Here's the link to Ndali's site (text links under construction):
http://ndalimercer.com/

Dr. Patty Khuly July 21st, 2008 07:34:00 AM

I just wrote a little piece for our syndicated newspaper page about a couple of safety devices for dogs and swimming pools.

The Safety Turtle sounds an alarm when a pet falls in the pool: http://www.safetyturtle.com/

The Skamper-Ramp give animals a way out of the pool: http://www.skamper-ramp.com

Gina Spadafori July 21st, 2008 09:54:00 AM

Gina: I use the Safety Turtle when my dogs are around my parents' pool and it makes me HAPPY. I love plugging this small company. Important: No product is 100% safe. Vigilance is still required. Only a child-approved safety fence gives me the comfort I need to absolutely relax when my dogs are poolside.

Dr. Patty Khuly July 21st, 2008 10:22:00 AM

As a pool owner this is a good reminder of what can happen to a dog or child in a matter of minutes. We are lucky that the fence around our pool can not be scaled by chidren and the gate is locked with a key. We have chicken wire around the bottom of the wrought iron fence to keep out any little dogs that may be able to wander over and fit between the bars. I never let my dogs out with out me watching and interacting with them and I taught them all how to get out of the pool on the steps and the ladder. Even with all those precautions it can still happen and your post reminds me to make sure I keep vigil every time we are outside.

I am sorry for your loss.

saint lover July 21st, 2008 10:59:00 AM

THANK YOU FOR SENDING OUT THE CAUTIONARY STORY ON DOGS AND POOLS.
i am forever guilt ridden, our Ndali died on thanksgiving day, while 6 of us were eating dinner with one eye (we thought) on our dogs and one on our food. the situation was so much like Marcel's. we will forever be vigilant and use dog-vests if they are near any pool. and yes, the child gates are the best, but even then, one can be left ajar. so it's just best keep them away entirely. why take on the risk?

raelene Mercer July 21st, 2008 11:08:00 AM

That must've been heartbreaking, and this is an important message to put across. When I was little my guinea-pig nearly drowned after my baby sister dropped him into the paddling pool accidentally-luckily he was fished out unharmed but I vividly remember my heart being in my throat for a moment.

Sian July 21st, 2008 11:37:00 AM

my husband's family's dog was 15, decrepit, and blind. he fell into the pool 2 weeks ago and drowned. not a good death for a beloved family member.

it's also IMPORTANT to realize that dry drownings can happen. about a month ago, our clinic saw a dog that had been dunking it's head under water, retrieving a ball (Cavalier king charles spaniel). after doing this repeatedly, the dog came in the house, vomited up water, and started acting "strange" - an hour later, it collapsed and died. it was a "dry drowning". we resuscitated her, but she succumbed 2 days later. drowning doesn't mean just falling in, it can also happen other ways - so vigilance is warranted any time a dog is in the water - even if they're a good swimmer!

homeless parrot July 22nd, 2008 09:14:00 PM

I too lost my dog this summer to the pool, it happened so fast. It was a disabled bulldog and I have nothing but guilt. I can't forgive myself. I too had let the dog out, the pool had an alarm on it. she fell in, by the time I was out there she was dead. I can't help but to thing of what her last moments must have been like. Please protect your animal.

Mary August 6th, 2008 06:49:00 PM

Dear Mary, I suppose we can only be comforted by knowing that this was not our intention, that our dogs knows we loved them dearly, and that we have learned from it and now can hopefully prevent it from happening to someone else by educating others. Thank you Patty K, for this blog/site.

raelene Mercer August 7th, 2008 11:43:00 PM

My beloved dog, Elvis, drowned yesterday in our pool. He was blind from diabeties but seemed to get around pretty well. Between a baby gate and 80 feet of landscaping fencing I thought I had my bases covered and Elivs protected from the pool area. I came home from running errands to find him drowned in the pool. The vision is etched in my mind. He had been my constant cmpanion for nine years and I loved him with all of my heart. I feel very, very guility....like I should have done even more (we just moved into the house with the pool). I do not know how he could have gotten to the pool area. I have a Jack Russell and I'm thinking that he may have knocked down the baby gate (in my haste to run to the pool to retrieve Elvis, I do not know if I ran through the gate or if it was down). I miss him badly and am very, very, very sad. I cannot get the thought of how horrible his last moments must have been. If anyone knows anyway to cope with this, please advise.

vance pitzer October 27th, 2008 06:50:00 PM

Vance, so sorry to hear-------pls feel free to contact via from my email. 1 year and 11 months, and 4 days ago this also happened to me. raelene@sublimemiami.com

raelene Mercer October 27th, 2008 10:44:00 PM

A bit over 4 hours ago I found my beloved Silky Terrier in the bottom of the deep end of the pool. I am beside myself with grief and guilt.Have lived in this house in South Florida 5 years.He fell into the pool once last year and once 2 years ago...both times during daylight hours when a friend was here with her dog and they were playing. He was quick to panic, flayed about desperately trying to figure out how to get out or where I was to come get him...and, of course, on those two occasions I jumped right in and got him. Tonight, I'd let him outside (yard is fenced) and instead of leaving my doors open out onto the lanai like I usually do,I'd shut them so my mom's cat wouldn't get out (my mom died and I inheirted her cat and I didn't want the cat out at night, etc.) I went into kitchen, tv was blaring with a football game on...and, suddenly I realized Taitu wasn't in the house...walked over, had even forgotten I'd shut the door, walked outside and called for him and then suddenly saw his lifeless body in the deep end of the pool. I have no idea how long he'd been there and am physically sickened at the images in my mind's eye of him falling in and flaying about wanting "Mama" to save him...and, yet I heard and saw nothing because of the loud tv and my own inadvertent negligence...but, I was only 20 to 30 feet away and he was fighting for his life and dying... having no "two legged" children, having gone through a rough divorce and my mom's death, Taitu was my rock, my "little man" as I called him...the vet had even said a few weeks ago HOW exceptionally spunky and full of life he was and everyone who ever met him thought he was about half his age there was so much "puppy" spirit left in him. Dr. Mark had said he wouldn't be surprised at all if Taitu lived another two or three years as one of the exceptional long life Silkies. Except my negligence killed him tonight. I have known guilt in my life, I have known grief, I have known heart sickness...but I have NEVER known the torment of emotions that well within me...and, I just honestly do not know HOW I will learn to deal with the aftermath of this... Hopefully only people who truly understand the depth of the unconditional love bond between us and our "four legged" children can read and relate to my grief...I just would be deeply grateful for ANY shared experiences and/or words of suggestion anyone could render. I hope nobody will write how horrible I was to have "let" this tragedy happen...believe me, nobody can make me feel any more guilty than I do. Alive one minute, dead the next. We all know that is the real world possibility for all creatures... but, to make something positive out of this senseless tragedy...that's what I wish I could figure out how to do... sorry I've rambled on so much, just deeply appreciate anyone who has read this and can understand and try to help me. Sincerely, Rita

Rita January 4th, 2009 01:32:09 AM

Rita, i got your email and now just saw this write-up from you. How deeply sorry i am for your loss. Poor Taitu, but poor you as well. Try to take some time to look through his photos, do a small ceremony in his honor and invite friends over to help you if you need it, in this time of grief. I know what you are going through and hope that grieving, talking to loved ones, and then later, time, will heal your wounds.

Dr. Patty Khuly thank you for offering this post to us grieving "dog widows".

raelene Mercer January 4th, 2009 03:43:25 PM

I am too sitting here filled with guilt. I just lost my Saki to a pool drowing. It happens so quick and I can not get the vision out of my mind. We tried breathing into her, but we had already lost her. I feel so terrible...

ks January 14th, 2009 08:30:01 PM

To all who have written on this website, i am deeply sorry for your losses.

My husband and I are proud owners of three yorkies, Macy, Harley & Sophie, one Shitzu, Abby, and one cocker spaniel, Dukie. The four little "babies" went everywhere with us, and even slept with us every night!

This past Friday afternoon we lost our sweetest, most loving, energetic and athletic 3 year old male yorkie, Harley, to drowning.  He loved and adored us and looked to us for keeping him safe. But we failed him.

We have a pool at our house and he was an excellent swimmer, and knew exactly where the steps were to get out.  we never worried that he would be harmed by the swimming pool.

But we have a vacation lakehouse, and what started out as a fun weekend at our lakehouse, turned into tragedy in moments.  Harley was running and playing with our female yorkie, sophie, as they would always do each time we were at the lake. and while we, too, had our backs turned on them, he somehow fell over the seawall. we never heard a splash, and the other dogs never barked to indicate there was trouble. we realized in minutes that he was missing, but knew he would not possibly be in the water as he respected the water there and NEVER went in the LAKE!!! 

But there he was, floating lifelessly right at the pier.  He could not have been there long, and we tried for 20 minutes to recusitate him while on our way to the veterinarian, but we lost him.

We brought our precious Harley home, and buried him with his favorite toys.  We had close friends and family attend the burial.  Even our cocker spaniel came over and dropped HIS tennis ball into the grave as if HE knew that Harley was gone and he wanted him to take his ball to Heaven.

We both feel as if our hearts have been ripped out, we can not think of anything but him, we feel so guilty for not having "drown proofed" our property to keep him and the other "babies" safe.

I know that time has its way of healing, but this is the worst "pet loss" we have ever experienced.  We, too, can not figure out anything positive from his death, except that we know now we will be putting a fence across the seawall to prevent this from happening to our others.

We have pictures of Harley that we are displaying about our house and at the lakehouse but each time I look at his little face it just makes me miss him more and makes the guilt churn.  I hope that I can eventually look at the pictures and see  again the joy, comfort and companionship that he gave to us and focus more on his life and not his death.

By sharing our intense grief and being openly honest about our feelings, anger and guilt with you can only help us get through this and lessen this pain.

Thank you for being there with open hearts.

Deb Bresnahan, Meridian, Mississippi

 

 

 

 

 

deb bresnahan January 26th, 2009 10:23:44 AM

This past Thursday my 1 1/2 year old English lab, Jack, was drowned by my sister and brother-in-laws' lab. Their american lab is a female, 4-5 years old and was bigger than our english lab, typically stockier. They were swimming together in the river (very calm, cove of a river in NC) when I heard my 8 year old daughter yelling that Salem wouldn't get off of Jack. I screamed for someone to come help and continued screaming at Salem to get off of Jack but she looked intent. When Jack did not come back up for air I jumped in to get him, fully clothed (and still cold) but the river was too merky. Freaking out and with my 8 yr. old and 5 yr. old watching I climbed into a canoe and continued looking and poking around for his body...to no avail. Jack was like one of our children to us. He was the kindest, sweetest most patient dog in the world. It all seems so surreal as he was such a part of our daily routine and lives! To see my daughter wander to the fence the next morning and drop to her knees in prayer is gut-wrenching. I just feel like I could have jumped in sooner and so am constantly playing that scene over and over in my head. I miss him sooo much and feel as if a part of my heart has died. The river that we have cherished will never seem the same! How can I cope. PLease advise.

Jenny April 14th, 2009 01:18:50 AM

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natti June 10th, 2009 04:40:50 AM

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that homeless parrot posted about was my beloved Pixie. It has now been almost a year since she died of delayed drowning and I miss her every day. Please be careful. All she was doing was playing water fetch in a shallow (4 inch) kiddie pool. She acted completely normal until we'd been inside for half an hour. When she started vomiting and yelping, we rushed for the emergency vet, but the 40 minute ride was too long. She collaped two minutes away in cardia arrest and had gone for too long without oxygen (the water in the lungs brought on cardiac arrest) by the time the clinic revived her. Play happy at the bridge, sweet Pixie.

Suzie June 14th, 2009 02:14:43 PM