What Are the Treatments for Dehydration in Dogs?

Veterinarians define dehydration as an excessive loss of water from a dog's body. Typically caused by diarrhea, overheating, fever or vomiting, dehydration can cause your dog to feel lethargic. In severe cases, dehydration leads to kidney problems and internal organ failure, reports Dr. Roger Gfeller and colleagues at VeterinaryPartner.com.



Your veterinarian measures the degree of dehydration by comparing the amount of fluid lost from your dog's weight with an assessment of skin elasticity and testing of blood concentration. A high degree of any of these factors indicates a veterinary emergency and your dog requires immediate medical treatment.

  1. Veterinary Treatments

    • After the initial physical examination, your veterinarian may recommend checking your pet's hematocrit---the concentration of red blood cells in blood serum---to determine the severity of your dog's dehydration. A high hematocrit, higher than about 40 percent, indicates that the fluid levels in your dog's body and blood are seriously reduced and need to be replenished, write veterinarians Dennis McCurnin and Joanna Bassert in the "Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians."

      Your veterinarian will calculate the amount and type of fluid needing to be replaced in your dog over 48 hours and, commonly, administer this amount intravenously. The dog should be hospitalized during this time so that the veterinary staff can monitor the drip rate and watch for any problems that may arise. In less severe cases, the veterinarian may inject the fluid subcutaneously under your dog's skin, allowing the body to absorb it naturally.

    At-Home Treatments

    • For mild dehydration when the dog is not vomiting, owners can introduce an electrolyte solution by large syringe or bottle into the dog's cheek pouch, advises veterinarian Debra Eldredge and colleagues in the "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook." They suggest using a pediatric electrolyte solution found in drugstores or an unsweetened sports drink as a short-term substitute. Dr. Eldredge suggests administering the fluid at a rate of 2- to 4 ml per pound of body weight per hour, or whatever rate directed by your veterinarian.

    Symptoms of Dehydration

    • You can determine if your dog is dehydrated by lifting the skin between its shoulder blades and watching how fast it pops back into place. In healthy animals, the skin goes back to its normal position almost immediately. In dehydrated animals, the lack of fluid in the skin causes it to be less elastic and the skin fold hesitates to fall back into place. According to the veterinarians at PetEducation.com, if your pet has lost 6 to 8 percent of its normal body fluids, the skin definitely delays going back to its normal position. If your dog loses 10 to 12 percent of fluids, the skin forms a tent and remains standing upright over the shoulder. Your dog may be cool to the touch and its gums and tongue feel sticky, not moist. Your dog may show an increased heart rate with a lowered pulse, and its eyes appear sunken and cloudy. All of these symptoms indicate a veterinary crisis.