Are Hot Tub Chemicals Bad for Pets?

Do you have a dog that just loves getting involved in the hot tub? While this is super cute, do you wonder whether or not it is safe to allow pets to use a hot tub, or whether the chemicals can cause them some harm. I decided to do a little further research to find out the facts.

So, are hot tub chemicals bad for pets and dogs? Dogs and other pets who enter a hot tub may end up having a bad reaction to the chemicals used to sanitise your spa. They could suffer from eye or skin problems due to the bromine or chlorine in the water, and these chemicals could also cause an ear infection that would be distressing for your pet.

The chemicals used to sanitise hot tubs are quite strong and animals have especially sensitive eyes, ears and skin. This means that it’s quite likely that your pet will experience a negative reaction that could cause them itching, pain and discomfort. As animal lovers don’t want their pet to be unhappy or unwell, it makes sense to keep dogs and other pets out of the hot tub at all times.

What Are The Health Considerations For Pets In A Hot Tub?

We’ve already looked at the fact that pets can experience adverse skin, eye or ear reactions to the chemicals that are used to keep the hot tub clean and hygienic. Yet, there are some other health considerations that you should keep in mind if you’re thinking about allowing your pet to jump into your spa.

Dogs cannot regulate their body temperature like humans do. While we can sweat if we overheat, lowering the temperature of our bodies, dogs cannot do this due to their fur which prevents them from sweating. While pets may sometimes be able to perspire through their paw pads, those pads would be underwater in a hot tub and, therefore, unable to sweat.

Primarily, dogs pant to cool their bodies down. As your hot tub will probably be heated up to around 102 degrees Fahrenheit, if your dog continues to pant in this type of environment they wouldn’t cool themselves down but would tire themselves out instead. When a dog cannot regulate its body temperature, heat stroke can be the result.

This can be very dangerous or even fatal, especially for dogs that are overweight or that are particularly prone to suffering from the heat. Pets should not be in water at any temperature higher than around 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and your spa will almost certainly be considerably warmer than this.

Remember, too, that dogs will usually drink water from any source that they find, particularly if they are very warm (as they will be in your hot tub). If they drink the water in your spa, they will be consuming chemicals such as chlorine or bromine that could negatively impact on their health and well-being. Again, this is something that should be avoided if you want to prevent your pet from becoming sick and potentially needing to visit the vet.

Could My Dog Damage My Hot Tub By Swimming In It?

Although the primary consideration for any pet owner should be the impact on their dog’s health of bathing in a spa, it’s also important to note that your pet could also damage your hot tub if they swim in it.

When humans use a hot tub, they sit back and relax, enjoying the bubbles. It goes without saying that your dog won’t be doing this if they jump into the water. Rather, they will be swimming, moving about in the spa, or resting on its seats. If your pet doesn’t particularly like swimming, it’s possible that they will simply try to get out of the tub.

All of these activities raise the possibility of damage occurring to the hot tub’s lining. A lot of spas these days are made out of acrylic, but they frequently have a vinyl liner which can be easily damaged by a dog’s nails, even if they have been trimmed neatly.

If you have an inflatable hot tub, it’s especially likely that your pet will cause some serious damage by getting into and out of the spa since the vinyl interior and exterior can easily be punctured by sharp claws or teeth.

Not only could a dog puncture or damage the hot tub’s interior or exterior, but their fur could end up damaging the filters. Most dogs shed hair on a daily basis, and they won’t stop shedding just because they’re in your hot tub!

Apart from the fact that lying back and relaxing in the spa surrounding by floating dog hair isn’t an especially appealing prospect, it also raises the issue of hair clogging up the filter. If dog hair is allowed to get into the hot tub filter, it will need to be cleaned much more frequently. If you fail to do this often enough, or fail to clean the filter thoroughly enough, you are likely to encounter problems.

Also, bear in mind that you probably use a range of sprays, shampoos and flea deterrent products on your pet. If your dog is allowed to jump into the spa water, all of those products will be washed off their skin and fur and will get mixed into the water.

While the tub’s filtration system can remove such things, it takes time to circulate and clean the water fully after your pet has taken a swim, and you may need to use defoaming agents to clear away residues from soaps and shampoos.

If the filter has to work much harder or it is functioning less efficiently due to being clogged up with dog hair, as well as the dirt and grime that collects in your dog’s fur, it’s possible that lasting damage can be caused to the hot tub.

The water will become dirtier, there will be more debris in the hot tub, and, ultimately, the result will probably be broken mechanical components. In such cases, allowing a pet to use the spa could result in an expensive repair bill or, in the worst case scenario, having to replace the entire hot tub at great cost.

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why using a spa with your pet is a very bad idea.

Can A Dog Drown In A Hot Tub?

Even if you’re absolutely certain that your pet can swim without any difficulties, it’s still important to be aware that a dog can drown in a hot tub. There is a general belief that all dogs can swim, and, indeed, most can if they have to, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they enjoy it. Putting an unwilling dog into a hot tub could cause it severe distress, especially if your pet doesn’t particularly like water.

Remember, too, that the extreme heat of the water and the powerful water jets in the hot tub will have an effect on your dog. Even dogs that are quite strong swimmers may become tired quickly due to the difficulty of swimming against the jets.

This could result in your dog getting into difficulties or even drowning if they are unable to get out of the tub themselves and they are left unattended.

As you probably know by now, allowing your pet to use your hot tub is never a good idea, but your dog (or any other pet) should never be permitted to use your spa unattended. Animals are just at much at risk of drowning as children, and no parent would ever consider letting a small child use the hot tub without supervision.

If your tub is full of water, you should always keep it covered when it isn’t in use for your pets’ and children’s safety.

If you’re absolutely determined to allow your dog into the hot tub with you, although this isn’t a good idea, you should always make sure that they are wearing a suitable dog floatation device like a simple dog life jacket that will make sure that your pet remains safe from drowning while in the water.

This dog life jacket on Amazon is very popular.

I Still Want To Take My Pet In The Hot Tub, How Can I Make It As Safe As Possible?

If, despite all of the advice outlined here you still want to take your pet into your hot tub along with you, there are a few things that you should do to make the experience a safer one for both your pet and the tub itself.

First, you should make sure that your pet’s nails have been neatly trimmed and rounded so that they will have less likelihood of damaging the surface of your spa.

You should also make sure that you brush your pet carefully to remove any loose hairs and hose your pet down thoroughly before allowing them to get into the water so any dirt, grime or debris on their coat will be washed off before they get into the hot tub.

You should also make sure that your pet is wearing a floatation device, especially if they are very small or a non-confident swimmer.

Next, make sure that the temperature of your hot tub has been turned down to barely warm. The water in your spa shouldn’t be higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit to be safe for your pet to use. Don’t allow your dog to stay in the water for extended periods of time, and if they are showing any signs of discomfort or overheating, make sure to get them out of the water straight away.

Once your pet has left the water, make sure you bathe them thoroughly to get rid of any chemical residue that is sticking to your dog’s fur and skin and which could cause irritation.

Of course, the best alternative is to create a hot tub specially for your pet. This is a much better option than sharing a human spa with a dog, and it will be a much more relaxing and pleasant experience for your pooch. Even a dog that usually dislikes water may enjoy a relaxing, warm soak in their own tub and it’s often a good way of introducing a nervous pet to the water so they can overcome their fear of jumping into the water.

You can make your own doggy spa by filling up a container or tub with fresh lukewarm water. Since no chemicals will be used in the water, you won’t need to worry about your pet having an allergic reaction or experiencing any irritation of their eyes, ears or skin.

Also, since you will be using a dedicated container for your pet to bathe in, you won’t need to worry about damage to filters or surfaces. Your pet will be safe, relaxed and happy while you can rest assured that your human hot tub will be kept clean, undamaged and relaxing with no unwanted dog hair floating around and ruining your experience.

Although dogs tend to give their owners sad, puppy dog eyes when they’re using the hot tub without them, it’s still best to avoid allowing your pet into the spa along with you. That doesn’t mean, though, that your pet can’t hang out with you alongside your tub, keeping you company while you’re enjoying the bubbles. You can play fetch with your pooch while you relax in the water, or simply enjoy a little nearby companionship in the warm weather!

Can Hot Tubs Be Used For Canine Warm Water Therapy?

Some dogs suffer from injuries or arthritis and could benefit from having warm water therapy. It’s known that water therapy represents a great way of helping to rehabilitate pets with muscle or joint injuries as well as those suffering from hip dysplasia or arthritis. It’s no wonder, then, that some people wonder whether their hot tub could be the perfect solution to help their struggling pooch.

It is technically possible to use a standard human hot tub for canine water therapy, however, there are certain steps that you’ll need to take if you want to do this.

First, you need to make sure that the temperature of the spa has been set to a much lower temperature than would usually be used for human bathing. 80 – 82 degrees is ideal.

You must also ensure that you have a clean, good filter in place to filter out the dog hair that will inevitably get into the water.

It’s also best to use a non-chlorine system so your pet’s hair won’t lose any natural oils and their skin won’t dry out and cause irritation. It’s also highly recommended to check with your pet’s vet whether this type of therapy would be suitable for your dog before going ahead.

If you do attempt to carry out water therapy for your dog in your own hot tub, be aware that they may overheat and be ready to take your pet out of the tub to cool down straight away if they show any signs of distress. You must also clean the filter immediately after you pet leaves the water to rinse away any hair that has become trapped in it.

Related Questions

What temperature should a hot tub be set at for human use? 104 degrees is the accepted maximum water temperature for a hot tub, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to have yours set at this level. Some people prefer to enjoy their spa at a cooler temperature, and that’s fine too.

In fact, evidence shows that most hot tub users tend to prefer to have their water ranging between 100 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit rather than the maximum temperature permitted. Anyone who is particularly susceptible to the heat or who is pregnant should talk to their doctor before using a hot tub to make sure that it’s safe for them to do so.

Can children use a hot tub? Although it’s technically possible for children to use a hot tub, this comes with a number of caveats.

Firstly, children should never be permitted to use a spa unsupervised due to the potential risk of drowning.

Also, no child under the age of 5 years should be allowed to use a hot tub with the temperature set to higher than 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

They should also only stay in the water for a maximum of five minutes at any one time to prevent the possibility of dangerous overheating.

Children using a spa should only do so using a raised seat that only permits the water to rise to waist height.

When not in use, it’s very important to make sure that your hot tub is covered and locked to prevent children accessing the water without proper supervision.