Dog advice in Mexico: Can they drink the water?

[rachel666]

We are headed down into Mexico for a 1 year stay with a pickup truck and a small vintage travel trailer; we are leaving next week and taking the two perros-a 20 year old (emphasis on OLD) miniature pinscher and an 18 year old chihuahua (back to the homeland!). We head to the local vet tomorrow for vaccinations, health certificate and advice. However, I have a few questions only people with experience can answer!

Will the dogs likely be adversely effected by drinking the water? My min pin has a tendency to drink out of puddles.

Any border advice I should be aware of? I am making a little folder with their pictures, vaccination record and health report. Do I need to have them caged? They are polite, toothless and well-mannered.

Does anyone have advice on finding a good vet in Mexico? We will initially be in the Quintana Roo area.

Is there a similar selection of food available? My dogs eat that Moist & Meaty food that comes in little pouches (they can't chew kibble and the pouches are sealed and convenient). We get it at WalMart. What is the likelihood that the same or similar product will be available down there?

Any other advice on dog safety would be welcome!

Thank you!

[rachel666]

Eek, I am so sorry, Beckid. Thank you for sharing your experience. Looks like the dogs will be sharing the people drinking water!

[RandACampin]

Let's see, when I had dogs they licked their buts all day and drank out of the toilet. One of them was never settled when we travelled until we hooked up to the water and filled the toilet with water, knowing his favorite water source was filled he lay down, lick and snooze.

Dogs like to lick their own buts and drink toilet water, pond water, mud puddle water. I really don't think Mexican water will hurt a dog.

[Bumpyroad]

Ozlander wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
don't know about the dogs but every trip I have had to Mexico, Egypt, and India I came down with the green apple quick step. and yes, I followed all of the recommended precautions.
bumpy

That's because you DIDN"T follow the recommended precautions.

you are incorrect, I DID follow the recommended precautions. I suppose if I ate and drank nothing, since glassware is washed in "foreign" water I might have made it through OK. but after a few days of fasting, I got hungry.
bumpy

[beckid]

Our dog actually died as a result of drinking puddle water (many years ago). He got some sort of amoeba and we were not able to nurse him back to health despite several trips to the vet in Guadalajara.

[naturist]

Short answer: sure, you dogs can drink the water. They'll likely have the same problems YOU would have, of course, because there will be new flora and fauna introduced.

So personally, I would be careful to give them only properly sanitized water. A drag for a whole year, I know. But the older one particularly thanks you.

[Dog_Folks]

Most of these questions can be answered by your vet tomorrow. Mexico travelers here can also help you.

For what is is worth, when we owned a kennel, it was on well water and of course some of the dogs that stayed there were used to "city" water. Some had sensitive stomachs to the change. Two drops of lemon juice in an average sized bowl really helped those dogs adjust.

Best safety tip? Please keep your dogs on a leash.

[Ozlander]

Bumpyroad wrote:
don't know about the dogs but every trip I have had to Mexico, Egypt, and India I came down with the green apple quick step. and yes, I followed all of the recommended precautions.
bumpy

That's because you DIDN"T follow the recommended precautions.

[Bumpyroad]

don't know about the dogs but every trip I have had to Mexico, Egypt, and India I came down with the green apple quick step. and yes, I followed all of the recommended precautions.
bumpy