Have you got a four-legged friend who paddles around in your pool or takes sips of the water? Make sure that water is friendly to their systems as well as your own. As long as you maintain your pool properly and balance it at least once a week, you can limit your pet’s exposure to chemicals to an absolute minimum. While chlorine is safe for dogs in small amounts, there are plenty of other options out there. Look into some of the most common pet-safe pool chemicals and learn how to keep your water clean and safe!
Salt Water
Minimize the amount of chlorine you pour into your pool by using specialized equipment. A saltwater pool has a generator that uses electrolysis to transform regular salt into a gentler form of chlorine (hypochlorous acid). While it’s a more dog-friendly pool chemical, it’s still a chemical, so keep an eye on your pet as they interact with the pool. Animals react to low levels of chlorine the same way humans do: red eyes, itchy skin, and dry nasal passages.
Ozone
For even less chlorine in your water while still keeping it clean, consider an ozone generator for safe pool chemicals. Many pools and hot tubs in Portland and elsewhere use ozone generators to clean the water. Ozone is a naturally occurring molecule comprised of three oxygen atoms bound together. It’s one of the most powerful oxidizers known to man and can keep pool water clean with only a tiny bit of chlorine. Use an ozone generator to zap mold and bacteria; the humans in your household will also enjoy the clean water.
Enzymes
After your pet finishes swimming, clean the water with a skimmer and add a natural enzyme system, available at many pool and hot tub specialty stores. Natural enzymes oxidize organic contaminants like skin flakes and body oils, as well as any insect residue. Enzyme systems like those found at pool specialty shops are safe pool chemicals that are nontoxic and nonallergenic, best used to clean the water after your pet is done using it.
In the market for pools and hot tubs in Portland but wondering how your four-legged friend will fare? Fear not—there are plenty of ways to keep your pool’s water clean and safe for pets to use. While low levels of chlorine aren’t considered hazardous to animals, keep them comfortable and safe with the most common pet-safe pool chemicals.
