Our little terrier, Moses, likes to swim in our pool. I know he
drinks some of the pool water, too. Is the chlorine in our pool
safe for him? Do we need to keep him out of the pool?
Q: Our little terrier, Moses, likes to swim in our pool. I know he drinks some of the pool water, too. Is the chlorine in our pool safe for him? Do we need to keep him out of the pool?
A:
In its concentrated form (before it’s added to the pool water), chlorine is dangerous and can cause serious damage to the skin and eyes. Concentrated chlorine can also irritate the stomach if it’s swallowed. So you should keep your pool chlorine in a locked cabinet, inaccessible to any pets or children. And if any of this chemical spills onto the pool deck, be sure to wash it off right away, so no one can get a burn on their feet.
On the other hand, if your pool is chlorinated at a normal level, the concentration in the water isn’t high enough to be dangerous to Moses, even if he swallows small amounts. Just be sure he has a large bowl of cold, fresh water nearby at all times so that he’s less tempted to use the pool as his watering hole when he gets thirsty. And if you ever use higher levels of chlorine to “shock” your pool, I’d recommend that you keep Moses and the kids away until the chemicals dissipate to a more normal level.
Q:
Our dog, Lucy, was spayed last year. She had no trouble with surgery and recovered quickly at home afterward. Here’s our problem. She seems to be in heat right now. She is swollen and has a slight bloody discharge. And the neighbor’s dog is on our back porch as I write this note to you. He keeps coming over and I’m sure his intentions aren’t noble. Can a spayed female really come into heat? Was there something wrong with the surgery?
A:
Sounds like a real nightmare at your home at the moment. And yes, it’s possible (but very uncommon) for a spayed female to show signs of estrus. There are several possible explanations for her situation. Here are the two most common of these.
First, she may have a vaginal infection. This could be a post-surgery problem or it may be due to the penetration of a foxtail or other plant material. (Female dogs often pick up foxtails when they scoot on their bottoms in the garden.) Any type of infection causes an odor that will actually attract male dogs. This might explain the interest your neighbor’s dog is showing. The bleeding could also be a symptom of a low-grade infection.
It’s also possible (but less likely) that Lucy has some circulating estrogens originating from somewhere other than her ovaries. The routine spay procedure removes the uterus and ovaries. So there shouldn’t be any circulating estrogens as long as the surgeon was thorough. But in unusual cases, a female dog might have a small area on her spleen or liver that secretes this hormone and causes her to appear as though she is in estrus. This is called an ectopic site where this hormone might originate.
Lucy needs a thorough examination to determine whether or not she has an infection. If so, your problems will be over once she starts some medication. If her problem is hormonal, your veterinarian will have some options for you to help this dilemma. Either way, once this is over, that unwanted neighbor’s dog will have better things to do than to hang around your back door offering unwanted attention. By the way, you might even mention to your neighbor that his pooch will be a lot happier if he’s neutered. You and all the other neighbors will be happier as well.
