Animal Care

Dehydration In Pet Cats And Dogs


Like humans, over 60% of your 4-legged friend’s body is made up of water, thereby making it important to drink ample amounts of water. Sadly, low-grade or prolonged dehydration is common in dogs and cats due to less water consumption, or from severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Some tests can be done to determine dehydration, one of which is checking for skin elasticity and the other one is the saliva test. To check for skin elasticity, skin on the back of your dog’s neck is pulled gently and the amount of time it takes for the skin to go back to its proper position is observed. It is considered well-hydrated if skin returns in 2 seconds, otherwise, the amount of time longer than 2 seconds would suggest the intensity of dehydration. For saliva test, it is performed by placing a finger on their gums and check for saliva. If your dog or cat is hydrated well, the gums would feel moist and wet upon palpation.

Seek medical care if your cat or dog is dehydrated by bringing them to the veterinarians San Diego, CA sooner rather than later.

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