A dog becomes dehydrated when he loses more fluids than he introduces into his body. For example, if you suffer from abdominal discomfort, you may expel fluids through diarrhea and / or vomiting, with the risk of rapid dehydration. However, there can be many other reasons responsible for this disorder; for example, if he does not have access to water during a hot day, he can become dehydrated very easily. Recognizing the signs of dehydration is the first step in managing the problem properly, making sure your dog drinks enough or taking him to the vet if necessary.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Controlling the Signs of Dehydration
Step 1. Pay attention to his behavior
A dehydrated dog who has the strength to do this usually seeks water to drink. If this is the problem of your faithful friend, you may notice unusual behavior: he is agitated, he continues to walk non-stop, precisely because he is looking for water.
- If he can't find enough, he may repeatedly lick his lips and / or have an anxious expression.
- Some dehydrated specimens may also lie down with their nose resting in the empty water bowl.
Step 2. Check the back of his head
The classic test to check the degree of hydration - which you may have already seen done by the vet on hospitalized animals - is to raise the dog's scruff. This test allows to measure the degree of elasticity of the skin, which is reduced in case of lack of fluids. To test, do the following:
- Locate the scruff; this is the part of the skin that is loose above the shoulders or on the nape of the animal's neck.
- Lift it up. Grab the skin and gently pull it upward 5-8cm above his back.
- Release it and observe it. Well-hydrated skin immediately returns to its original position; on the other hand, if it is dehydrated, it is less elastic and does not come back into place as quickly.
- If it takes more than two seconds to return to normal, the dog is lacking in fluids.
Step 3. Check your gums
These mucous membranes are excellent indicators of early dehydration. Normal ones are moist and shiny, very similar to those of people; dehydrated animals, on the other hand, have dry or sticky gums, due to less saliva production.
Know that anxious or frightened dogs can have dry gums; make sure your furry friend is relaxed when you check them, otherwise they could be misleading
Step 4. Check your urine output
When the dog does not drink enough, the body reacts immediately to preserve fluids. In this situation, the animal may not even urinate due to an empty bladder, or the urine produced may be very concentrated, in which case it takes on a deep yellow color.
- This occurs because your kidneys are working hard to recycle fluids and retain them in the body.
- Take note if the dog appears to urinate less than usual or if the color of his pee is different from normal.
Step 5. Go to the vet
If your four-legged friend seems to be in good health and there is a simple reason for his discomfort, for example the water bowl is empty, give him some water and see if he improves; however, if you are dehydrated and look sick or if your water intake hasn't helped, contact your vet.
Some dehydrated animals require intravenous fluid administration to ensure normal organ function during the rehydration process
Part 2 of 2: Recognizing the Risk Factors of Dehydration
Step 1. Pay attention to the water level in the bowl
There are many circumstances that can cause a dog to become dehydrated, but the most obvious and easiest to control is access to water.
- If he has drunk all the water or the bowl has spilled and is not refilled for a long time, he may become dehydrated; you need to make sure it always has plenty of water, especially on hot days.
- The dog can become dehydrated very quickly, sometimes within an hour or so, depending on the temperatures.
Step 2. Make sure you drink regularly
Even if your bowl is always full, you can become dehydrated if you don't drink often enough. Monitor their behavior and make sure they sip water frequently.
- For example, an older dog suffering from arthritis and who is in too much pain to get up to drink when thirsty runs a real risk of dehydration.
- If the animal has other health problems, such as diabetes or kidney disease, the situation is much worse, because the body tends to produce a lot of urine; in these conditions the loss of fluids occurs at a greater rate than in a healthy specimen. This type of dehydration is chronic, which means it develops slowly over the course of several days and is likely to come back.
- Likewise, if the dog is sick and stops eating and drinking due to a lack of appetite, he runs the risk of becoming dehydrated.
Step 3. Watch out for diarrhea
Watery stools contain a lot of fluids, which means the body quickly loses fluids, increasing the chances of this problem arising.
If your wagging friend drinks enough, the risk is reduced; However, a dog with diarrhea that does not have access to water or does not want to drink can become dehydrated quickly
Step 4. Stay alert for vomiting
This can be a serious circumstance because the animal cannot hold on to the water it drinks.
Monitor him carefully, and if you are concerned that he is dehydrated or this is happening often, contact your vet
Advice
- If you think your dog is thirsty, don't wait until you see these symptoms; simply fill the bowl whenever the water level goes down.
- The best way to prevent and treat dehydration is to make sure your dog always has plenty of clean drinking water available.
Warnings
- If you seem weak, tired and / or don't want to drink, or if your water intake doesn't reduce your symptoms of dehydration, ask your vet for advice.
- Untreated dehydration causes internal organ failure that can be fatal.
