Dehydration in dogs
Dehydration in dogs is a very common life-threatening condition in dogs. It happens when the dog is incapable of replacing fluids and electrolytes or is losing them at a fast rate. It requires veterinarian attention immediately. If not treated on time, it can cause serious organ damage and death.
What causes dehydration in dogs?
There could be several reasons why your dog is refusing to drink water. Most commonly, it has to do with an underlying medical condition. These usually are a heatstroke of fever. Or it could be that they are feeling lethargic, tired, or in pain.
Also, a dog can become dehydrated when he is losing fluids rapidly, either through vomiting or diarrhea. Kidney failure, diabetes in dogs or other conditions affecting the urinary system can also cause a rapid loss of fluids through excessive urination.
When dogs lose fluids through excessive urination, they will feel thirst. However, this will not be enough to replace the amounf of fluid they are losing. You should take your dog to the veterinarian if you note a dramatic change on their urinating and water-drinking habits.
Signs of dehydration in dogs
Knowing what the signs of dehydration in humans seem pretty obvious to the majority. However, it is not equally easy to tell when a dog is suffering from dehydration. Not good news because it could help get quick medical attention.
The following are some of the signs that show that a dog is suffering from dehydration:
- Lethargy or reduced energy levels
- Sunken, dry-looking eyes
- Dry nose and gums
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of skin elasticity
- Collapse
Many of these symptoms are easy to detect but others such as loss of skin elasticity require a test to confirm. Fortunately, it is actually simple and you can do it at home. Just pinch their skin between your thumb and index finger. In a perfectly healthy dog, the skin will quickly fall back in place. In a dehydrated dog, it will take longer.
Take your pet to the veterinarian as full as you can. Once there, he will take several tests to determine what could be causing the dehydration and to take a better course of action.
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