Could this be algae or dirt/pollen?

[dawndenise]

So the bottom line is that both the high chlorine level of 15 ppm and a 50 ppm Borates level are both a problem for dogs drinking regularly from a pool if they do that every day drinking, say, a cup or more every day and the technical limit below which there are no symptoms would be less than half a cup every day.
Richard

Thank you for posting that info. I'd been concerned about adding borates to my pool for exactly that reason, having remembered something I read a long time ago about boric acid being toxic to canines. I started to do some searching and was having some difficulty slogging through the chemistry - although it appeared that borates, and their chemical relatives, are NOT good for dogs at the level being considered for the pool. I had hoped to post a question about borates and canines after I could better understand the articles I was finding. Thankfully, I don't have to do that now!

I have a swimming pool fool (canine) that believes we constructed this wonderful outdoor water bowl specifically for her, so I'm certain she drinks more than a cup of water a day plus there's the amount that gets into her mouth as she splashes about and swims. She's approximately 55-60 pounds.

I guess we'll skip the borates and hope we don't have a repeat of the dreaded yellow/mustard algae this fall.

Thanks again for that info.

[chem geek]

Sandy,

I don't want to needlessly worry you, but the point I was making was that the chlorine in the pool was also a problem, not just the Borates. Though I used the example of a high chlorine level of 15 ppm, a level of 5 ppm would also be a problem since the limit of no symptoms would be about 12 fluid ounces or a cup and a half per day for 22 pounds so for your dog it would be about 2.5 times that amount (so about 30 fluid ounces or 4 cups). And yes, your dog drinking more than a cup of water per day would exceed the "no symptoms" limit for Borates, but would also be closer to the "no symptoms" limit for chlorine. The Borates limit of "no symptoms" for your dog is around 8 fluid ounces or one cup per day.

Again, these are "no symptoms" limits, not limits for toxicity. Nevertheless, to the extent that you can try and restrain your dog from drinking a lot every single day from your pool, that would be better. Perhaps having a water dish nearby with an occasional treat present might wean her away, at least some of the time.

So, bottom line, you are right and probably safest to avoid the Borates if you can't keep your dog from drinking the pool water regularly.

Richard

[dawndenise]

Sandy,

I don't want to needlessly worry you, but the point I was making was that the chlorine in the pool was also a problem, not just the Borates.
Richard

Needlessly worry me???? I worry about everything, so this is nothing new.
I'll watch my CL level too. Just glad for the info.

And, yes, I'll try an outdoor bowl to see if I can't interest her in quenching her outdoor thirst somewhere other than in the pool. Frankly, I think she gets a real kick out of submerging her muzzle and swishing it from side to side, blowing bubbles and biting at the water a bit. Yes, she's got some Lab in her "mix."

[matt4x4]

Dawndenise - in case your problem still exists and/or resurfaces over the next while, it's not pollen or dirt - read the sticky thread at the very top, there's only one way to kill that stuff and that is high FC (25-30) for an extended period of time (5-7 day) - even if your pool looks spotless after day 1, because it'll be back like a bad nightmare.....
I'll probably get blasted by someone for this, but I've helped cure enough people of this problematic stuff to make me feel 100% comfortable in stating the above, others haven't.

[waterbear]

Dawndenise. Listen to Matt4x4! I agree with him. As far as the dogs go you CAN teach them not to drink from the pool. I have 3 and a cat who thought the pool was their own outiside water bowl also! It took a bit of time and a lot of patience but they have all learned that their water dish outside is for drinking, not the pool! I used a combination of a loud NO, a water pistol or a hand clap to stop them from drinking from the pool and then lead them to the water bowl and when they drank from it I would give them a treat. I kept ice in the water bowl so the water was cold and that helped also. The cat was the fastest learner. It just took a few loud NOs. Now he is content to just play with the Deck Jets when they are on. BTW, I DO have borates in my pool.

[dawndenise]

Matt...thanks for the info. Actually it was itstoohot that had the initial problem in this thread. I had just jumped in because there was, IMO, a very important point being made by ChemGeek that borates may pose a problem in pools where canines drink a lot of pool water. While borates appear to have many benefits, I don't believe that any posts prior to that one brought up the issue of companion animals and borates.

But, I AM glad you made a response because it allows me to thank you for your postings on mustard/yellow algae. I had a problem with it last September which I detailed here: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=5921 and here: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=5953 and it was your experience and previous postings along with ChemGeek's responses that got my pool cleared up. Without your postings, I would have never imagined I'd have to go to that high a level of chlorine to get rid of the stuff.

[dawndenise]

Hi Evan,

Guess we were posting at the same time. I'm glad to hear your animals are staying away from drinking your pool water with the borates. I may have to seriously think about re-training my gal to not drink from the pool if I ever hope to add borates and get out of the pH/TA cycle I'm currently in, but that's a post elsewhere.

Still, she's really a swimming/splashing/drinking fool....