Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Is My Puppy Dehydrated?

By Dirk Gruenberg


Not only humans can suffer from dehydration, dogs can, too. So as a responsible dog owner you should take your dog's health seriously and monitor him constantly. Dehydration can happen to any dog and the last thing you would want is for your dog to get health problems caused by dehydration.

So with that being said you may be wondering how exactly you can tell whether or not your dog is dehydrated. You will find the answer to that question in the following paragraphs where I will show you the symptoms and simple tests you can do.

Let's start with the first symptom: being unenergetic. As dog owners we know just how energetic and playful puppies can be. They can literally bounce off the walls with energy. Should they appear dull and lazy instead, it may be that all they need is water.

In order to avoid dehydration, your puppy should have access to water at all times of day and night. Especially encourage him to drink after play sessions.

And here is another way to test for dehydration: the neck inch test. This test is super easy and extremely fast to conduct. All you have to do is lift your pup's skin at the back of his neck.

This is similar to the lifting of the skin when he is given a vaccine. Then let go and watch what happens to the skin. If it goes back into its original place instantly, he is good. If it does not, he is dehydrated.

And last but not least: the test based on the gum line. All you have to do for this one is to press a finger against your pup's gum line. Hold it there and then remove it. The blood will now refill that area. If it does so slowly, you will know that your puppy is dehydrated.

So, those are your symptoms and tests you can do. And always keep in mind that dehydration is best prevented by having water available at all times.

Water is essential to his health, and he will appreciate being provided with it. This, among other things, will ensure that you and your dog can enjoy a long and healthy life together.




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