Gulp? Sip? Or, sniff and walk away? Which of these drinking habits best describes your dog? In my household, Kona, my medium-sized terrier mix, never turns down the chance to lap up lots of water from the bowl after a long walk. However, Emma, my pint-sized Poodle-Chihuahua mix, rarely dashes over to the water bowl. She does take in a few licks after my coaxing but prefers to wait at the refrigerator for me to dole out small pieces of chilled,
\nseedless watermelon to her.<\/p>\n
Hydration is a major health hallmark for dogs of all ages and sizes.<\/p>\n
\u201cDogs need water to live, just as humans do,\u201d says Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, owner of Kingsgate Animal Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, and a veterinary expert for SeniorTailWaggers.com<\/a>. \u201cWithout water, the body cannot function.\u201d<\/p>\n The cells in your dog\u2019s body need adequate amounts of water and essential electrolytes (headlined by chloride, sodium and potassium) to keep all key functions in the body working properly and efficiently.<\/p>\n \u201cAdequate hydration is essential to the vascular circulation of blood,\u201d Dr. Whittenburg says. \u201cBlood circulation enables for the transport of important substances, oxygen and carbon dioxide through the body.\u201d<\/p>\n Water also plays a key role in ushering out body waste, in regulating body temperature and to act as both a shock absorber and lubricant for the joints.<\/p>\n But the challenge comes in ensuring that your dog drinks adequate amounts of water each day. Here are three quick ways to tell if your dog is properly hydrated:<\/p>\n \u201cBut if the skin stays \u2018tented\u2019 or takes a little while to flatten back down, then your dog is dehydrated to some degree,\u201d says Dr. Alex Crow, a veterinary surgeon at Buttercross Veterinary Centre in Nottinghamshire, England and a veterinary expert at SeniorTailWaggers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cUrine that is too concentrated means that the body is not adequately hydrated and kidney function could be impacted,\u201d says Dr. Ackerman. \u201cA urinalysis indicates the ratio of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and serum creatinine to see if the kidneys are functioning properly.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the dangers of dehydration are many. And, smaller dogs may become dehydrated more quickly than larger ones.<\/p>\n Beyond damaging kidneys, dehydration can trigger:<\/em><\/p>\n \u2724 Vomiting and seizures.<\/strong> The lack of adequate hydration disrupts the balance of electrolytes in a dog\u2019s body. \u201cWhen a dog\u2019s electrolytes are not properly balanced, the dog may vomit uncontrollably, have a dull mentation and have seizures,\u201d Dr. Whittenburg warns. \u201cSevere electrolyte disturbances that affect the heart can be fatal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2724 Heatstroke.<\/strong> Dogs lack skin pores like we have and must rely on panting to dissipate excessive heat in their bodies. \u201cDogs must be kept cool and hydrated because heatstroke can quickly become a life-threatening situation,\u201d Dr. Whittenburg says.<\/p>\n \u2724 Shock.<\/strong> When a dog is severely dehydrated, his blood volume can plummet. The resulting low blood pressure and low oxygen levels can cause a life-threatening condition known as hypovolemic shock.<\/p>\n Prevent these issues by being proactive. Help your dog dodge the dangers of dehydration and its associated health issues. For starters, place two or three water bowls in different rooms. Clean the bowls and replenish with fresh water daily.<\/p>\n Offer your dog some flavored liquids that may contain electrolytes, or do what I do with Emma and offer small pieces of watermelon. Some dogs like to lick ice cubes.<\/p>\n After a vigorous game of fetch, a long walk or run, aim to rehydrate your dog slowly and steadily. Do not let him gulp huge amounts of water quickly.<\/p>\n Finally, feed your dog more wet food than dry food. Consult your veterinarian about selecting food that meets your canine pal\u2019s age, health condition and activity level.<\/p>\n Parting message: If a dog doesn’t drink a lot of water, it does not necessarily mean that he is dehydrated, Dr. Ackerman says. \u201cMoist dog foods contain about 75%\u00a0 water. It only becomes an issue when dogs show signs of clinical dehydration.\u201d<\/p>\n How much water does your dog need to drink each day to stay hydrated?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe general rule is that a dog needs about 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight,\u201d says Dr. Alex Crow, veterinary surgeon at Buttercross Veterinary Centre in Nottinghamshire, England. \u201cHowever, there are some other factors that may mean your dog needs more or less than these amounts, such as if the dog is on a wet or dry food diet, how warm the weather is and how active the dog is.\u201d<\/p>\n In general, here is the daily water chart recommended by veterinarians:<\/em><\/p>\n 10-pound dog: 10 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n 20-pound dog: 20 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n 50-pound dog: 50 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n 90-pound dog: 90 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Help your dog get the water he needs with these yummy products<\/strong><\/p>\n Nulo Hydrate; 11.96\/4 pack. nulo.com<\/a><\/p>\n Wolf Spring; $19.99\/6 pack. wolfspring.dog<\/a><\/p>\n DoggyRade; $17.95\/3 pack. us.doggyrade.com<\/a><\/p>\n Doggie Water; $19.49\/4 pack. mydoggiewater.com<\/a><\/p>\n The post The Hows and Whys of Hydration<\/a> by Arden Moore<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post The Hows and Whys of Hydration<\/a> by Arden Moore<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n Gulp? Sip? Or, sniff and walk away? Which of these drinking habits best describes your dog? In my household, Kona, my medium-sized terrier mix, never turns down the chance to lap up lots of water from the bowl after a long walk. However, Emma, my pint-sized Poodle-Chihuahua mix, rarely dashes over to the water bowl. She does take in a few licks after my coaxing but prefers to wait at the refrigerator for me to dole out small pieces of chilled, Hydration is a major health hallmark for dogs of all ages and sizes.<\/p>\n \u201cDogs need water to live, just as humans do,\u201d says Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, owner of Kingsgate Animal Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, and a veterinary expert for SeniorTailWaggers.com<\/a>. \u201cWithout water, the body cannot function.\u201d<\/p>\n The cells in your dog\u2019s body need adequate amounts of water and essential electrolytes (headlined by chloride, sodium and potassium) to keep all key functions in the body working properly and efficiently.<\/p>\n \u201cAdequate hydration is essential to the vascular circulation of blood,\u201d Dr. Whittenburg says. \u201cBlood circulation enables for the transport of important substances, oxygen and carbon dioxide through the body.\u201d<\/p>\n Water also plays a key role in ushering out body waste, in regulating body temperature and to act as both a shock absorber and lubricant for the joints.<\/p>\n But the challenge comes in ensuring that your dog drinks adequate amounts of water each day. Here are three quick ways to tell if your dog is properly hydrated:<\/p>\n \u201cBut if the skin stays \u2018tented\u2019 or takes a little while to flatten back down, then your dog is dehydrated to some degree,\u201d says Dr. Alex Crow, a veterinary surgeon at Buttercross Veterinary Centre in Nottinghamshire, England and a veterinary expert at SeniorTailWaggers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cUrine that is too concentrated means that the body is not adequately hydrated and kidney function could be impacted,\u201d says Dr. Ackerman. \u201cA urinalysis indicates the ratio of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and serum creatinine to see if the kidneys are functioning properly.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the dangers of dehydration are many. And, smaller dogs may become dehydrated more quickly than larger ones.<\/p>\n Beyond damaging kidneys, dehydration can trigger:<\/em><\/p>\n \u2724 Vomiting and seizures.<\/strong> The lack of adequate hydration disrupts the balance of electrolytes in a dog\u2019s body. \u201cWhen a dog\u2019s electrolytes are not properly balanced, the dog may vomit uncontrollably, have a dull mentation and have seizures,\u201d Dr. Whittenburg warns. \u201cSevere electrolyte disturbances that affect the heart can be fatal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2724 Heatstroke.<\/strong> Dogs lack skin pores like we have and must rely on panting to dissipate excessive heat in their bodies. \u201cDogs must be kept cool and hydrated because heatstroke can quickly become a life-threatening situation,\u201d Dr. Whittenburg says.<\/p>\n \u2724 Shock.<\/strong> When a dog is severely dehydrated, his blood volume can plummet. The resulting low blood pressure and low oxygen levels can cause a life-threatening condition known as hypovolemic shock.<\/p>\n Prevent these issues by being proactive. Help your dog dodge the dangers of dehydration and its associated health issues. For starters, place two or three water bowls in different rooms. Clean the bowls and replenish with fresh water daily.<\/p>\n Offer your dog some flavored liquids that may contain electrolytes, or do what I do with Emma and offer small pieces of watermelon. Some dogs like to lick ice cubes.<\/p>\n After a vigorous game of fetch, a long walk or run, aim to rehydrate your dog slowly and steadily. Do not let him gulp huge amounts of water quickly.<\/p>\n Finally, feed your dog more wet food than dry food. Consult your veterinarian about selecting food that meets your canine pal\u2019s age, health condition and activity level.<\/p>\n Parting message: If a dog doesn’t drink a lot of water, it does not necessarily mean that he is dehydrated, Dr. Ackerman says. \u201cMoist dog foods contain about 75%\u00a0 water. It only becomes an issue when dogs show signs of clinical dehydration.\u201d<\/p>\n How much water does your dog need to drink each day to stay hydrated?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe general rule is that a dog needs about 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight,\u201d says Dr. Alex Crow, veterinary surgeon at Buttercross Veterinary Centre in Nottinghamshire, England. \u201cHowever, there are some other factors that may mean your dog needs more or less than these amounts, such as if the dog is on a wet or dry food diet, how warm the weather is and how active the dog is.\u201d<\/p>\n In general, here is the daily water chart recommended by veterinarians:<\/em><\/p>\n 10-pound dog: 10 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n 20-pound dog: 20 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n 50-pound dog: 50 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n 90-pound dog: 90 ounces of water\/fluid daily<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Help your dog get the water he needs with these yummy products<\/strong><\/p>\n Nulo Hydrate; 11.96\/4 pack. nulo.com<\/a><\/p>\n Wolf Spring; $19.99\/6 pack. wolfspring.dog<\/a><\/p>\n DoggyRade; $17.95\/3 pack. us.doggyrade.com<\/a><\/p>\n Doggie Water; $19.49\/4 pack. mydoggiewater.com<\/a><\/p>\n The post The Hows and Whys of Hydration<\/a> by Arden Moore<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nHow much water is enough?<\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s36700.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/water-532x600.png\")
Dehydration dangers<\/h3>\n
Drink up!<\/h3>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s36700.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/nulo-600x400.jpg.optimal.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s36700.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/wolf-spring-351x400.jpg.optimal.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s36700.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/doggyrade.jpg.optimal.jpg\")
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\nseedless watermelon to her.<\/p>\nHow much water is enough?<\/h3>\n
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\n
Dehydration dangers<\/h3>\n
Drink up!<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n