Dr. Sarfudin

Dehydration is a common disorder in dogs and humans equally. It occurs when an excess of fluids continuously get eliminated from the body irrespective of the amount of fluids your dog intakes. Water working as the "potion for life" is essential for dogs too as it keeps them hydrated and makes sure the biological processes take place smoothly in them. Dehydration is a serious disorder and may result in as serious consequences as organ failure or even death. To know if your dog is suffering from dehydration, learn the symptoms carefully make a move as quickly as possible.

Symptoms of dehydration in dogs:

1. Depression
2. Dryness in the mouth and sticky gums. Often dehydration results in sticky gums and dry mouth in dogs as the water content of the body gradually falls down.
3. Sunken eyes. Sunken eyes can be considered as a pronounced symptom of dehydration.
4. Loss of appetite. Appetite is related to dehydration as the digestion, metabolism and other reactions in dog's body need water to successfully take place.
5. Abnormal sleepiness. Dehydration causes Depression and abnormal rate of sleeping in turn.
6. Abnormal urination. If your dog is suffering from Dehydration, it will either urinate too little or too much. This abnormal sign in urination speaks a lot about the dehydrated state of your dog.
7. Less elasticity of skin or tightness of the skin coat. This can be determined by a simple skin test. Pull your dog's skin and if it does not spring back in 2 seconds, your dog is dehydrated.

If you face problems with determining the level of dehydration, kindly take it to a Veterinarian. He/she will readily note the symptoms and apply proper treatment which should be the prime step in order to save your pet from such situations. Delays will only narrow its chances of surviving. It is also important to understand what causes Dehydration in your dog. This would certainly help you from bumping into such situations further in future.

Causes of dehydration in dogs:
The major reason or cause of Dehydration is illness and overexposing to the sunshine. An ill dog is more prone to get dehydrated than a healthy one. Several diseases like,

1. Fever
2. Diarrhoea
3. Vomiting
4. Renal failure
5. Diabetes mellitus
6. Diabetes insipidus
7. Gastrointestinal problems, etc. can affect your dog on a large scale and trigger off Dehydration with time.

To take care of such situations from taking place, you should keep in mind a few guidelines. The following tips will certainly prevent your dog from being dehydrated again if taken into account.

Prevention of dehydration in dogs:

1. Protect your dog from being overexposed to heat.
2. Make it drink as much water as it can every time. Always put a small bowl of water at the corner of its room. Monitor its water intake capacity and keep it hydrated.
3. Keep the toilet lid closed in order to prevent it from plunging its mouth inside. This will keep it away from bacteria and viruses which would affect it and make it fall sick.
4. If you go for exercising in the evening with your dog, bring extra water so that it stays hydrated.

Consult with a Veterinarian if its drinking less amount of water.

Your body cannot sustain without food and nutrition because it needs to be productive and healthy. What you consume on a daily basis will determine how your health will be in the present and future. But the current generation, despite knowing so much about healthy eating follow extremely unhealthy diets. One of the biggest reasons why the young generation has such unhealthy food habits is because they are busy almost all the time and this serves as an excuse for not having proper meals.

The percentage of young people eating unhealthy food has risen by 35% and overall obesity by 44%. The kind of food you put in your body when you are young will mostly stay on for the rest of your life. So, it is incredibly important to follow a healthy and nutritious diet.

Complications and dangers due to lack of good nutrition
Lack of poor nutrition translates into making your body vulnerable to a host of illnesses. It will greatly affect your overall health and lead to a lot of health complications which you may not be able to undo once you get older. Some of the health risks are:

1. Type-2 diabetes
2. Weak teeth and tooth decay
3. Cardiovascular diseases
4. Inflated blood pressure
5. Increase in cholesterol level
6. Obesity
7. Stress
8. Depression
9. Bone decay leading to osteoporosis
10. Eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, pica, rumination and binge-eating disorder
11. Acidity or heartburn
12. Improper sleep
13. Long standing ailments such as arthritis and cancer

Why following a nutritious diet is beneficial for you?
Following a healthy diet can go a long way in ensuring that you stay in optimal health not just when you are young but also when you get older. What you consume today will have a direct effect on your body in the future. Some of the benefits of a nutritious diet are:

1. Immune system- Good diet will strengthen your immune system, which in turn means you, will have to deal with less illnesses. Consuming proper amounts of vitamins B, C, E, A, iron, selenium and zinc helps a lot in ensuring this. You will feel stronger and healthier and will have a lot energy.
2. Healthy and strong teeth and bones- Calcium is an ingredient that helps in maintaining, developing and having strong teeth and bone health. You can get calcium not just from dairy products but also from fruit juices, salmon, sardines, broccoli, soya products and kale. Vitamin D rich foods like fish oils can also give you a lot of calcium since this type of vitamin helps in your body in absorbing calcium.
3. Lowers risk of type-2 diabetes- Eating high-fibre and low-fat foods contribute towards decreasing your risks of getting type-3 diabetes and also helps in preserving a healthy weight and BMI (Body Mass Index).
4. Management of weight- Having a lot of fruits, vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and healthy fats helps in controlling your weight. Having nutrient-rich food keep you full and stops you from binging on things that are high in sugar and fats.
5. Cardiac health- Fishes like salmon, hilsa, anchovies etc., filled with omega-3 fatty acids are heavily beneficial for ensuring a healthy heart. These foods also cuts down the risks of heart disease. Apart from oily fishes, low-fat milk products and fruits and vegetables also help in keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure in check.

No matter how much you exercise, nothing can substitute a good and nutritious diet because as you get older you may not be able to work out but if you follow a proper diet, it will ensure that you stay in good health and good spirits. You can have junk food once in a while, but always remember that a good diet will always enrich your life and health.