Dog drank lake water, now has soft stool & drinks more. Is he sick?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. To be honest, if a dog is eating and happy, he is almost certainly getting enough fluids. As for the soft stool, it doesn’t look abnormal enough for me to be terribly concerned. Call and let your surgeon know but in general, if Lou is eating and happy, a little soft stool is no big deal. Best wishes to you and Lou!

Hello. If your toilet was relatively clean, there is nothing to worry about as the water that goes to the toilet is the same that comes from the main line into the house for drinking. If your toilet is less than pristine, then thee is a small possibility of a bacterial infection. Forget about giardia, this is a parasite that is found in streams & bodies of water contaminated by wildlife feces. In the small chance that there was enough bacteria in the toilet water to cause an illness, you should watch for vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, bloating or signs of abdominal pain. Most signs should show in the next 48-72 hours, so if Bentley makes it through the weekend with no problems, he will be perfectly fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would recommend that Bentley get checked out by the vet. There are lots of things in lake water that could cause illness, such as bacteria, algae, and parasites. The vet may want to check blood work or a stool sample to determine the best treatment.

I wouldn't be too concerned about gas alone, especially if you are not seeing true vomiting or diarrhea. While drinking the bath water is not ideal and I wouldn't encourage the behavior it is unlikely to cause much harm. If Lou does start vomiting or his soft stool progresses to diarrhea you should contact your vet to see what they would recommend.

I am sorry to hear about Beaux! It could be that he ingested something high in sodium/salt and this is causing his excessive thirst, but we do worry about things like grapes and raisins causing kidney issues, so if anything of that nature was in the trash I would recommend an exam right away, or if any medications could have been in the trash. If the excessive drinking continues past today, or if he begins vomiting or acting lethargic a visit to the vet today is recommended as we do worry about them developing an obstruction of the intestinal tract if they swallow something that gets stuck, or pancreatitis. Best of luck to you and Beaux!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Cash. So this cleaner is diluted with the toilet water, but it can make a dog sick, and it sounds like he has gotten sick from this. I'm concerned about the diarrhea, the low energy, and I'm extremely concerned he hasn't eaten or drank anything today. I think he needs to see a vet immediately, and I urge you to take him into one now. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!