Dehydration is a major health risk for dogs, and it’s even worse for stray dogs. Strays don’t have regular access to clean water, safe shelter, or medical care like pets have. Panting, urinating, and just being active all day long cause their bodies to lose fluids. If these fluids aren’t supplied, they start to get dehydrated. This imbalance has an effect on the body’s ability to control temperature, circulate blood, digest food, and work as a whole. For stray dogs that spend much of their time wandering large distances, dealing with intense sunshine, and looking for food, dehydration is a common problem. It is a daily fight that can rapidly turn deadly. People may save the lives of many stray dogs in our communities by knowing how dehydration works and what indications to look for. You can also check out blogs of dogs that can helps more.
What does it mean for dogs to be dehydrated?
When a dog’s body loses more water and electrolytes than it gets, it becomes dehydrated. Water is very important for a dog’s health because it makes up about 60% of its total weight.
Key effects on the body
- The blood gets thicker and travels more slowly when there isn’t enough water in the body.
- This makes it harder for oxygen to get to important organs.
- The levels of electrolytes like sodium and potassium also go down.
- This makes it harder for muscles to work together, nerves to work, and organs to act properly.
PetMD and the American Kennel Club say that a dog can start to show indications of dehydration after losing as little as five percent of its body fluids. If you lose 10 percent or more of your body weight, you could have serious problems or possibly die. This shows how easily dogs can be affected by changes in water levels and why immediate action is so important.
Why stray dogs are more prone to dehydration
Stray dogs have a much harder time living than pets that live in homes. They may walk kilometres every day, especially to find food or a place to sleep, which makes them need more water. A lot of dogs have to get their water from dirty or dangerous places like puddles or drains, which can make diarrhoea worse and make dehydration worse. They often have to cope with parasites, diseases, injuries, and not getting enough food, all of which make the body lose more water.
In places like India, the risk goes up considerably more in the summer when temperatures might go above 40 degrees Celsius. During the day, pavements and roads get very hot, which makes dogs pant all the time to cool themselves. Animal welfare groups including PETA India, Mission Pawsible, and Blue Cross Chennai say that the number of cases of dehydration and heatstroke has gone up a lot during these months. A lot of these cases go unrecognized because strays are scared of people or have been hurt in the past, which makes it hard for others to see the signals early.
Don’t forget to check out these resources as well:
Indian NGOs Supporting People with Invisible Disabilities
What are the reasons behind Winter Pollution in Delhi?
Rajasthan NGOs changing and saving lives
WASH in School Program: Importance, Benefits, & Real-Life Examples
Common causes of dehydration in dogs
There are a number of reasons why a dog could get dehydrated. Not drinking enough clean water is the most common reason. Stray dogs might not drink from water bowls that are too close to busy areas because they don’t feel safe. They might also only find hot or still water, which makes them not want to drink. Diarrhoea, vomiting, kidney disease, and certain infections are other medical problems that can cause fast fluid loss.
Environmental factors
- Being in direct sunlight all the time makes you pant more, and panting takes a lot of moisture out of your body.
- Physical activity, especially walking long distances while you’re hungry or anxious, makes you need more water, which is often not satisfied.
- All of these things together make it very frequent for street dogs to get dehydrated.
It is really important to find out about dehydration early because it can get worse very quickly. The skin elasticity test is a typical way for vets and rescuers to check on animals. You can see how quickly the skin between a dog’s shoulders goes back to its usual position by gently raising it. When skin is hydrated, it falls back right away. When skin is dry, it moves slowly or stays tented for a moment. Another easy way is to check the gums. Pink and moist gums are healthy. If a dog is dehydrated, its gums may look dry, sticky, or extremely pale, and it may take more than two seconds for the colour to come back after pressing lightly.
A mild case of dehydration can also make your nose and mouth dry, your saliva thick, your hunger go away, your interest in activities go down, and your breathing stay the same. The signs of dehydration get worse as it gets worse. The dog’s eyes may look sunken, and it may become very weak or unstable. In severe situations, the dog may even pass out or go into shock. Vomiting or diarrhoea can make the illness worse very quickly. People frequently miss these early signs because stray dogs often look skinny or exhausted even on normal days. If you watch a stray dog from a distance and don’t make any noise, you might be able to tell if it’s having trouble staying hydrated.
How to help a dehydrated dog: tips and first aid
If you see a dog that looks dehydrated, the first thing you should do is give it clean, cool water. Give the dog small amounts of water at a time so that it doesn’t drink too quickly and throw up. Putting the dog in a shady or cooler place can also help lower its body temperature. For moderate situations, a small amount of diluted electrolyte solution can help bring everything back into balance. However, it should only be given in very small amounts.
The dog will need professional help if things get really bad. If the dog can’t stand, has sunken eyes, is throwing up all the time, or seems very weak, it needs to see a vet right once. Veterinarians can give fluids under the skin or through an IV, which work more faster than drinking water. If you can’t transport the dog yourself, calling a nearby animal rescue agency can make sure the dog gets treatment right away.
By making secure places for strays to drink, communities can help them stay hydrated a lot. Providing strays with a consistent place to drink is as simple as putting out clay pots or water bowls in shady spots. These bowls should be substantial enough that they don’t fall over easily, and you should clean and fill them up at least twice a day. Adding more water stations might make a big difference when it’s hot outside. Wet foods also help keep you hydrated. Dogs that are hesitant to drink from a bowl might get more fluids by giving them moist biscuits, rice mixed with water, or wet dog food.
It also helps to keep an eye on the weather in your area. When it’s really hot outside, dogs might not want to go outside. Putting water in locations they know and can easily get to lets them drink whenever they feel secure. Working with local animal welfare groups can make these initiatives even stronger. Many groups do summer hydration drives, give out clay water pots, and help sick animals get medical care. You can help save a lot of lives by supporting or volunteering with these groups.
Research and studies on dehydration in stray dogs
Scientific research helps show how important water is for dogs. PetMD says that a dog needs roughly 50 to 60 millilitres of water for every kilogram of body weight it has each day. This indicates that a dog that weighs 20 kilograms needs about one to one and a half litres of water every day. A 2022 study in the Indian Journal of Veterinary Research discovered that stray dogs could lose up to eight percent of their bodily fluids in just one day if they are not given clean water and are left outside in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius.
Reports from Blue Cross of Hyderabad suggest that the number of cases of dehydration goes up by 40 percent every year from April to June. The World Health Organization has data that demonstrates urban heat islands can elevate temperatures in cities by four to six degrees. This makes animals lose water faster, even when they are in the shade. All these results indicate how crucial it is for stray dogs to have access to clean water, especially in the hottest months of summer.
Write for us
If you are passionate about writing on social causes, Helplocal India is accepting interns for its free online content writing internship program for freshers. Check out the link to learn everything about the 2 month internship!
Sumita Pradhan
Sumita is a curious and creative IPM student at IIM Jammu, passionate about design, storytelling, and building smart, impactful ideas. With a love for research, writing, and communication, she thrives at the intersection of creativity and strategy. Reach out at sumita300606@gmail.com
