Victoria’s mild autumn air hides how fast the water cools. A dog that swam comfortably in August is entering considerably colder water in October, often on a pleasant afternoon that gives the owner no reason to think twice. Cold water affects dogs quickly, and small, thin and older dogs are affected fastest.
The gap between air and water
Water holds temperature far longer than air does, and it takes heat out of a body roughly twenty five times faster. Those two facts together explain the whole problem.
Through September and October the air around Victoria stays genuinely pleasant. Fifteen or sixteen degrees on a bright afternoon feels like swimming weather. The sea and the lakes, meanwhile, have been cooling steadily since late summer and keep cooling well into winter.
So the owner’s judgement, which is based on how the air feels, drifts further from reality every week. The dog does not help, because a keen swimmer will go in regardless and shows no hesitation at all.
The other autumn change is what the water is doing. Rain lifts river and stream levels, currents run faster and colder, and debris moves. A shoreline or river entry point that was safe and shallow in August can be quite different after the first serious rain.
What cold water does to a dog
Heat loss is the main event and it is faster than people expect, especially through the belly and the inside of the legs where the coat is thin.
Watch for:
- Shivering, and more importantly shivering that stops while the dog is still cold, which is a warning rather than a relief
- Slowing down, lagging behind, or reluctance to keep moving
- Stiffness, clumsiness or an unsteady gait
- Weakness in the back legs, or difficulty climbing out of the water
- Pale gums
- Becoming quiet, dull or unresponsive
- Curling up tightly and not wanting to move
The dogs most at risk are the ones with the least insulation and the smallest body mass: whippets, greyhounds and other thin-coated breeds, small dogs, puppies, seniors, and any dog that is underweight or unwell. A thick-coated retriever tolerates far more than a lean short-coated dog of the same size.
There is a second problem worth knowing about. Sudden immersion in cold water causes an involuntary gasp and rapid breathing. A dog that jumps into cold water can inhale water at that moment, and inhaled water causes problems that develop over the following hours rather than immediately.
The delayed one owners miss
A dog that has inhaled water can come out, shake off, and appear entirely normal. Signs may not appear for several hours, sometimes up to twenty four.
Contact us if, in the hours after a swim, you see:
- Coughing that starts or persists
- Breathing that is faster than usual at rest, or that looks like effort
- Wheezing, or any noise on breathing
- Lethargy or reluctance to settle
- Blue or grey gums, which is an emergency
- Refusing food that evening
Count your dog’s breaths in a minute while it is resting and tell us the number. It is one of the most useful things you can give us over the phone. Our guide to knowing when to seek veterinary guidance covers the wider set of situations that should not wait, and breathing changes belong near the top of it.
Salt water, and drinking while swimming
Victoria dogs swim in the sea, so this matters here more than inland.
A dog that swallows a quantity of salt water gets vomiting and diarrhea within a few hours. Larger amounts cause a genuine problem as the salt load shifts fluid out of the tissues, and signs then include disorientation, weakness, tremors and in severe cases seizures. A dog that has drunk a lot of sea water and then becomes wobbly or confused needs to be seen urgently rather than watched.
The reverse problem exists in fresh water. A dog that repeatedly retrieves a ball or bites at a hose or wave takes in fresh water with every mouthful, and enough of it dilutes the blood dangerously. Signs are similar: vomiting, wobbliness, glazed eyes, bloating and collapse.
Both are prevented the same way. Take breaks, bring fresh drinking water so your dog is not thirsty at the shoreline, and stop retrieving games well before your dog wants to stop.
Practical rules for the autumn
- Judge the water, not the air. Put your own hand in past the wrist. If you would not want to be in it, shorten the swim
- Keep swims short and get moving afterward. A brisk walk generates heat; standing at the shore does not
- Towel dry properly, particularly the chest and belly, and bring a dry towel rather than the wet one from last time
- Consider a neoprene coat for thin-coated dogs that will not be dissuaded from swimming
- Do not let a dog swim to exhaustion. Retrievers will keep going long past sensible, and cold plus fatigue is the combination that gets dogs into trouble
- Check the entry and exit point before letting a dog in, because autumn rain changes banks and currents
- Watch for debris and hazards that have washed down since summer
- Never send a dog into moving water after a ball or a bird, and never go in after your dog
- Skip it entirely for puppies, seniors, thin dogs and any dog with a heart or breathing condition
When to come in
Straight to our urgent care, phoning on the way, for any of these:
- Difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, or blue or grey gums
- Collapse, weakness or an inability to stand
- Disorientation, tremors or seizures after drinking water of any kind
- Shivering that has stopped in a dog that is still cold
- A near-drowning or a dog pulled from water, even one that seems fine afterward
Where the picture is unclear our medical services team can assess the chest properly, which matters because inhaled water is not something an owner can rule out at home.
Frequently asked questions
How cold is too cold?
There is no single number, because it depends on the dog, how long it is in, and what happens afterward. As a practical rule, once you would find the water uncomfortable on your own hand, treat it as short-swim conditions for a fit adult dog and no-swim conditions for a small, thin, young, old or unwell one.
My dog loves swimming and would go in all year. Is that fine?
For a fit, well-covered adult dog, short swims well into the autumn are usually manageable with sensible drying and a brisk walk afterward. The problems come from long swims, repeated retrieving, exhaustion and standing around wet in the wind. Enthusiasm is not a safety indicator; dogs do not moderate this themselves.
He shivered for a while and then stopped. Is that good?
Not necessarily, and it is worth taking seriously. Shivering generates heat, so shivering that stops while a dog is still cold and is now quiet or unsteady is a concerning sign rather than a reassuring one. Warm your dog gradually and phone us.
How much sea water is a problem?
Less than most owners expect, and it depends on the dog’s size. A few mouthfuls typically cause stomach upset. A dog that has been repeatedly biting at waves or retrieving in surf for a long session can take in a genuinely dangerous amount. Any wobbliness or confusion after sea swimming is urgent.
Should I warm a cold dog up quickly?
Gradually rather than quickly. Towel dry, wrap in something dry, move somewhere warm and out of the wind, and let the temperature come up steadily. Do not use a hot water bottle directly against the skin, do not use a hairdryer on hot, and do not put a very cold dog straight into hot water. If your dog is dull or unsteady, phone us while you are warming them.
Do cats have the same risk?
Very rarely, since most cats avoid water. It matters for cats that fall into water, including ponds and pools, and a cat pulled from water should be checked even if it seems fine afterward, for the same inhaled-water reason.
Speak to the team at Midtown Veterinary Hospital
If your dog has been coughing or seems off after a swim, phone us the same day. Call (778) 775-8387.
Published by the team at Midtown Veterinary Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Midtown Veterinary Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Midtown Veterinary Hospital
691 Burnside Road East, Victoria, BC V8T 2X9
Phone: (778) 775-8387
Email: info@midtownvets.ca
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM; Wednesday and Thursday closed