A guide to keeping your dog hydrated during the hot summer!
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Are you fully prepared to deal with the heat? The summer heat can be extremely tough not only for us humans, but also for our beloved dogs, who are important members of our family.
Dogs are susceptible to dehydration, so it's important to make sure they stay well hydrated.
In this article, we'll clearly explain the correct way to keep your dog hydrated so that he or she stays healthy during the hot weather.
Let's learn together so that your beloved dog can enjoy the summer comfortably!
1. Is your dog staying hydrated?
Are you keeping your dog properly hydrated?
In this chapter, we'll show you how to tell if your dog is properly hydrated!
Signs that your dog is drinking enough water
There are some telltale signs that can help you determine if your dog is properly hydrated.
In this section, we'll look at three signs to help you determine if your dog is drinking enough water!
■ Urine color and frequency
One important indicator is the color and frequency of your urine.
A healthy dog's urine is usually pale yellow in color.
If your urine is a deep yellow or brown color, it could be that you are dehydrated.
Also, urinating less frequently than usual could be a sign of dehydration.
■ Activity level of your dog
Next, pay attention to your dog's activity level.
If your dog isn't drinking enough water, he may seem lethargic and less active than usual.
For example, if your dog normally loves to chase a ball but suddenly loses interest in it or tires more quickly during walks, this may be due to dehydration.
■ Inside the mouth
Additionally, the condition of your dog's mouth is also an important sign.
If your dog is properly hydrated, his mouth will remain moist and his saliva will have a normal consistency.
However, a dry mouth or unusually thick drool can also be a warning sign of dehydration.
■ Summary
It's important not to overlook these signs and make sure your dog is always healthy and comfortable.
By being sensitive to changes in your dog's behavior and body, you can take early action to protect their health.
Daily monitoring is essential to keeping your dog healthy. We'll go into more detail about the importance of hydration in the next chapter!
2. The Importance of Hydration
Do you know how important it is to keep your dog hydrated?
Especially in the summer, high temperatures and humidity increase the risk of heatstroke and can lead to health problems due to dehydration.
Here we take a closer look at why hydration is essential for your dog's health.
The role of water for dogs
Water is the source of life for your dog and an essential element for maintaining his health. Water fulfills the following important roles:
■ Body temperature regulation
Unlike humans, dogs do not have many sweat glands all over their bodies.
Therefore, you cannot cool yourself down by sweating.
The main ways dogs regulate their body temperature are through breathing and panting (panting with their tongue out).
Panting helps dissipate heat through the evaporation of saliva, and moisture is essential for this process!
By drinking enough water, your dog can efficiently dissipate body heat and prevent heatstroke.
■ Nutrition transport
Water carries nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.
Nutrients taken in from food are transported to cells throughout the body via the blood.
By drinking enough water, these nutrients are transported effectively and the functioning of your dog's entire body is supported smoothly.
■ Digestive support
Water also plays an essential role in the digestive process.
Digestive juices, especially saliva and gastric juices, contain water and help break down food. When food enters the stomach, water creates digestive juices that break down the food into smaller molecules.
This allows nutrients to be efficiently absorbed and used for energy.
Providing your dog with enough water helps maintain digestive health and maximizes nutrient absorption!
3. Required amount of fluid and how to drink it
In this chapter, we will introduce you to the specific amount of water you should drink and the recommended way to drink water!
The amount of water your dog needs in summer
■ Basic guide to water content
Generally speaking, a dog's daily water intake is said to be about 50ml per kg of body weight.
This equates to about 500ml per day for a dog weighing 10kg.
Please note that this is only a general guideline and the amount of water your dog needs will vary depending on their age, activity level and health condition!
During hot summer months or after strenuous exercise, your dog will lose more water than usual.
After exercise or being outdoors, it is recommended to drink 1.5 to 2 times more fluid than usual.
To be more specific, for a dog weighing 10kg, compared to the normal 500ml of fluid, during hot summer months or after exercise, he will need around 750ml to 1L of fluid!
Be sure to give your pet plenty of water to prevent heatstroke.
The amount of water required varies depending on the dog breed.
For example, short-legged dog breeds such as pugs and bulldogs are sensitive to heat and have difficulty regulating their body temperature by panting, so they need to be kept hydrated carefully.
Conversely, dog breeds that originate from cooler climates (such as Huskies or Samoyeds) may not tolerate the heat as well and may need more water than usual.
Additionally, pregnant and nursing dogs have even more water needs than usual.
Particular care is required during pregnancy, when fetal growth is required, and during breastfeeding, when milk production is required.
As mentioned above, when it comes to keeping your dog hydrated in the summer, you need to take into consideration various factors such as temperature, amount of exercise, age, health condition, and breed.
Providing the right amount of water will help keep your dog healthy and comfortable this summer!
Now let's take a look at the specific intake methods!
◆ Recommended ways to drink water
■ Feed your pet with moist food
If normal hydration alone is not enough, you may want to try giving your pet wet food!
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Wet food : Wet food contains more water than dry food! By feeding your pet wet food, you can ensure that they get some moisture along with their meal.
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Homemade snacks : When preparing homemade meals, it's a good idea to use ingredients that are high in moisture. For example, soup made with chicken and vegetables is a great way to stay hydrated!
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Add moisture to their food : You can also add water or low-sodium chicken broth to their dry food to help them get some moisture while eating the dry food.
■ Homemade hydrating snacks
During the summer, you can make some cool homemade snacks to help your child stay hydrated in a fun way!
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Ice cube treats : Make ice cubes by freezing unsalted chicken or veggies with water so your dog can lick them to cool down and get some fluids.
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Fruit Ice : Cut up some dog-safe fruit (such as blueberries or watermelon) into small pieces, freeze them with a little water, and make ice cubes. This is another delicious way for your dog to stay hydrated!
4. Recommended foods to prevent dehydration
It is important for your dog to eat hydrating foods to prevent heatstroke.
In this chapter, we will introduce three wet foods that are great for summer!
◆ ZIWI Dog Can Tripe & Lamb
Contains a luxurious blend of raw tripe containing lactic acid bacteria
The green tripe used by ZiwiPeak is simply washed in cold water and is not bleached or boiled, which minimizes damage to the nutrients in the green tripe.
Extremely high digestibility
No grains, additives, or genetically modified crops are used.
By using only ingredients that are easy to digest and that your dog or cat naturally needs, this food boasts an extremely high digestibility and absorption rate of over 91%.
Soft and great for your partner to bite into
Made from 100% natural ingredients, the moisture from fresh raw meat is preserved in a can.
It is rich in moisture, softer than dry food, and easier to eat, so it is recommended for partners with a poor appetite.
◆ ZIWI Dog Can McCullough & Lamb
Wild mackerel rich in fish oil
Contains wild mackerel caught in the waters off New Zealand. Rich in fish oil, mackerel is highly palatable and is a rich source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
This product contains a balanced blend of raw lamb meat and organ meats such as raw liver, raw kidney, raw heart, and raw lung.
Soft and great for your partner to bite into
Made from 100% natural ingredients, the moisture from fresh raw meat is preserved in a can.
It is rich in moisture, softer than dry food, and easier to eat, so it is recommended for partners with a poor appetite.
◆ ZIWI Dog Can Free Range Chicken
High-quality free-range chicken
"Free range chicken" is high quality chicken raised "free range" in New Zealand.
Unlike chickens that are force-fed in chicken coops, these chickens are free to roam outside during the day and eat grass.
"Free-range chicken" is now attracting attention in the human food industry as the most premium chicken meat in the world.
New Zealand chicken in particular is healthy, nutritious premium chicken raised to the highest standards in the world.
Soft and great for your partner to bite into
Made from 100% natural ingredients, the moisture from fresh raw meat is preserved in a can.It is rich in moisture, softer than dry food, and easier to eat, so it is recommended for partners with a poor appetite.
Summary: For safe and secure additive-free food, come to Bow Wow Place!
This time we explained how to keep your dog hydrated.
I hope you have a wonderful time with your dog this summer.
In addition to the products introduced here, we also have a wide selection of additive-free, safe and secure dog food.
Get 2% points back when shopping at Bow Wow Place!
If you are looking for a safe place to dine with your partner, please check out Bow Wow Place.
