Dog Dehydration: Signs To Look For & How to Rehydrate Safely

What is dog dehydration?

Dog dehydration is caused by a lack of water in the body. The average dog should consume approximately one ounce of water per pound each day. Dogs lose water through breathing, urinating, panting and other bodily processes. Dog dehydration occurs when your dog's body loses more fluid than it takes in.

A dehydrated dog will feel thirsty and may have dry mouth and nose, sunken eyes and reduced energy levels. A dehydrated dog may not be able to urinate or might produce very dark colored urine – if your dog hasn't passed urine for 12 hours, this could be a warning sign he has become dehydrated. If you suspect your pet is dehydrated and he doesn’t respond to treatment within 24 hours, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Remember: Your dog can become dehydrated quickly, especially during hot weather or while playing and exercising outdoors on warm days.

Why is dog dehydration so dangerous?

When you're dehydrated, you feel cranky, lightheaded, and generally not your best. Dehydration in dogs is just as dangerous. In fact, it's more dangerous because they're smaller than us—their bodies have less water content to begin with.

If a dog doesn't get enough fluids, the body starts to shut down. First up is the circulatory system. Blood flow becomes sluggish, which can result in shock or even worse—kidney failure. The kidneys are responsible for managing electrolyte levels (salts and minerals) in the blood and producing urine to excrete waste products from the body so it's no surprise that when they shut down, things start going downhill quickly.

Dehydration can also cause seizures or irreversible damage to other organs like your dog's brain or liver.

How to spot dog dehydration

There are a variety of signs to look out for which indicate that your dog may be dehydrated. Here are some of the most common and easily observed:

• The first thing you can do is check your dog's gums. With the backside of your fingers, gently apply pressure and release on the gum tissue around his tooth line. If the gums feel dry or tacky, this could be a sign that your dog is dehydrated.

• Another quick test you can perform is called skin tenting. Using two fingers, lift up a small fold of skin at the shoulders or base of your dog’s neck. Hold it in place for a few seconds, then let go. In healthy dogs this area will return to normal quickly—within about two seconds—and will be springy to touch. If it remains elevated and takes more than two seconds to fall back into place, this may mean that your dog needs rehydration immediately.

• Panting can also indicate dehydration but sometimes only in advanced cases (as dogs pant regularly as part of their natural thermoregulation). If you find that he's panting excessively, it could come from overheating due to lack of fluid intake (or excessive outdoor exercise). This may require immediate attention from a veterinarian if accompanied by any other symptoms listed here or dehydration-associated behaviors such as lethargy or restlessness (see below).

• Vomiting and diarrhea: These conditions result in water loss through both vomiting and diarrhea which leads to dehydration over time unless treated promptly with fluids either orally (if able) or intravenously via an IV drip at the vet’s office if necessary.

What causes dehydration in dogs?

We already mentioned that there are many causes of dog dehydration. Here's the list again:

• Frequent vomiting or diarrhea

• Excessive heat or exercise

• Lack of water intake

• Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer

• Use of certain medications for short or long periods of time

How to rehydrate a dog safely at home

The first aid treatment is to offer your dog small amounts of water or electrolyte replacement (Pedialyte is often used for this purpose) at a time. If you want to provide the electrolytes yourself, you can use a solution of one teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 liter of water. The goal is to gradually get rehydration going but not to overwhelm your dog with too much fluid at once.

While dehydration may seem like an easy problem to solve, avoid the temptation to give excessive amounts of water all at once. A dog's body is designed for just enough moisture—not too much! When dehydration occurs, it means that your dog has already been pushing his body past its limits; if you overcompensate by giving him more fluid than he needs all at once, you could put him in shock or even cause life-threatening bloating.

When to take your dog to the vet for rehydration

You should take a dog to the vet for rehydration if:

• The dog is showing obvious signs of dehydration.

• The dog is vomiting or has diarrhea and cannot keep water down.

• The dog is very old, very young, or has an underlying health condition that may make it harder for them to recover from dehydration at home.

• You have given the dog fluids at home multiple times, but he or she has not responded.

Never let your dog become too dehydrated.

Dehydration is the loss of bodily fluids. It can happen because of illness, diarrhea and vomiting, or it can be caused by heatstroke or other environmental reasons (like excessive panting). Dehydration occurs when a dog loses more water than they take in.

So how exactly does this affect your canine? Well, when there's not enough fluid in their system, blood flow slows down due to less liquid volume overall. This means that nutrients and oxygen aren't getting to cells as quickly as they should be; eventually, this begins to impact vital organs like the liver and heart. The body relies on water for proper function—when there's not enough water in your bod, things start to shut down. Not good!

Fortunately, you can spot dehydration pretty easily if you know what you're looking for. If your dog is running low on fluids, they may:

• Pant excessively

• Be lethargic or weak