The Danger of Water Intoxication

[avebury]

I had never heard of this before but felt that it was worth passing along.

http://thebark.com/content/danger-water-intoxication

Last week a friend’s dog had a close call with water intoxication. Her crew was playing in a local river when one of her Border Collies emerged staggering and vomiting liquid.

Symptoms quickly worsened on the way to the vet, but after a few harrowing days, the dog was fortunate to make a full recovery.

Apparently the poor pup ingested too much water while repeatedly diving into the river, mouth open, trying to catch a ball. Drinking too much causes electrolyte levels to drop, thinning blood plasma and leading to swelling of the brain and other organs.

Before I learned about water intoxication, I thought that playing in the lake was safe if your dog was a strong swimmer. But now I know to be mindful of how my guys interact with the water and to force them to take ample breaks. Dogs can even drink too much water from playing with a lawn sprinkler.

Unfortunately water intoxication progresses quickly. Now that summer is officially here, it’s important to review the signs so you can get an affected dog to the vet as soon as possible.

Symptoms include lack of coordination, lethargy, nausea, bloating, vomiting, dilated pupils, glazed eyes, light gum color, and excessive salivation. Advanced symptoms include difficulty breathing, collapsing, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

As the weather gets warmer, stay safe. Water intoxication can affect both people and our pups.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Is that the same thing as Dog Bloat?

Many years ago I heard about someone whose dog drank so much water, so quickly, from its water bowl that it died. I think the dog was overheated to begin with.

I wonder how you can tell when a dog's had enough water to drink.

[avebury]

2. I don't know if it is the same as dog bloat.

I had never heard of it before.

[LiberalEsto]

3. I'm not sure they are the same

Dog Bloat:
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/gastric-volvulus-bloat-dogs-life-threatening-emergency

[libodem]

4. Remember that horrible

Mother who forced her little girl to drink, glass after glass of water, because she kept getting up from her bed and asking for a drink? I believe it was Texas, and the child died as a result.

Before I heard that story, I had not known it was possible to die from water intoxication. It was 2-3 years ago.

[SCantiGOP]

5. 5 or 6 years ago

a young woman died from drinking water. She had a pretty severe mental disorder and, despite having seen multiple doctors, was convinvced that she had stomach cancer and drinking constantly was all that kept it at bay. Her cause of death was electrolyte disorder, but I remember them saying it would be nearly impossible to do this unless you were forcing yourself to drink large quantities as quickly as you could.

[LeftofObama]

6. I remember hearing a news story several years ago

about a woman who entered some sort of contest. The contest was put on by a radio station and involved something like whoever drank the most water in a given time won some concert tickets or something. Anyhow, she died of water intoxication. I've never heard of it happening to animals though.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Water is toxic even for us humans.

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Drinking too much water can kill you.

rare, but it happens.

"Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning or dilutional hyponatremia, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside safe limits by over-hydration."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication

I've known this for decades.

That's why I stick to beer!



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[In_The_Wind]

8. Another good reason why I don't like water.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Water will give me a gut ache in a matter of seconds.

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Coffee is ok, but only a couple per day.

Body is fussy about juices - just because the mouth says it tastes ok, don't mean body will agree.

Mouth likes the taste of orange and apple juice, body disagrees.

Occasionally mouth and body agree with tomato juices, clamato and the like, but body is fussy as to when, and how much.

Other juices, like 5-alive and so on mouth and body agree with.

Hard liquor like whisky and rum mouth and body are ok with, but head gives me shit the next day - wine is ok if taken in moderation with a good meal.

So we are back to beer .

Seems everyone is happy with beer, even when done to excess.

So, -



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