How to Help a Dog in a Drowning Situation?

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Dogs like swimming short distances. That prevents them from getting overwhelmed and exhausted. Short course swimming saves their energy and enables them to turn back safely. Sometimes, your dog may swim further or accidentally fall into the water, thus increasing the chances of drowning. In that case, you want to be ready to take immediate action and save your dog. To learn more about how to help a dog in a drowning situation, veterinarians from Eastshore Vet, the best veterinary clinic in Madison, recommend taking the following steps.

How to Help a Dog in a Drowning Situation?

Help your dog get out of the water as soon as possible. When your dog is left for too long in a cold water, he/she may get hypothermia. It is a potentially dangerous condition that may cause serious complications.When you try to rescue a drowning dog by yourself, bring a floating device with you. Your dog may cling or climb on it. If you must swim to pull him out of the water, be careful. A drowning dog might be aggressive and you might need to protect yourself. Take him by the back of his neck and pull him out of the water. If a dog is drowning near the shore, use a stick, hook his collar, and drag him closer. Look for a boat, if there is any. It is the safest way to rescue a dog in a drowning situation.

After your dog is on the safe ground, look for excess water in his lungs. Before you bring him to the closest vet, you should remove extra water from his body. Grasp his rear legs and lift him. Hold him in this position for about 20 minutes. If your dog is too big and you can't hold him upside down, put him on a slanting surface. The symptoms you should look for are a weak pulse, cyanosis, heavy breathing, hypothermia, and loss of consciousness.

If your dog doesn’t breathe and you can’t find his pulse, apply CPR technique. Hold his mouth closed and inhale through the dog’s nose. You should do that every 4 seconds until his lungs begin to breathe.Even though you pulled a drowning dog from the water, helped him breathe and turn his heartbeats back on track, you should visit your vet. Your veterinarian will examine a dog who has just gone through a drowning situation and treat possible consequences.

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BRANFORD LOCATION - OPERATIONS HAVE MOVED TO MADISON AS OF DEC 2022

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East Shore's Veterinary Hospital
50 N. Main St
Branford, CT 06405
Mon-Fri : Closed
Saturday : Closed
Sunday : Closed

MADISON LOCATION

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East Shore's Animal Wellness Center
29 Boston Post Road
Madison, CT 06443
Monday : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday : 9.00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday : 9:00am - 5:00pm
Friday : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat-Sun : Closed
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