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froggy7 · Jun 10, 2007, 10:14 AM

Hello!

I have been taking my greyhound to a play group that meets at an off-leash dog park on Sundays. She loves it. My problem is that the "park" actually belongs to the utility company, and is really an area set aside for storm run-off. (You see these a lot in Austin... essentially shallow pits designed to catch water and hold it so that it can sink into the water table instead of running off.) This one is pretty big, and has some permanent features that connect to the storm drains. And, of course, water pools up by them. And, also of course, my dog (and several others) has decided that the muddy, scuzzy water tastes ever so much better than the nice fresh clean water that we put out for them! My big concern is giardia, since this seems like a perfect breeding ground for it.

Is there anything I can do besides not go to the play group? I don't mind her being _in_ the water, since it helps her cool off, and I rinse her off when we get home. But if she gets in it, then she laps it up, and that seems like a bigger risk.

Advice appreciated!

puppylove21 · Jun 10, 2007, 10:40 AM

Personally I have kept my puppy out the river near our home because its filthy. So I won't let her swim in it or drink from it. I have no idea what diseases they can catch from dirty water/rivers... hopefully someone else has a better answer. If it was me, I would go to a different place.

labman · Jun 10, 2007, 11:16 AM

It may have to do with the depth of the water. I notice some of my dogs will drink out of the toilet bowl when there is water right there in their dish. I have never heard of a problem from drinking foul water. I do try to keep my dogs out of the worst of the foul pools.