Protect your pets with pool safety

BREE FULLER
30 Dec, 2011 04:00 AM

Fido in floaties?
Bizarre as it sounds, it may be a good way to save your pooch from an untimely demise.

It is just one of the many ways to prevent pets from accidentally drowning this summer, according to Crown Street Veterinary Hospital veterinarian Kevin Calleja.

Each summer Dr Calleja sees a number of pet drownings, but he said the toll could be a lot higher because most drownings happen in home pools and go unreported.

All pets, particularly dogs, should be treated like children when it comes to water safety, he said.

‘‘Dogs like swimming but you have to view them like little kids - you don’t leave them unsupervised,’’ he said.

‘‘Pools should be child-proof, but they really should be dog-proof as well because a lot of drownings happen when dogs fall in and it’s not so much that they can’t swim, it’s they can’t get out.

‘‘If no-one knows that they’re in the pool, they eventually tire out and unfortunately they die.’’

Other animals can simply fall in pools accidentally or jump in out of curiosity, so it is best to secure the pool.

Dr Calleja said common sense should also apply when owners introduce their dog to water for the first time or take them for a swim at the beach.

‘‘If you’re introducing your dog to the water for the first time, do it in a controlled way so they can touch their feet on the ground - don’t just sort of throw them in the pool because they might not swim or they might develop a phobia of the water,’’ he said.

‘‘If they’re going out into the surf don’t take them somewhere where it’s rough, or where there are rips.’’

A dog life jacket - a buoyant harness that fits around a dog’s chest - is another safety option, particularly if the dog is not a strong swimmer.

Dr Calleja said animals should be taken to a veterinarian immediately if they ingest water.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/protect-your-pets-with-pool-safety/2406278.aspx