how can you tell if a dog is dehydrated?

Question

my dog just got over being sick and eats goodies and i guess i have spoiled her!
she doesnt want to drink and i was wondering if she is not vomiting and very active do you think she could
dehydrate and what are the symtoms of dehydration?

Answer 1

If her nose is dry and her gums are pale, you should be concerned. Wait an hour and watch her closely. If she is lethargic and still will not drink, take her to the vet so they can give her fluids intraveneously.

If she is vomiting, I understand that you are concerned about her getting dehydrated, but she needs not to have water. It may be causing the vomiting to put something else in her stomach. If she is vomiting and is dehydrated she definitely needs to go to a vet.

Answer 2

There are a few ways to tell. I just went through this. My dog had pancreatitis and was 52% dehydrated. One of the ways is to pull the skin on the back of the neck out, if it goes back in to place when you let go, they are not dehydrated if it takes awhile, they are dehydrated. You can also tell by their eyes. If you look behind the lids and they are red, not a light pink, there is some dehydration.

If you have a dog that's in the terrier family, you need to limit goody intake. They are prone to pancreatitis. Apparently the cause of it is unknown but believed to have something to do with fat intake. Believe me, my girl has gone through it twice and with a vet bill of 400 plus dollars each time, it's worth it to give your dog bland, low fat treats.

What you may want to do until you get your dog to a vet, which you need to do because IV fluids on dogs is a lot of money, is get some non-flavored pediolyte and a dropper. Water your dog this way!

Answer 3

There are a few ways to tell if your dog is dehydrated. First of all, you can grab the skin/fur between the shoulder blades and pull up. It should snap back to "normal" rather quickly. If it snaps back slowly (more than 3-5 seconds), then your dog is dehydrated.

Checking his gums is a good indicator too. Look at the color - normal gum color is pink. If they are pale pink or white, he could be dehydrated or losing blood somewhere. Also feel the gums - they should be moist. If they are dry or "tacky" (sticky), he could be dehydrated or losing blood somewhere.

The dog's activity level could be an indicator as well.

Answer 4

Pale gums in a dog is more of a sign of anemia or internal bleeding. If they are dehydrated, their skin will" tent". To test this you pull up a part of the skin at the shoulder, if it has elasticity to it, then it will snap back more quickly. If the dog is dehydrated, the skin will remain in place, where you pulled it, because dehydration causes loss of elasticity in the skin.

Their eyes may not appear as clear as normal, and when overheated, they will NOT sweat through their paws, like normal, because of loss of fluids.

If a dog is in basic good health, they will drink as needed. If you fear she is not getting enough fluids, try to get a half cup of Pedialite in her. Pedialite contains all the natural nutrients to help induce hydration. If diarrhea occurs, try vanilla yogurt to help regulate her gut. Yogurt is a mild pro biotic.

You don't say what types of goodies you have given her, but be careful of salty treats, NO skins from meats, or rawhide's of any kind, as they can damage their intestines. and of course, never chocolate or grapes, as they are toxic.

Basically, she sounds as though she just needs some quiet time to recoup, but keeping a good eye on her won't hurt. Good luck, and hope all is well with her.

Answer 5

Dehydration or a loss of thirst, would go hand in hand with not eating & being very lethargic. A healthy pet will not starve or dehydrate itself. Just make sure there's fresh water. She may be sneaking drinks when your not around. Put down a bowl with a line or decorative mark on it so you can tell if she's been in there drinking.

Answer 6

Nickie is correct if you pinch the skin and it does not move back you have a problem and need subcutaneous liquid. She may have an upset stomach and she may just need a while before it calms down, but being that otherwise she is active, she may just not be thirsty. You could always try some milk, but I don't understand why you are worried about dehydration.

Answer 7

If a dog is dehydrated then the dogs gums will be pale. They will lightly foam at the corners of the mouth. And if you lightly grab/pinch the scruff of their neck and it doesn't immediately go back down then the dog is dehydrated. Signs are the dog is constantly thirsty or has diarrhea.

Answer 8

Put pedalled or gator aid in her water dish.
If the dog is dehydrated she will need the electrolytes.

Sure sign is the dog will not urinate as frequently, her nose will be dry. They do get some moisture from canned dog food but you need to be careful if she's not drinking as it could lead to kidney problems.

Answer 9

If she was dehydrated, she would be drinking and not peeing. Or she would be panting all the time as her bodyheat would be tremendous. And eventually she would pass out.

You need to break her habit of eating so many goodies. Not only could they keep her from getting fully recovered, she will eventually get fat and suffer more health problems.

Answer 10

Look at her gums. If they are very pale then she is dehydrated. Also if her nose if dry and crusty then that's also a sign. Contact your vet and ask him some other questions. It's defenitely a problem if she isn't drinking.