# My dog went swimming in a lake and developed a UTI/questions



## ozzy (Sep 29, 2007)

I have a boy dog that is about 15 months old (over a year )

He had never been swimming before this summer but I live by a lake now and take him all the time and he LOVES it. A couple of weeks ago I took him swimming one afternoon and when we got home after about an hour he stated peeing everywhere, even on my lap. I rushed him to the vet and they did a culture and discovered he had a mild bladder infection.

Obviously this is rare for a boy dog and I asked if swimming could have anything to do with it, the vet said no she didn't think so and that was that. He has been on antibiotics and is doing better.

Here is my question: After he had been on the drugs for a few days and seemed totally better I took him swimming again, I honestly forgot that the lake could have anything to do with it since the vet didn't think so and he was doing better.

That night he had the same symptoms again, peeing everywhere and peeing a lot. So obviously the lake has something to do with it but what? I am wondering if since he was still on the drugs he wasn't fully healed yet and bacteria bothered him or what it could be?

He has finished his drugs and is all better but now I am afraid to take him swimming? Has anyone had anything like this happen from swimming? Do you think plain (not treated and not lake water) would be ok? There is a pool at his doggy daycare and I want to let him at least use that.

I am bummed to not be able to take him swimming, I plan to ask the vet again but thought I would see if anyone has ever had this happen?


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## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

My dog swallows a lot of water when he swims. Then he pees a lot. Is this a possibility?


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## ozzy (Sep 29, 2007)

MegaMuttMom said:


> My dog swallows a lot of water when he swims. Then he pees a lot. Is this a possibility?


I don't know this was more than normal peeing or even peeing a lot, we are talking massive amounts and he could not hold it at all, he even went on my couch, all over the floor, just kept going, and you could tell he was upset by it too, he was shaking and cowering cause he knew it was wrong. (I didn't scold him)


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## Don152 (Jan 31, 2008)

I'm not a vet and I don't even play one on TV (sorry, thats a very old reference you might not get).. anyway if the first time the problem showed up it was only an hour after swimming then I don't think swimming gave him an infection. It would take longer to develop would it not? I would guess it was just a coincidence that you took him swimming while he was already sick, and two days later he’s not over it yet. Maybe he did drink a lot of water and the infection was the main problem. Of course vets do misdiagnose. I know mine did, so maybe I'm way off.


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## piker (Aug 3, 2008)

ozzy said:


> I don't know this was more than normal peeing or even peeing a lot, we are talking massive amounts


I've been taking my dog swimming for years. Each time, he drinks massive amounts of water. After he gets out of the water, I walk him for about 15 minutes just so he can pee before the car trip back home. Sometimes while we're driving back, he'll start to whine and I'll have to pull over to let him pee. When we get home, I'll let him out ever 30 minutes or so for the next 3 hours.

Some dogs just drink lots of water when they swim.


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## LoveBrits18 (Jul 31, 2008)

Swimming in the lake wouldn't cause a bladder infection. The only health issue you have to watch out for after swimming are ear infections. More likely than not he did what everyone else has said and just swallowed tons of water. Not to second guess or undermine your veterinarian, but many times vets like to be "more safe than sorry" when it comes to things like that...i.e., they probably found something "slightly" abnormal on his urinalysis and decided to treat for a UTI just in case. 

More symptoms of a true UTI: straining to urinate and/or crying out when urinating, bloody urine (occasionally evidencec of stones) and a truly foul smell...esp in boy dogs...the closest I can come to describing it is rotten pretzels...heh heh once you smell it you'll recognize it every time afterward, it is very distinctive.


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## Lisitam8 (Sep 26, 2009)

This has happened to my dog three times now in the last 5 weeks. Today at 1:00, in fact, I took my two 2 year old female dogs swimming in a pond that has started to get a little murky. We stayed for about an hour and a half, then went home. I left around 7:00 pm and returned at 8:30 to find my dog's leg all wet and a huge wet spot on the couch. Like I said, this is now the third time it's happened, and always after swimming in this particular pond. It never lasts more than an hour or two, but I haven't taken her into the vet yet, as my friend said it happened to her dog after swimming at the same pond. Seems too coincidental for it not to be something in the water.


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## Magnum (Jun 17, 2011)

Hi everyone,this is my first post.I found this site by doing a search for the problem the OP posted about. I have a 2-1/2 yo newfie. He gets "the symptoms" of a uti every time I take him to the lake ,or if we get heavy rain and he walks through standing water in the yard. For example ,we will be at the beach "fresh water" for a day and after a couple hours he will start to develop the symptoms. At first I thought he was marking but he can barely make the 25 minit ride home . After this he constantly needs to go out and looks like he'e having a hard time. This lasts for days even after a visit to the vet and some amoxacillin. Last year my vet suggested to start him on the anti bio. before one of our week long trips and he was great, no problems at all. 

We had a lot of rain in the last few weeks and sure enough he has it again .My guess is from puddle hopping and then licking his paws. 
Other than giving him amox my vet is stumped. His urine came back great,no blood, very concentrated everything looked good. This time I took him to another vet for a 2nd opinion and he was also stumped. Urine tested fine.

This time seemed to be the worst.The syptoms he has are.... Hard time urinating,control problems, frequent trips out side(he will spend 5 minits trying to pee then come in then want to run right back out)
He gets better after about 3 to five days on the amox. 
He didnt get sick when he was on the amox during a week long trip of swimming every day.
He is fine all winter and summer as long as he doesnt get into any standing water.
he gets the shot for Lepto
He is fixed

And other than this problem he is MAGnificent

Thanks in advance

Dave and Magnum


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## Dingeryote (Jun 20, 2011)

There may very well be a connection between the pond/lake and the sudden onset of UTI like symptoms.

Try swimming the pooch in a different body of water.

Ponds and lakes go through cycles of high bacteria and other pathogens, and it can be worse if there are houses on the lake thanks to grey water systems, and poorly maintained septic systems.

Dogs absolutely guzzle water while they swim and play in it, and it's normal for them to have to "Use the tree" quite a bit after a swim, but they shouldn't be losing control. My guess is something in the lake water is acting as an "Irritant". There are millions of microscopic critters in pond water that will do that, and more if the bottom gets stirred up. There is a protozoa known for causing urinary tract problems in people, I forget the name, but they aren't common, and I don't know about them afflicting dogs..now I gotta look it up.

We have always had water dogs, or dogs that thought they were, and the only time we have ever had issues were after training sessions on lakes with houses, and those were all skin related problems, stemming from IDIOTs running thier septic into the lake. Never had a single issue with stagnant looking, smelly, swampy lakes, and irrigation ponds though.

Try another lake or pond. No reason to deny the pooch one of dogdoms greatest joys. If it was plain old water causing the problem, he would have it from drinking Tap water too.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

As soon as the weather warms up, Susie swims in every lake and puddle she can find and so far has never had a problem. It sounds like that particular "puddle" could have some sort of bacteria in it. Some of the places Susie swims, it is thick black mud to get to the water but she just plows through it. She so thoroughly loves to swim that I let her go in, just have to hose her off when I get home as she gets so stinky sometimes.

We have a couple of really nice lakes close by and she can swim in them as long as the ducks and geese are not nesting. If she goes in where she should not and someone sees her, they can confiscate them and put them to sleep even though she has no interest in the waterfowl at all. Luckly there are parts that are gravelly and she can go in there.


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## Magnum (Jun 17, 2011)

We are heading up to the lake tonight for a week so we'll see . My vet advised me to keep him on the amox until we get home. Last year he was fine when I started him on the amox before the trip. 
The nastiest water he can get into is in my yard, after it sits for a few days it starts to stink.The lakes we go to are crystal clear but I know being clear they still contain bacteria ect...

He's going to a specialist when we come home.

thanks
Dave n Magnum


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## Magnum (Jun 17, 2011)

Back from our trip up north, swam every day and all good! Had magnum on the amox all week. Still going to see a specialist this week,need to get a handle on this problem . I know it's not good for him to be on amox all the time. 

Hope everyone has a safe holiday!


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## Dingeryote (Jun 20, 2011)

Good to hear back, that he's doing fine on the Amox, despite the swimming.

There's probably a thousand thngs none of us here have thought of. Should be interesting to hear what the specialist has to say.

Happy 4th to you guys too!!!


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## ilovezoey (Jun 22, 2011)

Dry commercial pet foods are often contaminated with bacteria, which may or may not cause problems. Improper food storage and some feeding practices may result in the multiplication of the E. coli bacteria. For example, adding water or milk to moisten pet food and then leaving it at room temperature causes bacteria to multiply. 
Drinking from a toilet can also contribute. 
I would guess the bacteria is coming from either the lake water, his water supply (do you have a well?) or something he's eating since UTI's are not common in males. Glad to hear he's doing better.


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