Do you have a dog? 🐾
People often ask me if it is safe for their dog to get into and drink from their pond. As much as I would like to just answer with a swift “Yes!”, it actually depends on a couple factors.
- If you put harmful chemicals into the water, it may not be safe.
- If the pond is not cared for and kept as a healthy ecosystem, it may not be safe.
Have you ever notice that a dog may eat something that seems really sketchy to us but they seem fine? Dogs have a much stronger acid in their stomachs that allow them to handle things our stomachs just couldn’t.
Pond and dog safety – vaccine for your pond dog
I wanted to share a little pet-friendly PSA with you. We’ve had a pond and been around ponds for quite a while. We’ve also had a dog the whole time. A couple of days ago, we took our dog, Molly, in for some routine vaccinations. The vet asked if she’s ever around water. She certainly is! She loves to get in the pond!
They gave her a vaccine called Leptospirosis (“Lepto” for short).
Apparently, there’s a bacterial infection that can spread through standing water—like puddles, streams, and ponds. It’s rare but can affect dogs and other animals. I’m so glad to hear that it’s rare! I’ve worked with so many people and their ponds, and not once has this come up.
Here is Molly checking out something in the pond. At first, she would swim right through the lily pads. We taught her to stay away from them and now she does much better.
What is Leptospira ?
Leptospira bacteria can cause kidney and liver damage. It comes from the fecal matter of wildlife that carry the bacteria. Not all wildlife has it, but some could. The chances of it showing up in your pond are low but higher if deer, bears, or other wildlife visit your pond.
Maybe I haven’t heard about it because there’s a vaccine that helps protect dogs. Maybe all the dogs have been getting this vaccine all along, and I just never knew!
If you have a dog (and I’m assuming you have a pond if you’re reading this!), make sure you talk to your vet about this vaccine. It takes two shots to get the job done, with a booster several weeks later, and needs to be given annually.
It’s good to learn new things! 🐾💙
This is our dog Zeke. He is no longer with us. He loved the pond! He didn’t really swim, but liked to step into a shallow area just to cool down.
Other things to know about dogs and ponds.
Some dogs will swim in the pond but most will get in just to cool off.
Most dogs won’t actually bother the fish.
Water Hyacinth is really not good for dogs if they eat it, but, I’ve never seen a dog eat floating water hyacinth. (want more info on aquatic pond plants? We have it!)
Dogs will walk on the ice when the pond is frozen. Just keep an eye on your dog to see what they do. Zeke did not walk on the ice, he was pretty smart. Molly however has walked on the ice. Luckily her weight is spread out over 4 legs. The edge of the ice did break and we watched as part of her fell into the icy pond. She was easily up and out of the pond before we needed to intervene. After that she has stayed away from thin ice.
Here is Molly and her new friend checking the progress of the work on a client’s pond.
* This blog was NOT written by AI. This was written by me. I am not a professional writer, I am a pond person. Therefore, if you see a typo, please do not call the typo police, throw red flags or send me notice of type by pigeon.