Pet Care Tip — Keep Pedialyte in Your Dog’s First Aid Kit

Pedialyte is a vital element of your pet’ first aid kit, as it can help prevent dehydration in a dog who is vomiting, experiencing diarrhea or in the case of a dog who is refusing to eat and drink properly. These are the three most common causes of dehydration in dogs.

Unflavoted Pedialyte tends to be best tolerated by dogs, but flavored varieties can be utilized as well.

To help a dehydrated dog, mix 1 part Pedialyte with 1 part water. The electrolytes contained within the Pedialyte will help keep the dog’s body levels balanced. This will help to slow the dog’s downslide due to dehydration.

If your dog’s vomiting is severe or if you dog is not drinking at all, provide straight Pedialyte with a liquid syringe. For a small dog, offer 1/8 cup every 60 minutes. For a large dog, offer 1/4 cup every 60 minutes until you can get the dog to the vet.
Other options include making Pedialyte ice cubes; many dogs enjoy eating ice cubes and some will lick the ice cube, even when they’re not drinking willingly.

How to Tell if Your Dog is Dehydrated

Wondering if your dog is dehydrated? Perform the “pinch test.” Pinch your dog’s skin into a “tent” at the base of his neck, right between the shoulder blades. If your dog’s skin flattens out immediately, dehydration is minimal. The longer it takes for the skin to flatten out, the more severe the dehydration.

If your dog is not drinking for 24 hours or if your dog is vomiting or experiencing diarrhea and does not show marked improvement within 24 hours, visit your veterinary clinic. It’s likely that your vet will administer a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection of lactated ringer’s solution. The dog’s body will absorb the fluid, thereby combating dehydration.

Dehydration can become a self-perpetuating problem, as it can cause headache and nausea, thereby resulting in vomiting and a continued refusal to eat and drink (many pets will stop eating when they feel poorly.)

In addition, your pet may be suffering from hypoglycemia if he’s refusing to eat. See our related article to learn how to treat and prevent hypoglycemia in your dog. Also, it’s important to feed a bland diet to a dog who is experiencing an upset stomach.

Photo Source: Pere Navarro at Sxc.hu

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Mia Carter is a professional journalist and animal lover. Her furry family members include 6 dogs and 12 cats. She is also a feral cat colony caretaker. Carter specializes in pet training and special needs pet care. All of her animals have special needs such as paralysis, blindness, deafness and FIV, just to name a few. She also serves as a pet foster parent and she actively rehabilitates and rescues local strays and feral kittens.

  1. Akishya
    | Reply

    Thank you for this very helpful tips. I also have a dog, buy thank God she is totally fine and never suffered from illness.

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