K9-Quencher® is
a healthy sport drink
mix, and treat for
dogs. You'll
find information
about why you should
give your dog K9-Quencher, testimonials from Veterinarians and
other professionals,
tips on numerous health
issues related
to your best friend,
and links
to stores that
sell it. K9-Quencher is
vital for many essential
body functions.
Just
add it to the water
bowl.
Dehydration in Dogs Tips To Avoid Dehydration
1. Dogs lose a lot of water while
panting. Leave two or three bowls
filled with water around the house,
so that he gets enough to drink.
2.
If he has not had a good drink
for a long time, start re-hydration
slowly ... allowing your dog
a few sips every few minutes. Overdrinking
after a dry spell can
quickly lead to vomiting and
he may end up losing more fluids
than he had.
3. Don't let your
dog drink excessive amounts of
water after a strenuous exercise session.
4. Wait a few minutes after
your dog has exerted in very
heavy exercise and then allow frequent
but small amounts every few
minutes.
5. If your dog is showing
some signs of dehydration, give
him electrolyte mixed in
water. While water helps in replenishing a lot of nutrients,
electrolyte
can
do the job more quickly.
6. Dogs who have gone a long
time without water have a
problem holding it down. So let him lick ice,
he hydrates himself with
licking the ice.
7. If your dog refuses to
drink for any extended period of
time, consult your veterinarian
immediately!
Dogs lose fluid through:
breathing, panting, elimination, diarhea
vomiting, fever, evaporation
through the feet and other
body surfaces. Dogs replenish fluid by drinking
water or other liquids and
by eating moist foods. A
relatively small drop in body fluid (4-5%)
can result in visible signs
of dehydration.
Symptoms of dehydration .
. .
1. The skin loses elasticity
as it loses moisture. _This
can be somewhat misleading
since younger and fatter
dogs will have more elasticity than older, thinner
dogs. It is important to
have an idea of what your
dog's skin looks and feels like on a normal
basis. Pinch a little skin
between your thumb and forefinger on your dog's
back. When you release
it, it should pop back into place
immediately. (You can try
this on the back of your own hand as an example)
As the tissue under the
skin loses moisture, the skin
moves back more slowly.
In extreme cases, the skin doesn't pop back.
2. The eyes appear sunken
and lack moisture.
3. The mouth appears dry.
... gums and nose are dry.
4. Delayed capillary refill
time:_Pull up your dog's
lip and look at his gums.
Place your index finger firmly against the
gums so that they appear
white. Remove your finger and see how quickly the blood
returns to the gums (they
will become pink in that
area again). This is called capillary refill
time.
If you do this when everything
is normal, you will have
a basis upon which to compare.
The gums of a normal dog refill immediately,
the gums of a dehydrated
dog
could take 3 seconds or
so to return to their pink state.
If your dog shows visible
symptoms of dehydration,
he may need a
trip to the vet for immediate replenishment of fluids.
In serious cases,
your veterinarian may administer fluids under the skin or
directly into the blood stream.