A veterinarian is sharing a chilling cautionary tale with other pet owners after she says three otters attacked and nearly drowned her dog in the waters off Dallas Road earlier this week.

A Facebook post from Kindred Spirits Veterinary Hospital detailed the harrowing ordeal after a dog walker took out Dr. Claudia Campbell's golden retriever, Goldie, for a walk Tuesday.

"Goldie decided it was a nice day for a swim. Upon entering the water Goldie spotted an otter swimming not too far away. Like any dog, Goldie decided to swim toward [the] otter to investigate," the clinic wrote.

But the dog didn't realize it was heading straight for not just one but three otters, and that's when the outing took a terrifying turn.

"The three otters proceeded to grab Goldie and pull her under the water. Goldie, at almost 60 pounds, was no match for the three angry otters," the post said. "Despite her best efforts to escape they had a solid hold on her. The dog walker had to run into the ocean up past his waist and wrestle Goldie from the otters. The otters had Goldie almost fully submerged with only her nose showing above water."

The dog suffered only a few bite marks while her walker was shaken up and cold from plunging into the icy waters, but the clinic said things could've ended much worse.

They're now warning other dog owners of the otters' behaviour so they can be vigilant when they're near the ocean.

"We have had other clients report otters trying to lead their dogs way out into the ocean in the past as well. Please keep an eye out for otters while walking your dogs near water," the clinic said. "If you notice otters at the beach, you may want to stay on leash or find another place to walk."

Goldie's owner isn't critical of the otters, who she says were likely defending their turf in the ocean, and that Goldie has since made a full recovery.