The Hydration Station
Great summer pet care entails keeping your pet well hydrated at all times, especially during the heat of the day. There are many articles describing the health benefits of humans increasing their water consumption and the same goes for our furry friends. Keeping your pet hydrated can keep them healthy and less likely to experience heat strokes. Here’s a list of the top 5 ways to prevent dog dehydration:
- Good quality water is most important. A rule of thumb I like to tell pet parents is if you wouldn’t drink the water, then don’t expect your pet to. This is not to say we need to give them expensive, bottled water; rather we should ensure their water is up to our standards. Some well water, city water, and rural water can still be of good quality and great options for our pets.
- Fresh water is needed at all times. Giving your pet good quality water can turn to an effort-wasted if it isn’t replenished daily. Refreshing their water daily encourages them to drink it.
- Make it available at all times. This may seem like an obvious tip, but it can be a forgotten one. Pets that are able to go inside and outside will need two sources of fresh water that are refreshed daily. Sometimes, we can forget to refresh one or the other. Depending on your schedule, some dogs may need water while they are in their crate. It would be a great topic to discuss with your pet’s veterinarian and there are several devices designed for making water available to crated pets.
- Freeze the bowls on extra hot days. To help prevent dehydration and heat stroke in your pets, it may be a good idea to freeze the water bowls for a couple of hours before filling them. This will ensure a cool source of water for your pet to drink and it can cool their body temperature.
- Keep a good eye on their drinking habits. Most pet parents have a good idea of how much and how often your pet drinks. If your pet has any sudden changes (including a decrease or increase) in drinking water, you should contact the veterinarian. They may need a checkup to make sure they aren’t sick.
Since dogs are at a higher risk of dehydration, it’s important to know how to evaluate their hydration status. Below is a video of a veterinarian demonstrating how to evaluate a dog’s hydration:
What secrets and techniques do you have to keep your pet hydrated? Please leave us tips in the comments section below. Thank you.