The days are getting longer, and the weather is getting warmer. That means that it’s everyone’s favorite season, pool season! Unfortunately, along with the fun comes some serious risks to our pets. Chlorinated pool water and concentrated chlorine tabs contain chemicals similar to household bleach, which can be quite corrosive.
Let’s DIVE in!
Our pets may be exposed to pool chlorine either by ingesting diluted chlorinated pool water or by ingesting concentrated chlorine tabs, mistaking them as treats.
What happens if my pet ingests pool water or chlorine tabs?
Fortunately, if a small amount of chlorinated pool water is ingested, it is not immediately concerning. The CDC states that chlorine levels of up to 4 parts per million (ppm) are safe, and most pool regulations advise keeping pools at a level of 1-4 ppm. However, if a pool is overchlorinated or if your pet ingests too much of the water, poisoning may occur leading to gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Unfortunately, chlorine tabs are very concentrated and extremely corrosive to the skin, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory system. If your pet ingests chlorine tabs, you may observe difficulty swallowing, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, and possibly ulceration or bleeding. Additionally, if a large amount of chlorine fumes are inhaled, you may notice your pet coughing, gagging, or struggling to breathe.
How can I keep my pets safe from pool chlorine?
Keeping chlorine products secured from your pets is the best way to prevent an accidental exposure or ingestion. Be sure your pets are not in the area when adding chlorine tabs to the pool to prevent them from mistaking the tabs as treats. Finally, having a gate or fence around the pool and always having fresh drinking water available can help prevent your pet from drinking pool water.
What should I do if my pet is exposed to pool chlorine?
Ingestion of pool chlorine, in particular concentrated tabs, is an emergency. Contact your veterinarian and the Pet Poison Helpline immediately for professional veterinary treatment guidance. Given chlorine is a corrosive substance, induction of vomiting is NOT advised!
Chlorine resources:
https://www.poolseason.com/safety-data-sheets/ps-chlor-tabs-1-sds-05-08-2015.pdf
https://pooloperationmanagement.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CHLORINE-TABLETS-SDS.pdf
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/fids/25_0265_0204-4.html
Written by: Callie States, Pet Poison Helpline DVM student extern, Iowa State University, Class of 2024
Samantha Koch, CVT, Pet Poison Helpline Representative II
