of the host and ingested by another host. The most common form of Coccidia Isospora is species-specific and therefore is not cross-transmitted. Coccidia causes watery, voluminous diarrhea, with or without blood. It is easily passed to young animals with weaker immune systems but rarely affects adults. It is usually detected on a fecal flotation, but a very small amount of Coccidia can cause an infection, so it can be missed on a fecal flotation. Coccidia is commonly treated with Albon or sulfa drugs. Can it be passed to humans? The most common form is species-specific, but humans can contract the Coccidia toxoplasma from cats, which can be a risk for pregnant women.
Leptospira: Leptospira is a spirochete bacteria that affects dogs and rarely cats. It thrives in warm, stagnant water such as a marsh or muddy area and is usually shed in the urine of wildlife or rodents. It initially causes a fever; then the fever subsides, and the clinical signs progress to liver damage and kidney failure. Leptospira can be detected by a blood test. Many dogs are vaccinated for Lepto as part of their annual checkup. The vaccine is specific for certain serovars or strains of Lepto, so it is still possible to contract Lepto after being vaccinated. The treatment for Leptospira is supportive care and antibiotics, but the prognosis is poor.
Campylobacter: Campylobacter is a bacteria often found in water contaminated with feces. It mostly affects puppies less than 6 months of age, and rarely affects cats. It is often isolated from the GI tract of normal adult dogs, but can overwhelm the system in puppies, causing a high fever and watery, mucoid or bloody diarrhea. The diagnosis is made on a fecal wet mount. Animals that are positive for campylobacter and have an associated high fever are treated with antibiotics.
Cryptosporidia: Cryptosporidia is a protozoa affecting both cats and puppies usually less than 6 months old. It is usually found in water contaminated with feces. It causes watery diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, gas and nausea. It is hard to detect on routine fecal flotation, and usually is detected by sending a fecal out to a lab that uses special flotation solution. The clinical signs are usually self-limiting and rarely require treatment other than a bland diet for three days. If the diarrhea is severe, occasionally IV fluids and supportive care are required.
The majority of the water-borne parasites cause diarrhea, which is treatable in a healthy animals. An immuno-compromised or otherwise debilitated animal might have more severe clinical signs. Among water-borne parasites, Leptosporidia carries the poorest prognosis if it advances to liver and or kidney failure. The best prevention is to make sure your dog is vaccinated, to carry fresh water for your dog, and to try to discourage them from drinking from stagnant water.
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I’m wondering if there is a test kit available (how to find one) to test for parasites in our fish pond that may be affecting the dog. Thank you.
Great question. I have not found one yet, but you can certainly have your water tested for Giardia at your local agg coop or water testing center.
My puppy drank dirty pool water yesterday … This morning she wouldn’t get up eat or drink … And she has vomited once all clear I keep forcing her to drink water …. What can I do ??? ????????????????
Go see a vet. This sounds bad. Likely it is nothing but it could be a red herring and something very bad.
My puppy is 2 months old, a german pure.
He hasn’t eaten in days and is very lethargic, hasn’t barked either.
Wouldn’t get up to play or anything
He had diarrhea, took him to the wet he got better but after a week he had diarrhea again and stopped eating completely.
He does play outside with the cats
I’m clueless as to what is happening
Could it be a water borne disease?
Very serious, take him to a good vet. Could be many things.
Since we can’t test all the waters, ponds or rivers in our community, it’s important that we ourselves should be the ones who must make the effort to take care and guard our pets whenever they go outside. For we will never know what’s out there that might harm them.
Very true.
My son’s healthy pit bull died today after getting into some stagnant water on Christmas day. Soo sad… It destroyed his kidneys–and took him so fast! He was in vet hospital day after Cmas, but couldn’t save him. Please keep your pets away from stagnant water!!
My puppy drank tap and now she can’t even get up she just fall over I worryed about her
TAKE HER TO A VET. Tap water does not do this. BE WORRIED>!!
My mother got 2 new puppies, both are shepherds from supposedly a reputable breeder on 5/30. Apparently, when we got them home, we found that the 1 year old and the 8 month old both found out to have giardia and had been drinking well water, they also have chickens, horses, and are around them as well. The puppies also, as you know, eat their own feces. I was playing with the puppies like crazy and they were licking my face and I was playing with their paws etc and both were in need of a bath when we first got there. They both had diarrhea when they were brought home and still do but were supposedly given a clean bill of health from their vet which we are investigating.
About 5 days later I got very ill with abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea and still have it 9 days later, very badly, including the fever which I’ve had all week. It’s been as high as 101.8. I went to the doctor and was told I had Campylobacter. The vet did not say the animals had this but I have not eaten in over week and have not been around poultry, raw meat or bad drinking water of any sorts, no ponds, lakes etc. Only the animals. I had been playing with them all week, the week before up until 6/and we did not know they were sick until Wednesday of last week, 6/9, and I went to the dr. 6/12. I let them know about the animals and although I don’t have giardia I have this other. I would assume Campylobacter would have shown up for the vets but they didn’t mention it. Could I still have gotten it from the dogs????
No one else in my family is sick and we all eat the same foods and I have 2 young daughters and no one else has been around the dogs expect me my mother. My mother has been around them daily, however, she does not allow them to lick her on the face etc. I roll around on the ground with them and they do at times get their little tongues in my mouth. I wash my hands after I’m done playing with them, but by then, the damage is already been done. I’m now on an antibiotic as of today but trying to determine if this could have come from the dogs if I’ve not been around any raw meat etc. I saw the dr. yesterday and am unable to communicate with the dr. again today, just an MA, so cannot get these questions answered and wondered if anyone might be able to answer here or had experience with this. I don’t know of any other way of getting this other than through direct contact with the animals. Any thoughts, ideas??? Thanks in advance.
I really can not comment except to say that it sounds VERY suspicious of the dogs giving you this problem. Campy or giardia can cause your symptoms and the dogs could have had either or both. The dog can carry campy and not be very sick. It is very hard to test for sometimes so it can be easily missed. The giardia can mask the campy and the treatment for giardia can fix the campy. Soooo… it sounds like bad luck and bad habits (dont let new dogs lick your face or get close to their stool) but fixable. Good luck. Anyone else have a comment?
So we take our dogs outdoors with us a lot. The get into lakes and rivers a lot, and they always end up with bad bellys and runny stools. Is there anything we can do to treat this so their bellies don’t go from good to bad all the time?
Not if you are repeating the actions…. usually this does not happen. It might only be one of the lakes or rivers and then you can avoid that one.
Just wondering why well water was mentioned. And above, someone mention tap water. Do people know what stagnant water is? Most well water is very much safe for both humans and pets, and can be tested by a county health dept. if concerned
True and agree.
so how do I treat our ponds so the dogs don’t get ill? They have been in the ponds for the last 7 years, this is first time we have had problems
no idea…anyone else?
We use to use lime in stagnant ponds to keep cattle healthy and reduce disease and mosquitos. Would it be ok for dogs?
My dog is throwing up white, thick, mucousy foam. We now realize that he drank out of a water bowl that had been in our basement for over a month set aside in a room he typically doesn’t have access to. Is the old water the likely culprit and is this something that’ll pass, or something we should get him to a vet for a checkup? He’s still mucousy / snorting a bit. Been going on for a day.
A day? Probably time for a vet. It will clear faster with medication and make the dog way way way more comfortable.
can any of these parasites cause sterilization and/or reproductive problems. I am a GSD breeder and 6 of my females did not get pregnant which is unbelievable. I have well water and use carbon filters. I did test my water for iron, nitrates, etc., but no test for bacteria. We do have goats and chickens that are not too far from where the well is. Could run off into the well cause this to happen? we are stumped! is there something to “reboot” the girls systems? we are waiting to our vet but Im looking for other opinions .. Thanks
Check the male, unlikely there is anything other than serious hormones that I can think of that would cause this. I assume you are not using hormones on the goats for milk? Check the male dog or you stumped me.
We were @ a camp ground near the coast of Wa. It was hot & my husband & I were walking our shnorkies. My husband let 1 go to the water/inlet/pond? & the other dog wanted to go too. They both drank but I didn’t let Bear drink lots. He did get his feet & legs covered in mud/muck. I washed him off in a different area. That was yesterday. This aft he had diarea. (Am was norm) Once home (8 hr drive) he played chace as norm. I was hesitant but fed him dinner he apparently has diarea still. When should I take him to the vet if @ all??
If he ate dead fish (Salmon) then yes right away. If it was just sea water try a bland diet for a day for 2 then take him to a vet. If he starts vomiting or not eating and acting lethargic, then take him to a vet also. Try the bland diet and good otherwise. Good luck.
My dog is a diabetic and is on insulin twice a day some days she won’t eat but will drink a lot of water and then she is sick she does it 2or3 times all after each other.and she has very soft poos .is this pancrea
This is very specific and you need to ask your vet who is taking care of her. Sounds like she needs to have her blood sugar checked again, because this sounds like a blood sugar issue not pancreatitis.
I caught one of the dogs drinking pool water that my son has let green. Can the mosquito larvae grow in the belly of a dog?
No.
My dog drank water out of his water dish that wasn’t changed in a couple days cuz we were gone and he got to it before I could go and change it when we got home. Now he’s coughing and breathing hard. It sounds like he has an upper respiratory infection. Could it be from that?
Very unlikely unless he vomited and aspired some….. You would much more likely see diarrhea if anything at all. This sounds like something else.
My Springer swims in a reservoir and drinks water when picking up sticks I’ve thrown. A women said she got really sick from accidentally taking in water from same reservoir (a bacteria infection). My dog has been acting lethargic and sleeping lots, nose running, not normal playful self. Is there a test that can be given for sickness from “bad water”? His blood work early spring before swimming was fine. Thank you.
Nothing other than blood work. The fist sign would be diarrhea and vomiting I would suspect. The water might be a red-herring for something else going on. I would repeat blood work and explain to the vet your concerns. I have never seen bad water do anything other than diarrhea, BUT there are certainly blue green algae issues and other things that can cause problems. I would ask your vet what is in the area.
I took my dogs to the doggie beach on the Gulf Coast. It was the bay side, so the water is a little stagnant, its also the side that at one point years ago was very polluted. They have been there before and not gotten sick, so I admit I was not as diligent with watching to see if they drank the sea water (read: I was extremely busy reading my magazine and praising the efforts of the city for ensuring my nearly 1 year olds would be exhausted). Both are hacking and sound congested. They intermittently throw up yellow liquid. BUT – they both are eating, drinking, playing and don’t have a fever. They don’t even throw up their food (totally), just a few little pieces that slip out with the yellow. . Could they just be working out the muck?
It is possible. If they are eating well and otherwise fine you can give it time to see if it works its way out. If it gets worse or they cant keep food down or have diarrhea then you should see a vet. It might be very minor but you would not want to miss something more serious. Give it a day or 2 if they are just coughing and hacking a little.
Just wondering when people say clean fresh water for your dogs, what happens when your dog puts its feet in the bowl and digs it out which then dirties it daily. Is this water dangerous for the dog to drink? I have the bowl off the ground and they still dig. I can’t justify changing the water 10 times a day as I’m on tank water.
Thanks
I think changing that water every day or 2x a day is as good as you can do. It always depends on what your dog has stepped in and where you live. If you live in a city or near construction, factories, salty places…. you need to change it more. Maybe invest in an automatic waterer? I suspect your dog will be just fine.
I took in a stray Jack Russell Beagle mix about 2 months ago. He has been fine until yesterday morning. He became vey lethargic and had diarrhea with one bought of vomiting which resulted in just a little mucus and water. He is licking ice cubes and drinking a little but refuses to eat. His bowel movements are very runny and muddy looking. He did get ahold of some cat poop in the litter box and may have drank from a puddle after it rained while walking him. He is no longer lethargic but he is sleeping a lot and still has diarrhea, I have not seen any blood in his poop. Should I take him to the vet or see if he is able to eat within the 12 hours?
I always recommend a vet visit. The vet can give you medication to make him less nauseous and his diarrhea go away faster. If you leave him he will possibly get better, but slower. He probably has a nasty GI upset and needs some medication to heal faster.
My american bully just drank some… apparently really old rain water from a bucket outside when i let her out this morning… i have a concern cause its literally black water. I have a pit thats almost 2 but shes on a lead wen we go out. So i brought her in and went to get ciera the am. Bully which is like 8 or 9 and i caught her. We are hear doing normal.. back in bed stuff. After lookibg all this up.. im getting uneasy….
Worst case is usually diarrhea and vomiting. Bad water in America us usually not that bad. If you are in Asia, Africa or South America you might have bigger concerns.
Well thank u! We just came back from shopping and theres no signs of vomiting or diarrhea.. i got another one for u. Ok maybe 2… first… my bully…. she has a thing for munchin on her tail?! Second…. she has a small marble size bump on her chest… under the skin ni redness… she dont mess with it.. but u can def feel it… any ideas?
See a vet for the marble size lump. Maybe nothing, maybe serious. Munching on her tail is usually anal glands or fleas. Have the vet check her anal glands too. Those are issues that need a vet to feel.
Thank u doctor stewart!
I have a Jack Russel mini pin mix 3 weeks ago he had exploratory lap done bc of regurgitating nd vomiting the vet said the tube to his stomach was very tight so he widened it nd checked his kidneys nd so on there was nothing he still pukes everytime he drinks water this been going on for several months my vet ran all kinds of test still nothing no diseases no illnesses nothing but yet he continues to vomit his water up my vet said they are puzzled they don’t know what’s wrong nd my funds r running short can he drink something else that will not make him vomit
I’m sorry but I have no more ideas except: 1) have you tried cerenia or other anti nausea medications and do they work? 2) do an endoscope down his throat and see what it looks like. I would visit a specialist for a final answer before i give up. Does he vomit food or just water. Very strange.
Dr.
My 15 week old puppy had a regular stool at 3:00pm, a very loose stool at 6:00pm and it was brown water by 10pm. She
puked up food that smelled sour at 11:30 and had brown water poo again at 2:30am. She doesn’t want to drink or eat……. It has been less than 12 hours. How long do I wait it out before I take her in to see the vet? The only thing I can think is she drank out of puddles at the dog park :s
That sounds like parvo and is a very serious emergency. Do not wait. Go straight to the vet and get a parvo check.
Even if she has had her her first and second shots? I got her to drink his morning and she seems to be her normal nippy self. Can they still be normal with parvovirus?
Yes she is susceptible after 2 shots, but not likely after 3 shots. Could be bad water, but why take the risk? If it is bad water then she will get better and get better faster with antibiotics, if it is parvo she will get worse without treatment.
Could drinking pond water trigger epilepsy? My epileptic dog hasn’t had a seizure since our pond was drained. We’ve never found a trigger for it so I’m wondering if this is it or if it’s a coincidence?
There might be pesticides and toxins in the water from run off, but the water itself should not have anything to do with seizures. Toxins or poisons might definitely be a problem…… time to get the water tested? Good luck.
Hi , both of my dogs drink water out of a spouting pipe on the side of the house that had water from the rain a couple days before now they both have diarrhea should I be worried and what should I do?
Possibly. If the diarrhea persists or they start to vomit or stop eating then they need to see a vet. If it resolves then it was just a temporary upset GI tract. Give it a day.
We are purchasing a home with a water feature in Denver, CO. It is a small waterfall with a pond…but the water will be moving and going through a filter and ionization. I have two Siberian Huskies and am not sure how I would keep them from drinking from this water feature..it takes up 1/2 the yard. The neighborhood does have raccoons, coyotes and foxes….that could drink from the water feature if they come over the six foot fence.
Are there concerns for dogs drinking from this type of water feature that is moving water, filtered, ionization and chemical free?
Thanks!
I have no idea hw to keep them out of the water, but I would certainly try to filter the water or keep it clean. You need at ask your contractor about this or your local vet about regional diseases that they can get. I’m sure it will be fine, but better be safe than sorry. Just keep them well wormed and vaccinated and it should be ok.
My dog drank out of a giant mud puddle and now she is sick wasn’t eating yesterday and barley ate today had to feed her human food and treats to keep her eating and she is just sleeping two days now. Is she gonna get better or worse no vomiting no diareah in fact I don’t believe she has gone yet…I am now reading about parasites but she has dean out of puddles before and been just fine.
Sounds like a re herring. Have her checked. The puddle might not be the cause at all. Unless there was something toxic in the puddle that should cause diarrhea or maybe vomiting only.
Dr Stewart I’m Simphiwe Zungu from Durban and I’m 18yrs old . I have discovered a dish that can help dogs drink their water during the day this dish protect the water from dust as we all know that when the is wind grass release it’s own seeds and they fly in the air unlit they reach down and what if they Land on your dog dish and the dog drink the water what will happen to your dog it might die or get sick. some other dishes are made from steel and we all know that steel is a good conductor for electricity and heat. the dog bowl/dish is always outside and in summer the is a lot of heat and the bowl will attract it because that are unlike charges. the water might get warm the dog won’t drink warm water or it might be evaporated and they will be no water left for the dog while you are not even home you at work so Dr I would appreciate you helping me build this dog tray here is my number 0630377024/0780748398
Sorry, I dont think I can help you. Have you gone to the local vet school in S.A. They have a very good school there. You should make sure to patent the design first so no one steals your idea. God luck! Sounds promising!
My dog drank lots of b rakish water and is acting funny his eyes don’t look right and is vomiting any suggestions?
I’m sure his guts are upset with the dirty brackish water. Try giving him lots of fresh water and if he continues vomiting he needs to see a vet for fluids and anti-nausea medication. Multiple small bland meals are important too.
My brother emptied his dirty fish tank into the front yard where my small Pomeranians go outside should I be worried about what they could get since I know that is where’d they will go and smell as soon as they are let out?
Nothing to worry about.
I took my two puppies to a pond one has diariah and isnt eating or drinking mich he is three months old my two month old also came she is still eating and drinking will this pass? I dont have money for a vet..
No idea. Why do you have 2 young puppies if you dont have enough money for a vet. They will need vaccines and dewormers and neutering…. It could be anything causing the diarrhea. It could be parvo, pond water infection (see the blog), worms, something minor…… If it continues or the other dog gets it you likely have parvo or another infections disease. That would be a big problem. I would contact the local SPCA or shelter and see if they can help with some of the medical treatment if this gets worse. Good luck.
My 10 week old puppy is happy, playful, lots of energy, but when he drinks water and not a lot because now I watch him, he’s a inside dog so I watch him drink, eat. I’ve notice when he drinks water a few minutes later he’s sneezing and spitting up water from his mouth and nose. So I don’t put much water in his bowl at one time, and now I have his water bowl sitting beside my chair so I can watch all the time. He’s still spitting and sneezing water and now when I take him outside to the bathroom and he’s trotting around I can hear splashing in his little belly, and then he gets sick again but it’s brown I guess from mixing with his food. Please give me a clue of what might be wrong, I’ve ask others about it and they have never heard of anything like this. He goes back to the vet next week for his boosters shots and I will tell them then or should I take him sooner. He’s a miniature Schnauzer, it’s just one mess after another, and it’s hot outside about 88 degrees but he’s only out there 30 min at a time. Thinks I hope you can help me.
He might have a hole between his mouth and his nose? Can you see anything weird on roof of his mouth? I would take him to the vet sooner and really have them explore this. Aspiration pneumonia is a serious concern here and can be deadly. Please go to the vet as soon as possible.
Hi Doctor – on Saturday we took our parsons Jack Russell to the beach – he chased his ball and played in the sea and then he drank a lot of water from his bowl when we got back to the car. He showed no signs of not being himself. Yesterday evening – 3 days later I took him to the woods and he played with his ball all the way round and then he went into stagnant smelly mud with his ball and I couldn’t get him out if it for 15mins roughly. He was pushing his ball into the sludge and so he will have eaten some of it. He was fine when I finally got him out of it and we got home and he slept for a while. I then let him out to go to the toilet before bed and he acted really strange – running fast and then sitting down very fast and he would not do his wee. This morning I have taken him for a short walk and he has gone to the toilet as usual with no diarrhoea but he is not himself. He is very lacklustre and quiet – he usually bounces about with his tennis ball. He dies not want his breakfast and now I have looked online I am worried he has been poisoned by either sea or stagnant water – shall I go to the vet?
It sounds like something is obviously not right. He is not likely to be poisoned by the sea, as he was normal after that and he did not drink salt water in large doses (right?.) The stagnant mud could be a problem if he drank or ate a lot of it, but if he is not having diarrhea or vomiting then I would not suspect that either. If he is very lethargic then I always suggest a vet visit, but it might just be true exhaustion (busy few days for him.) If he is not vomiting or having diarrhea and is urinating normally, then I would not point at poison as fast as something else. Does he have a fever? Sorry I cant answer more, but if you are concerned then a vet visit is a good idea.
Can cats catch giardia from a dog? My dog has it and I hope 15 year old cat won’t catch it.
If the cat comes into contact with the dog’s diarrhea or stool, yes. It is not very common but possible.
I am so scared. My dog hasn’t eaten or drank water all day. When she pees, there’s thick blood that’s visible. We just got a urine specimen and it’s greenish brown and smells bad. She had a normal BM this morning. She’s a 2 1/2 yr old chocolate lab. She’s been laying around all day. I have an appt to take her to vet in morning. Plse help. She was swimming in river for first time 5 days ago and may have swallowed river water. Amy
My fist question would be is she spayed? If not then this could by a pyometra and very serious and she needs a vet ASAP. If she is spayed then she might have a serious urinary tract infection and although it is painful and can get very bad it could likely wait until the morning. Good luck!
Hi there:
I stayed in a rental home over the holiday weekend and we caught my youngest schnauzer drinking out of the dirty koi pond in the backyard. He is still eating and drinking normally and I haven’t noticed any diarrhea, although, he is coughing and hacking white foam. Could he have a form of kennel cough as he just had in April from his doggie day care or could it be something in the pond? I’ve called the vet and I’m waiting for a call back as to when I can bring him in.
Maybe he aspirated some of the pond water? Usually bad pond water would not cause coughing. Might be the kennel cough.
How about this one? Is it possible for a dog to get sick from hydrotherapy? I don’t know if they recycle the water but even if a sick dog was in the tank prior, it gets drained but not necessarily sterilized before the next dog. Possible?
Sure, I suppose bad water is bad water? They must add chlorine or filter it right?
Hi! I have a serious question. So my sister is taking care of a puppy until he’s trained and doesn’t poo and pee in the house but the puppy is having watery diarrhea.. The owner just got him a few days and today was the first day we took care of him. The puppy is eating, drinking water, playing, loves attention and sleeps a lot. Should I be concerned? His poo is a dark to normal brown and come out like a puddle. I didn’t see any blood either. Please help because I hope if he has something it’s not contagious because I have another dog that’s 7 years old.
Okay so he is still pooing out liquids but this time I went right after he pooed and I think there were worms in there. were going to tell the owner to take him to the vet tomorrow but thanks anyway. His behavior changed in the few hours. He stopped eating, and drinking so we forced him to drink at least a little from a bottle and he’s been taking naps any time he can. He’s really thin but his tummy sticks out. I now think he just has tapeworms. If you think otherwise please advise me!
Bring him to a vet! These can be serious or something much worse like Parvo or more serious worms.
I would certainly be worried about parvo or worms. Have him checked as soon as possible. If these two are negative then just upset stomach or stress. His vaccine status would be very important to know….did he get his 3 parvo shots?
My 8 months old lab just drank a few slurps of water from an old planter at the neighbor’s filled with dirt and stagnent water that had greenish algae and smelled horrific (when she dumped it after this happened). I am super worried… what should I look for and when should I be concerned? And would feeding him some plain yogurt be helpful as a probiotic?
Should be just fine, watch for diarrhea and or vomiting then start bland food and if it gets worse see a vet. No yogurt, they are usually lactose intolerant and this is not ideal. Just bland food for a few days and watch for symptoms. SHould be fine.
We are spending the holiday in the forrest. During a hike my 2 yr old American bull great dane mix backed out of her leash and decided to go on a run. She ended up drinking a LOT of standing Brown water in the forrest. She has not had any symptoms yet and is sleeping…Likely because of her long hike and naughty little run. I’m worried about what she may contract as we are nowhere near a vet. What should I look for and at what point do we pack up and go home?
Look for massive diarrhea and vomiting. If there is none you are probably fine. Start a bland diet as soon as you can to settle the stomach and see what happens.
Hi Dr. Stewart,
I have a 12 year old golden retriever who takes Denamarin for high liver enzymes, and Soloxine for hypothyroidism. The vet thinks he may have Cushing Disease too ( pants heavily, drinks a ton of water and is losing hair by the tufts, pees a lot,) but I have been out of work for 4 months, and could only afford the urine test, which showed very dilute because of all the water he drinks. He has been off his feed a little in the past couple of weeks, but that seemed fixed by adding the Hills L/D Canned to the L/D Kibble. Yesterday I took him to the dog park here at the apartment, and then for a walk. WhenI opened the gate to the dog park he started drinking from a mud puddle from all the heavy rain, before I could close the gate and stop him from drinking anymore.
I have also noticed this past week, when I told him to speak( for a piece of banana , (which he LOVES) that it seemed he couldn’t bark anymore, it sounded like he has laryngitis- very weak, raspy and hoarse. Last night he ate his dinner alright, but later was looking very sickly. Threw up twice, with a white froth mixed in with some undigested food. He refuses to eat anything this morning, even banana , which he has NEVER refused before. I am worried that either he picked up something from drinking the puddle water, or that he has a tumor due to the hypothyroidism or Cushing’s m, which is pressing against his larynx, making it uncomfortable to eat solid food. He will only drink water. He has difficulty standing up, possibly from Cushings muscle weakness, but he was able to go out on leash with me and down the two flights of stairs to pee and poop. No diarrhea. Very stiff and slow going up and down the stairs. I am wondering if I should try putting food in a blender? He seemed pretty happy and healthy up until yesterday afternoon. The 30 minute walk was too much for him, I realize now. I don’t know if he is still recovering from that, or if something else is going on. I have been out of work for 4 months, so do not have money left, but I don’t want him to suffer. I am debating if I should wait the not eating out, until tomorrow, and borrow money to take him to his regular vet, or should I take him to emergency vet today ( open till 4:00.) Thanks for any advice you have.
Kind Tegards,
Sally Liu
Wow, sounds like a lot is going on. I would probably not rush to the ER right away if he is drinking water and able to walk up and down 2 flights of stairs to use the bathroom normally. I would be very worried about a throat mass, thyroid tumor, or something caught in his mouth. Are his teeth ok? Without seeing him it would be hard to tell exactly what is going on but Cushings sounds very possible and this would make him sick, lose weight, weak, hair loss….. However at 12 years old it could be anything. Heart disease, cancer and other immediate problems would be my first and biggest concerns. Have your vet take a look at him as soon as you can. The puddle water is not the problem, the fact that he was so thirsty that he had to drink it might be a symptom of his other problems. Sounds like he needs a good work up, but sadly you might not like what you find. Sorry.
Hello, I have 3 dogs 13, 8 & 2 living on tank water all different sizes. The smallest one (8 year old) seams to get diarrhea more often plus her and the 2 year old tends to eats a lot of dirt and grass? Their water gets changed every couple days. The biggest one (13 year old) does not seem to bother with this. They all get fed the same.
I guess the question is why? Maybe it has nothing to do with the water? Maybe the little one is more sensitive? Not sure there is enough information to make a determination. Sorry. Try bottled water on the little one for a month and see if it helps.
Dr. Stewart,
I have a 1.5 yr old GSD who has been awfully I’ll for the last 5 days. He started with the commit spells and wouldn’t eat, not even his favorite food or chicken, or drink water. He lost all energy day 1. Day two still no eating and still vomitting throughout the day. We finally took him to the vet day three and he was given a shot to help his stomach and nausea. Day four still no eating or drinking, no energy, and no potty breaks at all. We took him back to the veg day four and he stayed all day. He received aggressive fluids and has blood tests and X-rays taken. All of his blood tests and X-rays came back normal. He was given two medications for stomach irritation and an antibiotic. Day five was thanksgiving. He did show more energy and he got his appetite back. He also peed a lot! He has been on a bland diet for two days but still no fecal potty breaks. Today is day six.. He still has what sounds like a horrible cough and very sticky saliva/drool. Today I also found a black squishy mass floating in his water. I clean his water bowl every time I fill it up (about every other day). I also swabbed the inside upper lip of his bowl and got some of what looks like the same black stuff on the q tips. I took his bowl away and gave him a fresh start. Could it be possible our vet missed something? Do you have any advise? I can’t handle him being sick anymore.
Thank you!
WOW, sounds terrible. Sounds very much like a foreign body or some kind of obstruction. I would try to find a vet that has a good ultrasound and skill with the ultrasound. It could be a partial obstruction or something that lodges and un lodges. With the blood tests being normal and the xrays normal, then it is a transient problem. You can ask about Addisons disease or other endocrine disorders. If you have a medicine specialist within 50 miles, this would be a good referral case for them. SOrry to hear about this but more xrays and a possible ‘dye” study to see if things are passing well would help. Ask your vet about barrium. They will understand.
My dog drank rain water gone murky , she is 6 years old, was perfectly trained. Lots of holding power. Since then drinks much more than usual has a good appetite, not loosing any weight pies a lot and no restrain.
Test her for a urinary tract infection. The rain water should not do this. Also older dogs do get incontinence issues and your vet can prescribe medications to try. Either UTI or incontinence would be my guess. Also, get her kidneys checked to be extra safe.
Is there anything I can put in my pond water to stop my maltese from drinking from it? I have fresh water for him daily but he keeps drinking stagnant pond water. Sometimes he vomits or gets diarrhea. I’ve tried squirt gun…nothing…putting chlorine tablets…nothing. he’s persistent. Please help.
Wow, I have no good answer here except a fence or barrier of some sort.
I’m thinking about buying a house with 10 acres and a pond because I have horses. Should I have the pond tested for bacteria first since I have dogs? Do you recommend that I find a place without a pond? Are ponds really dangerous for dogs? I will keep them away from it mostly but I know germs can get tracked into the house. Thank you
No, ponds are generally safe and can only usually case some diarrhea. There are always exceptions and testing is not a bad idea but probably unnecessary.
Guys please help my dog right now got drank into our drainage because the door was open. What am I suppose to do? I am worried, really don’t know what am I suppose to do. Please help guys 🙁
I have no idea what is in drainage? Call a vet if you have a concern. This forum does not work this fast, sorry.
I have a 15 month old standard poodle who got into stagnant water in a bucket. This was on a Sunday…the Wednesday and Thursday following he ate and drank just not as much as usual but Friday morning he was lazy with a couple spurts when my kids were around and wouldn’t eat or drink…5pm he did take a small treat bone and a little water. 7 pm he took such a turn. Vomited treat and then thick bright yellow bike soon after repeatedly. He could hardly walk. Rushed him to vet not knowing why or what. He had to stay for 3 days at vet with 2 weeks antibiotics. Diagnosed as pancreaitis. Other than than a 1/4 peanut butter sandwich he stole the stagnat water he drank is the only thing I can think of that could have caused this violent attack. Sunday drank and Friday very very sick. Is time line right that it was the stagnat water?
COuld have been the water OR the peanut butter sandwich or just bad luck. Pancreatitis is very confusing and not always linear after a certain meal.This is something you will never know. Pancreatitis is very serious and very deadly and your dog MIGHT be predisposed to it now so keep your eyes open for these symptoms again and the faster you start treatment the better for many reasons.
Without thinking about mosquitoes, I placed a bowl of water on the back porch. My dog is 2 and is an inside dog. When he plays outside he drinks from the bowl that may sit out there for a few days. I stopped that today. Should I be concerned about anything? His next appointment for the vet is a little over 2 weeks away. Normal checkup.
No concern about drinking mosquitos. I would just make sure he is on heartworm prevention.
My 8 year old blue heeler has lymphoma. She was around no pesticides, cleaning agents, absolutely nothing toxic. My only idea is that something in the pond water she likes to swim in may have reduced her immunity….plus…there are painted turtles living in the pond. Also, how about the green slime that grows in drinking water bowls? I notice that as soon as I run a hose of water she goes immediately to drink the fresh water…I’m beginning to wonder if some cancers originate in water quality?
There is no scientific evidence of this. Cancer is often just bad luck or genetic. Sorry for the lymphoma.
My yorkie drank a very little bit of water from a fountain yesterday. The fountain had green in it. She ate her food just fine yesterday afterwards, but this morning she did vomit a little yellow bile up. I gave her a bland diet of rice and chicken, in small quantities. She seems fine and has gone to the bathroom normal. She is active, but after reading how bad stagnant water is, I am concerned. Does she need to see her vet or as long as she is eating and acting normal, she I assume she is ok? She drank the water over 24 hours ago.
Thanks!
No, just watch her.
My dog drank black water from a pond today and i am a bit worried.
Just watch for symptoms.
My 10 week old puppy was diagnosed with Giardia about 10 days ago. She was prescribed metronidazole (5 days) and Pancar (3 days). She was retested using the ELISA giardia test and it came back positive again. She is starting her second round of medication. I have closed off the puppy’s access to majority of the yard (she is only given access to a cement patio) so I can clean the area with a bleach solution. I have also been using lysol spray to clean the inside of my house (carpets, flooring, dog crate etc). Is there anything else I can do to help the puppy get over Giardia and no have it reoccur again?
Sounds like you are doing everything right except maybe changing her to bottled water and cleaning her water bowls very well. Giardia is usually water borne and so that would be my first and next guess for a source. Does the puppy still have symptoms? It might be residual positive testing. I would treat the symptoms more than the test for sure. If the puppy had severe diarrhea and nausea then the I would also look for other causes that might be making the dog immuno compromised…… sorry to hear this. You are doing what is right and need to see how it plays out in the next week.
I was thinking of putting a container water garden in the back yard. Is there something I can do to make it safe (er) for my dogs in case they sneak a drink? A treatment or specific plants? I may add a bubbler, would that be sufficient? It would be in a medium plastic barrel. No run off would be able to get to it. Mosquito dunks say they are safe for animals, is that true? This would not be a replacement for a dog water bowl, but my dogs are rescue dogs (previous strays) and they tend to like to drink from whatever source is available so they may sneak a sip when I’m not paying close enough attention. If it is a huge serious risk I will not include it at all. Just looking for an opinion/solution. Thanks!
No idea, it probably depends on your area and if wild animals are also drinking or dying in the water. The best thing is to have the water keep moving and clean/replace water like a fish tank. I really do not know. Anyone out there have any experience with this?? Just try it an watch for GI symptoms.
I took my dog to the lake for the first time today.
She played for about a half hour and might of had
10 licks of water. She is eating and drinking but
her ears seem warm. Do I need to get her to the
vet to have her tested for any parasites?
No.
HI everyone! I have a 13 week old pit mix today we brought her for a walk and she got into a stagnant pond and now we got home and she won’t stop chewing her paws, and can’t get comfortable! I have checked her for fleas & ticks and given her a bath, it seemed to help a little but she is still chewing her paws and keeps wining. Any ideas??
Sincerely a worried puppy mom
Probably try another bath and some rest and good food. If she is having hives or an allergic reaction then go to the ER or start some benedryl. Hopefully this will pass.
Hi Dr Stewart
I’m 17 weeks pregnant. Two days ago, I accidentally cooked with water that appeared a bit orange/rusty that came from the tap (I didn’t notice the water was a bit contaminated until I saw it accumulate in the toilet bowl). I used the tap water to cook dumplings and noodles and everything was brought to a boil of course. Now I am worried about Taxoplasmosis, What’s the risk of me getting infected from this water? I read that taxoplasmosis (including its cysts) are killed once water reaches 65-70degrees celsius? I may have a tiny bit of sore throat today. Do I need to be tested for infection? If so, can I wait till my obstetrician appointment in 2 weeks?
Seriously? You are asking an online vet this question?? CALL A HUMAN DOCTOR!! Why are you drinking toilet water?
We walked our dog yesterday morning and she got into a stagnant pond and drank the water. She slept all day and ate normally, all night she had fever and has persisted until today. No vomit or diarrhea. She’s a very active 6 month old puppy and all she wants to do is sleep. What should we do?
Bring her to a vet, that sounds like she is lethargic. There might be no big deal if she is just tired from the walk, but 6mo old puppies should not be that tired.
I have a 2 year old cat that I found living under my porch that I took in. A search through an unregistered microchip chip back to the adoption agency gave us an estimate that he was living on the streets for at least 6 months to a year. I took him to the vet and got him current on his vaccines. He is scheduled for a few more booster shots next month. He was preventatively treated for heart worm in the office and he has gone through two rounds of the heart worm, flea, and tick medicine that I give him myself. The problem is… I saw him drinking out of my neighbors green stagnant pond yesterday. His poop smelt like sludge yesterday, he had diarrhea, and his farts smell awful. He is eating and drinking just fine and seems very happy and full of energy. He doesn’t smell as bad today but he still has gas and is stinky. I locked him inside today in hopes of keeping him away from the pond.
See how he does for a day then if it continues bring him to your vet for deworming and maybe some GI antibiotics. Most of these kinds of cases resolve on their own with some time, but sometimes they need vet care for hydration and antibiotics.
Hi Dr. Stewart,
I picked up a stray kitten a year ago that had many health issues. One being infested with roundworms (or so we suspect). Ever since we’ve had her, she has had a pot-bellied stomach and every noe and then will vomit up worms in sizes ranging less than a centimeter to 2-3 inches. She only puked worms up, no puke with it, just a little clear liquid. We have been medicating her and the other cats like crazy since we’ve had her and no luck. Even gave her one medication where I bleached the litterbox and scoop 5 days in a row. Everytime I called, they just wanted to do more meds. I told the vet we need to do something else because this isn’t working! They finally listened to me and said that this is very rare and that I have done everything I could and they should be gone. All of her fecal samples were also negative besides giardia one time. I brought in dead worms to the vet to show them. Right now I am trying to catch a live one but it is very difficult because they only live outside the body for a short time. Now she hasn’t been puking them up. They are thinking they might only be in her lungs since I’ve never seen them in her fecal and she had a lung infection and pukes up with no vomit. Have you ever seen this issue before?? They are saying it is very rare and I am starting to get very worried for her health as well as ours and our other animals.
Thank you!
Sounds like lung worms for sure. It could be re-infestation but that is unlikely. TRY ANOTHER VET and give them all the info and they should get you on a lung worm medication and a monthly dewormer. This is fixable and you should not have to keep doing this. Her swollen belly is also a concern and should be addressed! Sorry to hear all this. Send some of the worms and her stool to any local university (ideally a vet school) or lab if you are in the states or somewhere there is a lab. Let them double check the worms.
Wonderful, what a webpage it is! This blog provides helpful facts to us, keep it up.
A week ago today, my 13 year old miniature dachshund drank out of a pond that I was fishing in and one that provides a habitat for geese. The area is littered with goose droppings leading right up to the water’s edge where my dog drank. I pulled him back as soon as I noticed he was drinking the water. The next day I traveled with him for 8 hours in the car, and as is common with him on long road trips, he didn’t eat much. I did give him a bit of bread from my sandwich about midway through the day. He vomited on the rear floor mat and that night upon arriving at my destination, he was up all night with diarrhea. The following day I noticed more diarrhea and a bit of mucus (either clear mucoid diarrhea or vomit) on the floor. I figured it was just the bread and had honestly forgotten about the pond water. Over the next few days, I was away from my dog working and he was under the care of someone else. Fast forward to today, a week since the initial encounter with the pond, and I am informed that my dog has been consuming an inordinate amount of water and urinating frequently. The person watching my dog is a nurse and assumed it might be a sign of newly developing diabetes. He does have a wart on his head and foggy eyes, so I became pretty panicky. He was rushed to the vet today and they did a overall wellness blood panel and we are awaiting the results. I want to get him on antibiotics immediately but understand that this could be damaging to his kidneys or other vital organs if the cause of his recent symptoms isn’t related to a parasite. I’m confident that it is a parasite and the polydipsia and resultant excess urination are secondary and tertiary results to the bacteria he picked up. Do you think his kidneys are taxed from the initial bout of diarrhea and vomiting?
The simple answer is … yes.. possibly he is dehydrated from the vomiting and diarrhea and dehydrated. I assume this to be giardia or another parasite from the water until proven otherwise. Sorry for the late reply but it sounds like you are on the right path. It could also be leptospirosis or another contagious disease and I would test for that for sure. Good luck!
My 7 year old female got diarrhea within
3 or 4 days after giving 3 packages of
Worm treatment, only worm treatment,
And I don’t think it covers all worms,
I called my vet and told the lady what
Was going on and she told me that the
Vet said it was possible she has parasites
But couldn’t know until she got a stool
Sample, This will be Monday, My dog
Is eating, But not drinking much, I’ve
Been giving her rice with chicken and I’ve
Given her pure pumpkin, Still has a
Yellowish orange diarrhea, And runny
Water like, I’m on disability and I guess
The vet was going the cheapest route to
Help me save money, I also have a male
Buy he’s not showing any signs, I use
Frontline tick and flea treatment, I live
With my sister and family on a 47 acre
Farm and they have 2 pond’s that are
Flowing with water, Both dog’s drink
From the bigger pond and they rather
Drink it, Than what I put out for them,
I also wonder about Parvovirus, I worry
About my baby girl, I can’t worry about
The little money I make each month
And I need to get my dog’s upto date
With everything, U think my vet or gets
That I’ve seen would say or tell me what
The dog’s need to keep them healthy
And then we can think of a price and
Quote what’ll I’ll need each month for
Them to stay healthy and safe, I’m scared
That I’ll lose my girl, My husband kicked
Me out of our home 5/2019 and he was
Incarcerated 2 weeks after kicking me
Out, He caused us to lose everything,
Home foreclosed, losing all vehicles,all
Personal items and everything, Just
Thru me and the dog’s out and I’m
Living with my youngest sister, Since
He’s not been in our lives and he’s out
Now,But apparently wants nothing to do
With us, But he could at least keep up on
My pups and make sure they have all
They need to stay healthy, I’ll be calling
And see what I can get from him,
I won’t allow him to have my dogs, He
Can’t barely do right and take care of
Himself, Than take care of my dog’s,
He’s given up on us and cares less, I
Need help and don’t want to lose my
Dog’s, They need bath’s, They stink and
I’ve asked my sister and her family if
They could take me to Tractor Supply
And give them bath’s, I’m disabled from
A femur damage from my 2 dog’s and
My sister’s, They took me down while
Going for the ball, My boy dog don’t
Share his toys or anything, He’s a
Australian cattle dog and what’s his
And what’s yours is his and everything
Is his and he and my girl are tag team
Partners, If my boy gets In a fight with
Another dog, Then my girl jumps in and
Takes the back end of the dog and he
Has the front, And u can’t even get to
Close to me, Very protective and very
Territorial, Oh! My girl is Australian Cattle Dog as well, He’s a Blue Heeler and
She’s a Red Heeler.. You don’t want to
Even know what names they have,, My
Husband named them,, LoL 🤣
My boy name is Banana Boy 😂 My girl’s
Name is Juicy Girl 😉 Funny huh?
I don’t know if I can wait till Monday to
Take a poop sample to the vet, I’ve not
Slept but 5 hour’s in 3 day’s and my
Sick female is at it now,Seems to effect
Her more at night, Than day and it’s
Raining here, What a mess, Is there
Any kind of help or insurance for low
Income families to help with pet’s vet
Bill’s, I’m not looking for anything free,. That’s not me, I’m just in a bad Situation
Have no transportation or anything,
I either got to ask to use or borrow
Something and I’ve begged as well, I’m
Loss for words to say, GODBLESS my
Pup’s, Thank you so much
Wow, you have a bunch going on. Sorry to hear all this. I think your dog will likely make it until you get the sample to the vet. It might be simple like giardia or if she is not vaccinated something terrible like parvo…. lets hope for the best. You can always try the SPCA or local shelter. They often have programs to help people and pets in need. I do not know where you are or what is available in your location. So sorry to but I hope she is ok.
My dog drank stagnant water while hiking on vacation out of state. A few days later developed diarrhea. He is on a bland diet and eating/drinking. He has had the giardia vaccine. I called the vet but since I am out of the state there isn’t much they can do. They didn’t think it was serious enough to come home. Are there Any other remedies I can try at home?
Bland diet and watch. If the diarrhea clears up you are good. If vomiting starts or inappetance or continued diarrhea then you need to see a vet. Bland food and multiple small meals will help give him the advantage.
It has been raining here a lot. Recently, our cattle dog started to have diarrhea. She is eating and drink fine. Also, she is acting normal playful as usual. What can we do to help? No fever either.
You need a vet visit if you are concerned.
My cat fell into a stagnant nasty pond.I think she swallowed some water,should I be worried & take her to a vet asap? Thank you
Probably not, unless she starts showing signs. If she is not eating or drinking or vomiting or diarrhea….. then bring her.