Canine Dehydration - Indications and Treatments

Canine Dehydration

What is dog dehydration? Dehydration in dogs is the same issue as in humans which is lack of sufficient water in the body. We, as humans, usually can “cure” dehydration by just drinking more water or other types of drinks. However, our four-legged friends can push themselves beyond the point where water consumption is enough to re-hydrate them and can often enter into a condition that worsens their dehydrated state and makes them ill.

The most common causes of dehydration are:

1. Excessive exercise
2. Elevated outdoor temperatures
3. Lack of access to water
4. Illness which causes either vomiting or diarrhea
5. Fever

If dehydration goes undetected in our dogs, it puts them at significant risk of sickness, organ damage, and even death. Read below so that you can learn what signs to look for if your dog is dehydrated.

How to test for commons signs of dehydration:

• Lift up their lip and touch their gums —> gums should be moist and slimy and not sticky to the touch
• Touch your dog’s tongue —> presence of thick and ropey saliva is a common indicator of dehydration
• Examine your dog’s eyes —> should not appear sunken back into the socket
• Lift up the skin on the back of your dog’s neck —> it should quickly snap back into its original position

**If there are multiple signs of dehydration and your pet is vomiting and/or having diarrhea, they need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately**

If there is only mild dehydration noted, you can try the following “At home treatments” first:

• Offer water in small frequent amounts ADDING REPLENISH will accelerate re-hydration
• If your dog will not drink any water, ADD REPLENISH to the water to entice drinking and recovery
• If your dog still will not drink, syringe feed water to your dog at the following doses:
  • Small Dogs: 1tsp-1 tbsp of water every 1-2 hours
  • Medium to Large Dogs: 2 tbsp to ¼ cup of water every 1-2 hours