Dehydration, a lack of hydration in the body is as life threatening to a dog as it is for humans. Dehydration in a dog is a medical condition that causes the loss of such electrolytes in the body system as sodium, potassium and chloride. Each of these electrolytes are responsible for proper muscle function and a whole lot of other body processes in a dog. In fact, if left unsolved, dehydration can lead to such serious medical issues as kidney failure or even death. This post reviews how to identify if your dog is dehydrated.
The one way to saving a dog on the verge of dehydration is to notice the warning signs on time before it escalates into other chronic medical problems. The question now is, how does one tell if their dog is dehydrated?
Here are 5 warning signs to look out for in a dehydrated dog.
We hope this helps out.
- Sluggishness and Tiredness
Healthy dogs are anything but sluggish regardless of their age. If you notice your agile dog starts displaying funny behaviors as sluggishness and excessive tiredness in her movements and reactions after playing a little or for no just cause, then this could be a warning sign that she’s dehydrated.
- Dry Mouth and Dry Nose
Dogs are normally known to gather moisture around their mouth and nose. You can easily touch your dog’s nose to feel for the coolness and wetness that characterizes that part of its body, if you notice your dog’s once moist and cool nose has gone dry, then there’s a problem. You should also check the inside of her mouth for wetness. If that feels dry too, your dog is terribly dehydrated and needs urgent help.
- More Panting Than Usual
Dogs are known to pant even when they aren’t thirsty or dehydrated. Every dog pants in order to catch their breath, that’s true, but as a dog owner, you should know your dog’s behavior. You should be able to tell the difference when your dog pants normally and when it does so excessively. Studies have shown that when dogs are dehydrated, they tend to pant more and breath in a staccato-like fashion, with their bodies shaking violently as they breath. So pay close attention to the way and manner in which your dog pants.
- Sunken Eyes
A dog’s eyes are one of those organs of her body that tell you whether or not she’s healthy. If you own a dog as pet, then know her eyes play a huge role in informing you when her body lacks essential fluids. So always study the eyes of your canine friend. One common sign of dehydration in dogs are sunken eyes. If you ever notice that the eye(s) of your pet dog has somehow sunken, this may be a clear sign she is dehydrated. No need to panic, just take her to the vet.
- Check Their Gums
A dog’s gum is normally pink in color, smooth and moist. If this isn’t the case with your dog, then she could be on the verge of dehydration. So check your dog’s gum from time to time. During a check, in a situation where you notice her gum has gone from pink to deep red and feels sticky too, your dog is clearly dehydrated. Another way to check to see if she’s dehydrated is to mildly press her gum and quickly remove your finger. In a hydrated dog, the color of the gum should immediately return back to what it was before your touched it, but if the color is slow to return, it could be a sure sign that your canine buddy is dehydrated.
Dehydration in dogs isn’t something that should be joked with. If you notice that your dog displays any of the warning signs listed here, you should please rush her to see a veterinarian. Your dog’s life depends on it.
Kritter Kommunity Contributor
