Pond water and your pet
did you know that the water in ponds, streams and creeks may be harmful to your pets?
It's true, in untreated water sources such as streams, creeks, rivers and ponds
bacteria & other micro organisms will occur naturally as part of the ecosystem.
The biggest concern about letting your pet drink from these sources
is that could get several diseases from the various lifeforms in the water.
One of the most common water borne disease is a Protozoan Parasite called Giardia
and that can cause acute diarrhea, and also in humans it is also called Beaver Fever.
Another disease is caused by the Leptospirosis Bacteria. Lepto is spread through
the urine of animals carrying the bacteria. The disease, if left untreated, can cause
kidney and liver failure, and make the animal very ill. This disease is also Zoonotic
meaning it can be passed from animals to humans.
Therefore care must be taken if pets contract this disease that it does not spread to the family.
Especially prone to infection are young children and elderly adults
as their system may be easily compromised.
We recommend that you avoid letting your pets drink from these water sources, but if you believe your dog or cat would be at risk at contracting Leptospirosis please contact your vet.
