As the days heat up, the same advice appears everywhere: "Just take him swimming, it's the best exercise there is." It's said to owners of puppies, older dogs, dogs with arthritis and dogs fresh out of surgery. Swimming can be a wonderful exercise for the right dog at the right time, but it isn't automatically the right choice for every dog. Here's what to think about before your dog heads into the water this summer.
Key points
- Swimming isn't simply "walking without the impact": it moves the joints through a much bigger range than walking does.1
- Dogs recovering from surgery, or with joint, spinal, heart or breathing problems, should be assessed before they swim.
- Summer water has hidden hazards, including toxic blue-green algae and leptospirosis.2,3
- What makes water exercise helpful rather than harmful is control, which is why a plan matters.
Swimming isn't "walking without the impact"
Because water supports the body, it's easy to assume swimming is just gentle walking. In reality, a swimming dog moves very differently. When researchers filmed dogs swimming in a pool and walking on a treadmill, swimming bent the knee and hock through a significantly greater range than walking, both in healthy dogs and in dogs three to five weeks after cruciate surgery.1
That extra movement can be put to good use in a carefully planned rehab programme, and the researchers suggested pool-based rehab could help dogs recovering from cruciate surgery.1 But it also shows that swimming is a very different exercise from walking, and the amount of movement needs to suit the stage of healing.
In open water there's no control over how far the joints move, how fast the dog swims or for how long. In practice, we also see many dogs compensate in water, paddling harder with their front legs and sound limbs, which can reinforce exactly the uneven movement that rehab is trying to correct. A dog recovering from surgery usually needs the opposite: controlled, even and gradually increasing load through the healing leg.
Which dogs should be assessed before swimming
Swimming deserves a proper assessment first for dogs with:
- Recent orthopaedic or spinal surgery, where joint movement, wound healing and loading need to be carefully staged
- Open or healing wounds and incisions. Surgical wound infections are a significant cause of complications after surgery, and limiting contamination is central to preventing them.4 Dams, rivers and the sea aren't clean water, so keep incisions dry until your vet confirms they've healed.
- Joint problems such as cruciate disease, hip dysplasia and patellar luxation, where uncontrolled bending and straightening may aggravate the problem
- Spinal conditions such as IVDD, where a panicked, flailing dog is at risk
- Heart or breathing problems, laryngeal paralysis or flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds, where exertion, breathing in water and breathlessness can quickly become dangerous
- Older dogs, very young puppies and dogs in poor body condition, which tire and get cold easily
Not every dog is a natural swimmer, either. Some panic, some tire quickly, and a dog that's struggling often doesn't look like a dog in trouble until it already is.
The water itself can be a hazard
Even healthy dogs face risks in summer water:
- Toxic blue-green algae. Some blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) produce toxins that can make dogs seriously ill or kill them. Dogs are especially vulnerable because they swim in and drink the water and may eat algal mats; a US review identified 368 cases of poisoning in dogs.2 Keep your dog out of water that looks green, scummy or discoloured, and look out for algae warnings.
- Leptospirosis. The bacteria are spread mainly by rodents and can survive in soil and water for weeks to months, and veterinary guidelines recommend limiting dogs' access to standing water and marshy areas.3 Ask your vet whether your dog's vaccinations cover it.
- Other risks include ear and skin infections, upset stomachs from swallowed water, cold water, and exhaustion.
Swimming versus supervised water therapy
Water exercise can be excellent when it's controlled. Structured aquatic therapy, in a warm, clean, purpose-built pool or an underwater treadmill, is a recognised part of rehabilitation, with water depth, temperature, buoyancy aids, session length and exercises all set for the individual dog.5
The difference is control: the depth can be chosen to take weight off a limb, the dog's movement and tiredness are watched throughout, and the session stops as soon as form breaks down. A weekend swim in the dam offers none of that.
How we help
Because we're mobile, we see how your dog moves at home and in its everyday routine. An assessment tells us whether swimming suits your dog right now, and if it does, what kind, how long, how often, and the signs that mean it's time to stop.
If it doesn't yet, we'll build the land-based exercises that get your dog there, working with you and your vet. Controlled, progressive exercise is the approach with strong research behind it: after cruciate surgery, for example, dogs given a rehab programme were using the operated leg as well as the healthy one by six months, while dogs on restricted exercise alone hadn't caught up.6
Safe swimming for healthy dogs
- Choose clean water, and check for algae warnings
- Keep sessions short, especially early in the season
- Rinse and dry your dog afterwards, paying attention to the ears
- Never leave your dog unsupervised in or near water
Water can be a wonderful part of a dog's life and recovery. It just works best when someone has asked: is this the right exercise for this dog, right now? If you're unsure whether your dog is ready to swim, get in touch before the holidays and we'll make a plan together. We'll come to you anywhere in the Overberg, Somerset West and Stellenbosch.
References
- Marsolais GS, McLean S, Derrick T, Conzemius MG. Kinematic analysis of the hind limb during swimming and walking in healthy dogs and dogs with surgically corrected cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2003;222(6):739–743.
- Backer LC, Landsberg JH, Miller M, Keel K, Taylor TK. Canine cyanotoxin poisonings in the United States (1920s–2012): review of suspected and confirmed cases from three data sources. Toxins. 2013;5(9):1597–1628.
- Sykes JE, Francey T, Schuller S, et al. Updated ACVIM consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2023;37(6):1966–1982.
- Nelson LL. Surgical site infections in small animal surgery. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 2011;41(5):1041–1056.
- Millis DL, Levine D, eds. Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy. 2nd ed. Elsevier; 2014.
- Marsolais GS, Dvorak G, Conzemius MG. Effects of postoperative rehabilitation on limb function after cranial cruciate ligament repair in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2002;220(9):1325–1330.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice. Speak to your vet before starting any supplement or treatment, and ask a qualified animal physiotherapist to assess your animal individually.