Dehydration in dogs

Dehydration in dogs is a common, potentially life threatening condition.  It is the result of either an inadequate intake or excessive loss of both water and electrolytes and requires immediate veterinary attention.  If left untreated dehydration can result in serious organ damage and even death of your dog


What are the signs of dehydration in dogs?

Sunken eyes.

Dry gums.

Lethargy.

Loss of skin elasticity – use your thumb and forefinger to pinch a little skin on your pet's back or top of their head. ...

vision loss

hearing loss

Weakness, collapse and ultimately death.

The serious problems of dehydration can include disc problems. The discs between each vertebra in your spine is mostly made of water, so if your dehydrated the disc shrinks just a little and that can put added pressure on one of your spinal nerves and cause pain. About 99% of the people that come in my office with sciatic pain are dehydrated. The disc shrinks and presses on the sciatic nerve and the person will have excruciating pain. If someone is chronically dehydrated it can lead to herniated discs and bulging discs because their spine is less stable than normal a person.
A person who is dehydrated can have headaches all the time because the blood does not circulate as well to the brain which also can lead to dizziness, heaviness in the head, blurred vision, and hearing loss. 

What can I do to prevent my dog getting dehydration?

• Ensure your dog has plenty of access to fresh, clean water
• Clean your dog’s water bowl daily to prevent the build up of bacteria within it
• Take bottles of water with you on a walk or whilst travelling
• Avoid exercising your dog in hot weather
• Never leave your dog in a car