What is the best way to rehydrate a dog?

To rehydrate a dog, fluid replacement may become necessary if they lose excessive fluids due to vomiting, diarrhoea or heatstroke, for example. Before you do anything Please note that it’s a good idea to contact your vet before you start rehydrating your dog yourself. It’s possible to buy oral rehydration solutions, which contain a mix of water, electrolytes and glucose. Alternatively you can make your own fluid replacement for your dog by mixing water, dextrose and salt. Boil the water so that the liquid substitute is mixed well. A dog normally needs around 0.5 decilitres of fluid per kilogram of body weight per day. In case of fluid loss, the dog may need twice as much. At first, you may need to ‘feed’ the dog with the help of a spoon or syringe. This method is appropriate for dogs that are still able to drink on their own and are not experiencing severe vomiting or weakness. If your dog is unable to take fluids orally, or they have severe vomiting or diarrhoea, you’ll have to take them to the vet.

If your dog is mildly dehydrated provide your pet with small amounts of water to drink every few minutes or offer your dog pieces of ice to lick. To help restore your dog's electrolyte balance you could also provide your pup with Ringer's lactate. Do not offer too much water all at once since this could cause your dog to vomit, causing even further dehydration. Your vet may advise you to begin offering your dog small amounts of water to begin the rehydration process while you are on your way to their office. Treatment for dogs suffering from this level of dehydration is re-hydration using intravenous fluids. If your pooch is mildly dehydrated, even if your dog is suffering from a mild cause of dehydration we recommend that you contact your vet for additional recommendations. To help keep your dog hydrated while they are experiencing these symptoms offer your pet an electrolytic solution until they feel better.