Most dog owners consider their pet a part of their family and, as such, have them join in whatever activities they indulge in. If you have a dog, and you have a pool, there is a very huge possibility that you let your dog swim in your pool either with you and your family, or on their own. If you allow your dog the freedom to use your pool, there are some things that you should be aware of.
For starters, you should know that your dog’s ears, nose and eyes are actually more sensitive than your own. Exposure to chlorine, especially over an extended period of time, may subject your dog to the adverse effects of such a chemical. And yes, a salt water pool is a chlorinated pool.
Aside from the health risks that your pet may be exposed to when swimming in a chlorinated pool, there are other risks that come with letting a pet into your pool with everyone else. One such risk involves what your pet may bring into your pool water, and what everyone else may find themselves infected with because of this. You may not even consider this when you allow your dog to swim with you, but they can actually carry with them bacteria that can infect others.
Unless you keep your dog indoors and not allow it to play in your yard or outside, you cannot be a hundred percent certain that when he or she gets into your pool, they won’t bring in any dirt or contaminants with them. Even small fecal matter that sticks to their fur (dogs don’t wipe their behinds after they do their business, after all) and gets transferred to your pool, can bring with it bacteria that can make people sick.
When pets swim, it greatly affects the chemical balance due to their shedding, fecal matter, and just being a four footed friend that walks through the grass, mulch, and other items.One dog in pool is equal to 30 people in the pool. So, just keep that in mind when you consider your water pool chemistry. Because of this, it's difficult to keep chemicals properly balanced and the filter needs to be cleaned more frequently. This is because everything in the pool passes through the filter - the heart of a healthy swimming pool. Grids are made for normal wear and tear, and pets that use pools put a greater strain on the system.
If you really want to have your dog swim with you in your pool, and you don’t want people to be exposed to any bacteria, dirt, or debris that they may bring in with them, it may be a good idea to give your dog a bath before you allow them to swim with you. Do this right before you let them get into the pool with you, and do not allow them to roam around after they are clean to prevent them from getting any dirt or pollutants on them. If at all possible, it really is best to keep them out of the pool.