If your pet travels with you, like my little miniature Peke-a-Poo does, and especially if you live in the South, here is a tip that could possibly save your pet's life in the summer. I bought some of the little Gladware containers with the blue snap on lids that are about the size of a pudding cup. By filling them with water and freezing them, I have the perfect way to keep my dog hydrated without a mess.
If you have a larger dog, you could fill several, freeze them, and add them to your cooler. They will cool what is in the cooler and be a replacement whenever one is empty. But please, hydrated or not, NEVER leave your pet in the car!
By Gloria Hayes from Darien, GA
How can I get my 6 yr old Shih Tzu to drink? I have tried chicken broth, mixed broth with her food, tried some milk in the water, and tried coaxing her with peanut butter. She won't touch it. I have had her to the vet 4-5 times this month. I am waiting for her second blood tests to come back. The 1st test looked like it might be kidney failure. She just threw up, and she will not drink anything. Not anything!
By Jacob's G.
Your Vet can do fluids under her skin to keep her from being dehydrated. 6 years old is very young for kidney failure. Stay in touch with your vet because dehydration is a very real concern and could do some damage.
I agree with Lizzyanny. Take her to the vet for sub-q fluids. They'll tell you how to administer this yourself at home.
I make a homemade dog food and add to reheated chicken no bone broth that has been kept in fridge. Be sure to add a few drops to 1/2 capful of apple cider vinegar. The broth is too "sweet" otherwise to urinary tract infection causing bacteria. Dogs drink if there is a little food in bone broth. Cottage cheese, a tablespoon in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of bone broth, works for snacks and rehydration but I really just use the main diy dog food. I make sure after adding food it gets reheated to be warm( ice cube can cool it if too hot from microwave). One dog eats food first from my hand then drinks broth food was just warmed in. The Ottawa valley dog whisperer's blog I got recipe from explains why she uses ingredients and common misconceptions.
Oops my auto correct, should read. . .[I make a homemade dog food and add to reheated chicken bone broth that has been kept in fridge.]
Also the diy recipe is very thorough. I left out below 1/8 cup coconut oil which she has. The food is in highly digestible small pieces and the oil keeps it from sticking to throats and goes down smoother. Also if you have a larger dog and reading this post for long term rehydration and want to do combo of diy food and broth, taurine is an essential amino acid for labs and other similar weight breeds. Helps for healthy heart and wasn't added to food like Science Diet til after the 80s. They were having heart disease. I add about 1 pill size once a day to food. Can't overdose taurine, it flushes out of system.
So I give my medium size dogs about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of reheated bone broth plus about 3 tablespoons of diy Ottawa valley dog food rewarmed if once added to broth is cold. I have someone who helps me give them hospice care so they get it about every 4 hours during the day and more if nose is dry. Dogs dehydrate very fast over 24 hours. I have senior dogs who stopped drinking while mourning the death of another dog.
I have a 6 month old puppy who was recently hit by a car. I rushed him to the nearest vet and they prescribed medication for him after making sure he was okay internally. He is eating, but I cannot get him to drink enough water. I tried to give him water with a syringe and he drank a little, but then he stopped.
I put his medication in his food and at first, he wouldn't eat it, but then he ate little by little. If I give him his food without the medication, he eats the food with no hesitation. Can someone please help? I'm worried about my boy.If your dog is dehydrated and vet tells to make sure she drinks, but your dog has no interest, how do you get water into her? The vet put her on an antibiotic. She also has diarrhea and she was vomiting.
My 12 week puppy recently got really dehydrated and very weak. We immediately took him to the vet and they gave him a IV for about 5 hours and steroids for a fever and upset stomach. The problem is is keeping him hydrated.
We have been giving him water by syringe and giving him little bits of rice and chicken if he is in the mood, but he is unwillingly going to his food bowl and water. And he is still very weak.I would give your dog ice cubes to play with and crunch on. Our Shihtzu loves to catch one as it slides across the kitchen floor. She eats it too and its become a favorite game. You could also give your dog popsicles or add a little flavored gelatin in water and see if your pup will drink more fluid.
To remove the hay or straw debris from the alpaca's drinking pail, use a slotted spaghetti lifter/pasta server. No need to freeze your fingers in the winter!
Getting dog to drink water when they are dehydrated.
Tatum
You should have your dog checked by the vet. If he is dehydrated, he should want to drink water. He may be ill. Also, make sure his water and bowl are clean and free of any foul odors, and is away from any pests that may be sharing his water bowl.
No healthy dog ever gets dehydrated. Not only get him to a vet, but possibly an emergency vet.
Put a dash of milk in the water. Even though it is still water, just white in colour, your dog will think it is a milky treat and lap it all up!
make sure it is physically possible for you pooch to drink. Check his tongue for lesions, spots, burns and cuts. Make sure it looks healthy. If a dog cannot use his tongue to lap he cannot drink, they can't sip like humans and horses.
I had a dog once with Cushing's disease which basically turned her tongue into a piece of shoe leather and made it impossible for her to drink, we had to poor it down her throat. It also effected her brain and the rest of her, and eventually killed her.
I'm not suggesting your dog has cushing's obviously, it's a rare disease. Just know some disease can effect the tongue like that.
Also, make sure the dog's gums are a healthy dark pink, and not pale. If the dog feels cool to the touch, especially the gums, he could be anemic and needs to go to the vet immediately.
I don't have a dog but cats that, when ill, become dehydrated. When they return from a stay at the vet (and usually an I.V.), I make sure they get extra water by mixing their canned food with about 50% water. It is more like a soup but they lap it up and get the extra water. But, go to a vet and make sure there is no urinary problem, blockage or stress problem keeping them from drinking.
try a sqeeze type water bottle and squeeze into the back of his/her mouth and blow gently in his/ her face it's natural for them to swallow. I saved a dog with parvo this way.
Soak the dry food in the water. A friend did this and it helped.
My 12 week old puppy is not drank water lately. I checked his nose and it is dry. We squirted water in his mouth like someone said. He had 2 squirts. His heart is also beating quickly. We just got him yesterday. Should we called the lady that owned him before and ask her what to do. Somebody please help
"No healthy dog gets dehydrated" is right most of the time. But if you have a dog that has been in an accident, or is sick, they may not want to drink water and, believe me, the vet doesn't share that with you. They just keep asking if they are drinking. Sometimes you are so upset with things you don't think to ask that. So the question of how to get a dehydrated dog to drink can be a very important question.
Adding water to their food has worked the best for me. My dog was severely injured in an accident when i was out of town. The Vet hooked her up to fluids once but most of the time I have had to find other ways to get her to have fluids. she is drinking now but I still have to add fluids to her food cause she doesn't seem to want to drink enough. Some of the other ideas I saw on this page sound like good ideas that I need to try them. Good Luck to everyone that has a problem! with their baby dog!
