Many of our dogs love mud – they love to run, jump, splash and even roll in it. Some may wonder, aside from the obvious cleaning issues, if this can actually be so healthy for our pets?
So, let’s investigate if mud is actually harmful or ‘dangerous’ to our dogs.
Table of contents
Specific diseases associated with mud
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a disease spread via a bacteria called Leptospira. It has been classified by the BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association) as a core disease to vaccinate against; one that all dogs should receive, regardless of circumstances or geographical location. Leptospirosis carries a zoonotic risk, in humans it is often called Weil’s disease. And control of the disease in the animal population is a means of limiting human infection.
The most common way dogs get leptospirosis is through water contaminated with urine, particularly stagnant or slow-moving water like puddles, ponds or lakes. However, another potential source is from contact with urine-contaminated soil, bedding or food.
Although it is a serious and life-threatening disease, it is still thankfully fairly uncommon. Prevalence is unknown, so it is always worth vaccinating against, but overall infected mud and soil could be at risk.
Alabama rot
Cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV), otherwise known as Alabama Rot, is a rare, potentially life-threatening, disease. It is still of unknown aetiology, we still have so much to learn about this disease; but it is often characterised by ulceration of the distal extremities in dogs and acute kidney injury.
There have now been cases throughout the majority of the UK, with over 91% occurring between November and May. Affected dogs in the UK can be male or female and of any age but the significant factor is that most have generally been walked in woodland areas. It’s suspected that there’s a link between Alabama Rot and muddy woodlands, as most dogs who have contracted it had been walked in these areas prior to falling ill.
It is important to note that this is still an exceptionally rare disease. And we still have a lot to learn about its transmission.
Tetanus
Tetanus toxaemia is caused by a specific toxin that blocks inhibitory nerve signals. It is characterised by muscle rigidity, muscle contractions, spasms and autonomic dysfunction in severe cases and exaggerated muscle responses to stimuli. The toxin is produced by Clostridium tetani bacteria in dead tissue. Clostridium tetani is found in soil and intestinal tracts. In most cases, it is introduced into the body through open wounds. Almost all mammals are susceptible to this disease, although dogs are relatively resistant. If your dog has a small wound and happens to come into contact with this toxin in contaminated soil, it is possible that they could get sick; again, this is an uncommon condition to see.
Other issues
While mud is fun, it is important to remember about hidden dangers –
- Smashed glass, or sharp stones that you might not be able to easily visualise. Cuts and scrapes are therefore a possible risk if your unsuspecting dog walks on something they didn’t expect
- Most eye ulcers in dogs and cats are the result of trauma, conjunctivitis can be triggered from material such as dirt or mud that find their way into the eye
- Mud contaminated with horse or livestock manure if ingested could lead to ivermectin poisoning if those animals had been recently treated
- If a dog infected with infectious canine parvovirus has contaminated mud, the disease can persist outdoors, if protected from sunlight and desiccation, it can persist for many months and possibly years
- Dogs that are frequently wet are more prone to developing hot spots due to the excess moisture held against the skin by their coats, the same could be said for those that continually get themselves damp with boggy mud
The biggie
These diseases and possible issues with mud are not inexhaustible. But there are certainly some risks with your pup regularly diving into mud. That being said, in my opinion, the risks with mud are still low and I certainly would not class mud as dangerous. While using common sense, local knowledge and weighing up risks, I would mostly have no issues with allowing my dogs to enjoy the delights of mud (if they want to)!
There is however a BIG risk, which is a risk to both human and animals’ health: getting stuck in mud with moving water or tidal factors to contend with.
Other than disease, which for the most part is thankfully very rare, my biggest concern is animals getting stuck in mud and people putting themselves in danger to rescue them. If you become stuck in mud in an estuary or on the coast, HM Coastguards advice is always the same:
- Stay calm, try and spread your weight as much as possible and avoid moving
- Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard
- Anybody trapped should also discourage other well-meaning members of the public from attempting to rescue others because, without the proper equipment and expertise, they could become stuck too
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