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Summer Safety: Prevent a Tragedy
Pool Safety Alert!
I experienced a little mishap at my home, and wanted to alert readers to a common backyard danger. We recently had a Viewer Viewpoint story about Josh, the puppy who drowned in a backyard pond - the decorative, plastic, in-ground kind. My experience was a variation on this theme, and I feel that it warrants an alert message. Everyone knows that pools, hot tubs, ponds, etc. pose a drowning hazard for children and pets. The commonsense safety rules apply: keep the pool area fenced and locked, always have adult supervision, safety locks on the equipment (i.e. hot tub cover) and so on. As readers found out in Josh's Story, even a "safe" yard that had been puppy-proofed can be dangerous. Animals and children are not predictable. My 1.5-year-dog Rex and I were caring for the neighbors' animals while they were away. (OK, Rex wasn't actually helping with animal care; he was more of a goodwill ambassador.) They have a dog, Bria, that Rex gets along well with, and he enjoys accompanying me over there to do the chores. Because the neighbors were away for an extended holiday, I often brought Bria over to our house to play and have some company. The two dogs were outside playing. I went in the house to finish up some work. We needed to run to town for a quick trip, and, since our acreage is fenced, I decided to leave the dogs together. Returned home, and no dogs in the yard! I called their names frantically, and heard Bria barking, as usual, from her yard. No Rex. I went over to the neighbor's house, and there the dogs were, Bria barking, and Rex looking very worried from the pool! It is an in-ground pool; he was OK, feet up on the deck, but with a very perplexed and worried expression on his face. Probably relieved that I showed up, and worried that he was in big, big trouble! I pulled him out, he shook off, and ran around like normal. He was a bit chilly that evening. Hypothermia, or low body temperature, is another danger for unheated pools, ponds, lakes, and rivers. To correct this, Rex got a bath and blow dry, then donned my college sweatshirt to maintain body heat. He was a mild case, as the pool is somewhat heated from the cover, and he did fine. For those of you that enjoy the water with your pets, be aware of the dangers of hypothermia. This is especially important for those who visit lakes and rivers. Severe hypothermia may present as: dilated pupils, stupor or coma, pale or blue gums, decreased heart and respiratory rate, shivering. The heart and kidneys may also be affected. If this is seen, wrap the animal in a blanket, using hot water bottles (or water balloons) next to the animal. Do NOT use heating pads - this may cause burns. Transport to your veterinarian or emergency clinic as soon as possible. In addition to learning about the dangers of hypothermia, be warned of the dangers of a seemingly "solid" pool covering -- the bubble-wrap solar cover for pools. Rex is familiar with water (we have a pond), but I am sure that he thought the neighbor's pool was solid. I spoke to my friend who is a vet here in town, and he said that TWO clients have already lost dogs in pools with covers this year! One was an adult dog, one was a puppy, both with the solar covers on pools. And...my neighbor said that some time ago, they found a dead dog in their pool as well. <gasp> They have a fenced pool area with a gate, so they are unsure as to how the dog got in that time. The pool cover can actually trap the dog below the cover, leading to suffocation or drowning. So...a wake up call for me. With two small children and a dog named Rex, I feel lucky to have received this 'warning'. Additional Reading: Weather Links From the Forum
Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby. All rights reserved.
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