The term "dehydration" means your puppy doesn't have enough water in his body. There are several canine diseases puppies are especially susceptible to for which dehydration is a symptom, such as canine parvo virus. Also, good water intake keeps up your puppy's body processes such as circulation, as well as helps the body break down whatever your puppy takes into his body, such as food or materials absorbed through the skin. Dehydration can result from sweating too much and not replenishing fluids, or from prolonged vomiting and diarrhea.
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Loss of Skin Elasticity
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You can test your puppy's loss of skin elasticity by briefly squeezing together a section of your puppy's skin. If the skin stays puckered up when you release, your puppy may be dehydrated. If the skin immediately smooths back down, your puppy is likely not dehydrated.
Lethargy and Depression
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If your puppy is dehydrated, he may be lying down a lot and seem uninterested in playing or other normal activities.
Gums
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A dehydrated puppy's gums will feel dry to the touch. Also, press down on the gums--if it takes more than a few seconds for the gums to fill with a pink color, your puppy may be dehydrated.
Other Symptoms
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You also may see a few other symptoms that aren't as common, such as sunken eyes, disinterest in eating and an increased heart rate. You can figure out your puppy's normal heart rate by using a stethoscope on his chest to count the heartbeats for 30 seconds, then multiply by two to determine beats per minute. Check the heart rate when your puppy is calm and at rest.
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