How to Keep Your Dog Hydrated During The Summer in Lakeland, FL

During the hot summer months, it’s just as important to make sure your dog stays hydrated as it is for the human members of your family. But some dogs aren’t that interested in drinking water, even when they need to, and it can be tricky to keep them well-hydrated when it’s hot outside.

In this article, you’ll find suggestions for several methods of helping your dog stay hydrated when the weather turns warm. Try several options to see which ones your dog responds to the best, and you’ll have a happy, healthy, hydrated pup all summer long. If you have any questions, call Parkway Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Lakeland, FL at (863) 665-3199.

Refresh the Water Dish

Some dogs are pickier than others. If your dog is picky, they may not want to drink out of a dish that has old, stale water in it—or has drool in it! Refreshing your dog’s water dish often can sometimes help them become more interested in drinking.

When you refresh the bowl, try washing it out regularly as well. This practice can also help picky dogs drink more.

Try a Fountain

Some dogs are only interested in drinking fresh, flowing, or bubbling water. Of course, you can’t be home all day to constantly refresh the bowl, so you might want to invest in a doggie water fountain if this is the case.

You can find pet water fountains for sale at most pet stores as well as online. These fountains keep a steady supply of fresh and bubbling water ready for your pet, so all they have to do is walk up to the fountain and get a drink of refreshing water any time they want it.

Water Down Kibble

You may be able to convince your dog to get more water in their diet if you water down their kibble a little bit. You don’t have to completely soak it, but if you add some water to soften the kibble, this may be enough to help your dog stay well-hydrated.

You can also help hydrate your dog by offering them some wet food along with their dry kibble. However, make sure you don’t give them too much wet food, and make adjustments to their feeding schedule as needed to make up for this increase in calories.

Make Ice Cubes

Ice cubes can often be interesting to dogs, and they see them as a fun treat instead of just frozen water. You can encourage your dog to stay hydrated by offering some ice cubes to lick now and then instead of just water. Additionally, some dogs prefer water that has ice cubes floating in it.

You can find fun dog-themed silicone ice cube trays to use for making ice for your pet. However, you can also just as easily use regular human ice cube trays to save some money. Your dog won’t mind—they’ll just be glad for the refreshing treat!

Freeze Other Liquids

If your dog doesn’t respond well to ice cubes made out of water, they may be more interested in other frozen liquids. One great option is to give your dog some frozen chicken broth. Just make sure the broth you choose doesn’t have any added salt, onion, or garlic; salt is not good for dogs, and onion and garlic can sometimes be potentially fatal.

You can also make your own chicken broth at home by boiling chicken. Be sure to remove the bones and bone fragments carefully, and don’t add any salt or seasonings to broth you make for your dog.

Make a Dog Smoothie

Finally, you might want to try making a smoothie for your dog. It might sound funny, but dogs can eat a lot of the same ingredients that go into human smoothies. As long as you’re careful to avoid potentially harmful foods, you can make a small smoothie for your dog and add plenty of ice or water to help him hydrate.

Dog smoothies should only have a few ingredients, so you don’t risk upsetting your dog’s stomach. You can try blending up some strawberries, bananas, ice, and plain unsweetened yogurt, then freezing the mixture in ice cube trays. This hydrating treat is also very tasty for your furry friend!

So what do you think? Which method of hydration do you think will work best for your dog? Some dogs will drink water readily whenever it’s available, but others make hydration a little trickier. If your dog is not always interested in water, trying one of the methods on the list above should work.

Of course, if your dog goes more than a day without drinking water or being hydrated in any way, this is a sign that something is wrong. It is also likely to cause your dog to become dehydrated. If this happens, you should take your dog to the vet or emergency vet right away for diagnosis and treatment. Call Parkway Veterinary Emergency Clinic today at (863) 665-3199.