Shampoo Treatment Needed After Reservoir Swim

27th September 2023 by Sarah

One of most dogs' favourite things to do when on a country walk is run into the water and have a good splash about.

However, pet owners may have to prepare themselves to book a dog grooming appointment afterwards as they could end up with green fur after their paddle.

This might sound bizarre but it is exactly what happened to canines that went for a swim in Sutton Reservoir in Macclesfield, Cheshire, last week.

Despite the water looking clear, Tamsin Gray reported how three of her and her friend’s dogs went for a swim in the water and came out with green fur.

They were initially fearful of blue-green algae, but they normally take the animals to the reservoir a couple of times a week and have never had a problem like this before.

Thankfully, the pets have not been ill since their splash around, though it did take a deep shampoo to remove the colour.

“Mine is a cream coloured pooch so you could see straight away. It was like a fluorescent green,” Ms Gray told Cheshire Live.

Though this is certainly an unusual occurrence, it might happen to other dogs swimming in reservoirs up and down the country, which is a warning to pet owners.

However, swimming is so good for dogs, strengthening their heart and lungs, improving their circulation, decreasing inflammation, helping with their joints, relieving their stress and pain, and helping to burn calories for overweight canines.

It also uses every muscle group, helping them to increase their strength, as well as their cardiovascular health.

So it would be a shame to stop your pets from jumping in the water to prevent their coats from turning green. You might just have to expect to give them a good clean afterwards!