Proper Hydration for Sick Dogs
Your dog is sick. Maybe your pet is vomiting or has diarrhea. You know you have to keep your dog hydrated, but it's difficult at best.
It's easy for a dog to get dehydrated. All it takes is a bit of diarrhea or vomiting and your dog may lose water at an alarming rate. Or maybe your dog has overheated or is sick and hasn't eaten or had water for a while. Regardless, it is important to keep a sick dog hydrated.
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Dehydration Signs
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A simple way to test a dog for dehydration is with the skin-snap test. Although it isn't fool proof, it gives you a relative gauge of your dog's hydration. If you gently pull the loose skin up right above the dog's shoulder's and let it go, it should snap back quickly. If it "melts" back or worse, stays there, your dog may be dehydrated or severely dehydrated. The rate of skin movement depends on your dog's age and whether or not it has loose skin folds, so it's a good idea to do it while the dog is healthy to know what is normal. Another test to try is to gently feel the inside of the dog's gums. If the gums are sticky and dry, your dog is dehydrated. This is not something you should treat but instead seek immediate veterinary assistance.
Offering Fluids
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A sick dog that isn't vomiting may drink on its own or may need encouragement to drink. One way to encourage a dog to drink is to offer chicken or beef broth. If your dog drinks the broth, not only is your pet getting water, but much needed electrolytes through the salt in the broth. If you don't have broth, try mixing canned dog food with water and offering it as a slurry.
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Dosing Electrolytes
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If your dog doesn't drink on its own, the next step is to give him electrolytes orally using a large syringe or even a turkey baster, but only if your dog isn't vomiting. (If your dog is vomiting, seek veterinary attention). Purchase unflavored children's pediatric electrolyte solution (Pedialyte is a common brand name) and fill the syringe or baster. Do not use flavored versions as these may have artificial sweeteners toxic to dogs.
Gently slide your index finger between your dog's gum and lower lip and form a small pocket to pour the electrolyte solution. Gently relax the pocket and tilt your dog's head up to cause him to swallow. Do not force water into his throat or cause him to accidentally inhale the liquid as this can cause pneumonia. Repeat as necessary to help keep your dog hydrated.
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Comments
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Great ideas. I was able to mix wet dog food with water and got her to eat and drink at the same time.It was the only thing that worked, thank you so much! Excellent!
