When you left the house for the weekend, you thought your dogs had plenty of water to keep them hydrated. Unfortunately, your dogs knocked over the water bowl. Now you're home and your dogs are dehydrated. If they're acting lethargic, you'll need to contact their veterinarian as soon as possible. If they're still able to move around, you can use this simple method to get them hydrated.
Slow and Steady
You might be tempted to fill up the bowl and have your dog's drink as much water as possible. That can be dangerous though. Giving your dog too much water too quickly can lead to vomiting, which can increase the dehydration.
Pour a small amount of water into the bowl and allow your dogs to drink it. Continue filling the bowl with small amounts. Once your dogs have consumed about 1 cup of water without vomiting, you can fill the bowl with water and allow them to drink at their leisure.
Reach for the Electrolytes
Dehydration does more than leave your dogs' thirsty. It deprives them of vital electrolytes and minerals such as potassium and sodium. Replace those nutrients by adding a sports drink or pediatric electrolyte replacement drink to the water.
Provide your dogs with plenty of water that's combined with the electrolyte drinks. Fill their water bowl with half water and half electrolyte drinks. After 24 hours of electrolyte replacement, you can return to plain water for your pets.
Fill Up With Ice
If your dogs are so dehydrated that they refuse to drink, don't get discouraged. Fill a bowl with ice cubes. Your dogs will get rehydrated while licking the ice cubes. This is particularly useful if your dogs are having a difficult time keeping water down. Once your dogs are able to keep water down, continue adding ice for a few hours. The cool water will soothe your dogs, which is helpful if they're suffering from any type of heat illness from being outside without water.
If your dogs were without water for an extended period of time, they may be severely dehydrated. Use the simple steps provided above to get your pets the water they need. If your dogs' continue to have problems, do the skin test. The skin test will help determine if your dogs' require immediate medical attention. Gently lift up on the skin on your dog's back. If the skin bounces back, it's properly hydrated. However, if the skin does not bounce back, contact a local veterinarian (such as one from Southwest Florida Veterinary Specialists & 24-Hour Emergency Hospital) immediately.
