Canine swimming encompasses very different situations.

There is recreational swimming, regular swimming as physical activity, water sports, and hydrotherapy used in rehabilitation.

These activities do not have the same objectives and do not present the same constraints.

A dog that occasionally swims in the summer, an arthritic dog undergoing hydrotherapy, and a dog practicing dock diving do not exert their bodies in the same way.

The benefits of water for the musculoskeletal system

Immersion reduces the load on the joints while water resistance increases muscle work.

This combination explains the use of aquatic exercise in veterinary rehabilitation.

The goal is to maintain locomotor work while limiting certain impact constraints observed during land exercise.

The study by Nganvongpanit and colleagues illustrates this approach in dogs.

What the study in arthritic dogs shows

The study published in 2014 included 55 dogs divided into several groups, including 22 dogs with hip osteoarthritis participating in an eight-week swimming program.

The authors observed:

• an improvement in hip range of motion;
• an improvement in several locomotor parameters;
• a decrease in a biomarker associated with cartilage degradation.

These results support the benefit of aquatic exercise in certain arthritic contexts.

However, the sample sizes remain modest, and the results concern a specific protocol.

Hydrotherapy and swimming: two different situations

Hydrotherapy is a rehabilitation intervention performed in a controlled environment.

The duration, intensity, progression, and objectives are adapted to the dog.

Free swimming or recreational bathing can also represent an interesting physical activity, but they do not allow the same control of effort, quality of movement, or fatigue.

Therefore, regular swimming does not replace a rehabilitation protocol.

The results of Nganvongpanit's study concern a structured swimming program and cannot be extrapolated to all swimming situations.

The main documented risk: otitis externa

The most common complications related to swimming involve the ears.

Otitis externa is a very common condition in dogs, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the bacteria regularly involved in chronic or complicated forms.

Pye and colleagues' review also highlights the role of Pseudomonas biofilms in certain difficult-to-treat otitis cases.

The study published in the BMJ in 1995 concerns human swimmers and should not be presented as a canine study.

Nevertheless, it provides interesting microbiological data regarding exposure to Pseudomonas in water.

In dogs, persistent humidity in the ear canal is a recognized predisposing factor, especially in predisposed animals.

The most sensitive dogs

Certain dogs require more careful monitoring:

• dogs with floppy ears;
• dogs suffering from allergies;
• dogs that have previously had ear infections;
• dogs with chronic inflammation of the ear canal.

Brachycephalic dogs also deserve special attention.

Their anatomical particularities can limit their respiratory capacities and complicate certain aquatic efforts, especially in open water.

Not all dogs have the same swimming abilities, endurance, or heat dissipation.

Practical advice and precautions

After swimming or a swimming session:

• thoroughly dry the dog, especially the ears, skin folds, and areas where moisture remains trapped;
• monitor for redness, itching, bad odor, head shaking, or ear pain;
• avoid stagnant, questionable, or visibly polluted water;
• do not allow the dog to drink a large amount of seawater or fresh water during the activity;
• adapt the duration of the session to the dog's level;
• avoid intense aquatic efforts in an untrained dog;
• use a flotation vest if the dog swims poorly, tires quickly, panics, or has an unfavorable body type;
• never force a dog into the water;
• monitor the outdoor temperature, fatigue, and recovery;
• stop the session in case of coughing, marked shortness of breath, loss of coordination, tremors, lameness, or abnormal fatigue.

For an arthritic dog, water can be a beneficial exercise, but it does not replace a veterinary evaluation or a rehabilitation program when necessary. Poorly dosed swimming can also aggravate muscle fatigue or reveal pre-existing pain. As with everything, it is important to monitor and adapt.

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Sources

1. Nganvongpanit K. et al., Effect of swimming on clinical functional parameters and serum biomarkers in healthy and osteoarthritic dogs, 2014, PMID: 24977044

2. Pye C. et al., Pseudomonas otitis externa in dogs, 2018, PMID: 30410185

3. van Asperen I.A. et al., Risk of otitis externa after swimming in recreational fresh water lakes containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1995, PMID: 8520277