Page 26 - Issue 3_2018

Pawsitive Tips

By Patrick Mahaney

How to Keep Your Pet Healthy & Hydrated

How can an owner tell when his canine or feline companion has Reduced Body Temperature. Deficient body water also causes blood
incurred body water loss that can manifest as health problems? What to have reduced flow to the colon/rectum and ears, which are the two
measures can owners take in preventing their pets from becoming most common places where dogs ave their temperatures taken. Nor-
dehydrated? mal body temperature for dogs is between 100-102.5 F. Body tempera-
ture below 100 F can indicate dehydration in some pets.
As a veterinarian practicing in warm and sunny Southern California, I
know the important role hydration plays in promoting my patients’s How Can I Help My Pets Stay Hydrated?
best health. Water makes up 70-80% of a dog body mass, so it’s a cru-
cial nutrient to maintain normal cellular function. A loss of only 10% of Be aware of your pet’s daily hydration needs. The average healthy dog
the total body fluids can cause serious illness. or cat needs 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight every day.

Symptoms of Dehydration Provide a clean, fresh, room-temperature water source with the same
level of purity that you drink. Why would you consider letting your pet
Dehydration is a diagnosis that is often seen in conjunction with consume water you wouldn’t consume yourself?
other ailments, including kidney and liver disease, infections, immune
system disorders, cancer, and more. There are many clinical signs of Prevent your pet’s access to water sources potentially having micro-
dehydration in pets, including: organisms or toxins capable of causing mild to severe illness. Puddles,
communal water bowls (dog park, daycare, etc.), still bodies of water,
Lethargy. Less water available to help cells normally function leads to and Christmas tree containers should be avoided.
a pet acting more fatigued and having exercise intolerance.
Feed your pet a moist diet. Human-grade diets like home-prepared
Decreased Appetite. Dehydration causes reduced blood flow to the or commercially available rehydrated options should be chosen over
digestive tract, therefore less involuntary muscular contraction occurs canned options containing moistening agents (carageenan, propyl-
in the stomach and intestine. With the slowing of the digestive tract, ene glycol, etc.). Most canned foods are closer to the format in which
there’s an associated reduced interest in eating. nature intends food to consumed as compared to dry foods (kibble),
so feeding canned over kibble is my suggestion if home-prepared or
Fewer Trips To The Bathroom. Less water being consumed or more rehydrated commercial options are not available.
water being lost reduces urine and fecal volume and frequency, as
moisture is being preserved to help the body to continue to function. Minimize your pet’s time spent exposed to extreme heat and sun.
Seeking shade and cool will reduce the volume of body water that
Water-Seeking Behavior. Dehydration will cause your pet to seek wa- evaporates from the respiratory tract (lungs, trachea, etc.), paw pads,
ter from both familiar and unfamiliar places, which could harbor toxins, skin, and other body parts.
infectious organisms, or other potentially dangerous substances.
As water is such a vital component of all cells and an essential nutrient
Sticky, Pale Gums. When evaluating a pet’s oral mucous membranes for life, it’s crucial that all had owners take everyday measures to pro-
(gums), the normal appearance should be vibrant pink and moist. mote hydration and prevent dehydration.
When dehydration occurs, gums become tacky (sticky). Additionally,
when the gums are firmly pressed to push out blood, the capillary refill Reprinted with Permission 2018
time (CRT, or time it takes for blood to refill tissue) is delayed. Normal petsafe.com
CRT= 1-2 seconds. Delayed CRT is two seconds or longer.

Less Skin Flexibility. Our pets’ skin should be soft and pliable, but
when enough body of water is lost, skin becomes more rigid. This is
called increased skin turgor, which manifests as a lack of ability for
skin to retain its normal shape. The area between the shoulder blades
(“scruff” or nape of the neck) is a common place when this phenomena
can be seen in a dehydrated pet.
Elevated Heart Rate And Breathing Rate. When a pet is dehydrated,
the blood becomes thicker and doesn’t efficiently flow around the
body. As a result, the heart contracts more quickly in effort to deliver
nutrients and oxygen and remove metabolic wastes from body tissues.
Respiratory rate also increases in attempt to bring more oxygen into
the body. Normal heart rate is 70 - 160 beats per minute for most dogs
(smaller dogs have faster heart rates) and 160 - 240 beats per minute
for cats. Normal respiratory rate is 10 - 30 breaths per minute for most
dogs (smaller dogs typically breathe faster).
26