JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. -- Local dog owners and dog walkers are on high alert after a Tampa man's dog died from too much salt water after a day at the beach.
Chris Taylor's lab, nicknamed "O.G.", was with him for seven years.
"He's my family, he's just so goofy and just always excited to see me when I came through the door," said Taylor.
After the pair spent a typical day at the beach last week, O.G. started to get sick. He quickly took him in to get help, but it was too late.
"I asked if he was in any pain, she said, 'I just don't think he's even aware of where he is,'" said Taylor.
Local dog owner Jaypee Anunciacion is the owner of "Dog Days and Cat Naps," a pet sitting service near the beach. After the tragedy in Tampa, he decided to send a letter out to his clients warning them about the dangers of too much salt water ingestion and reassuring them that his dog sitters would take good care of their pets.
"Licking the water is fine, but it’s when they start to drink it is when they have problems," said Anunciacion.
He recommends training your dog so they know what they should or shouldn't do at the beach. He also says to make sure they know how to swim before going out in the ocean.
"It's just like telling your kids not to drink pool water," he said. "If they start to throw up, that’s when you need to call the vet."
Beach Veterinarian Jacob Vencil says salt-water poisoning can have serious neurological impacts, leaking fluids into an animal's brain.
He says dogs with flatter faces, like pugs, are more at risk than larger dogs.
"It’s usually a combination of drinking salt water and being dehydrated," said Vencil.
He says you should always have fresh drinking water available for your pets at the beach.
He also warns of another danger for animals at the beach ... sand. He says sand ingestion is a more common problem he sees in animals, often landing them in the hospital for multiple days and sometimes leading to surgery.
He says if your pet looks like they ingested too much salt water or sand, bring them to an animal hospital immediately.
He says to look for signs of vomiting or diarrhea. Other symptoms include animals appearing lethargic and distracted.