Dog Dehydration: Signs, Causes, and How to Help Fast

It’s getting hot out, and our dogs are feeling it too. Just like us, our dogs can suffer from dehydration. We can potentially save our dogs’ lives by being aware of how to prevent dehydration in dogs, what the first signs are, and when it is mandatory to get our dogs to the vet. Of course, the signs can appear differently amongst the different breeds and ages. So it is always important to consider how our dogs act on a normal basis to be able to recognize any differences.

Key Takeaways

1. Early signs of dehydration in dogs are dry, tacky gums, dehydrated dog skin test, slightly sunken eyes, a dry nose, or excessive panting.

2. Dehydration in dogs can be caused by a number of factors, such as overheating, overexertion, vomiting, diarrhea, medication, or other illnesses.

3. Any health concerns should be consulted with our dogs’ veterinarian, especially if they are refusing to eat and drink or acting lethargic. 

4. Water should always be available to our dogs. If there are times when they don’t have access to water, it may be necessary to gradually expose them to water instead of the entire bowl. 

5. PawChamp has courses that provide videos that show how we can help our dogs feel more comfortable with handling. Practice the dehydration dog skin test when our dogs aren’t dehydrated.

Early signs that show our dogs may be getting dehydrated are dry or tacky gums, decreased interest in activities they typically enjoy, slightly sunken eyes, excessive panting, or even a dry nose. If our dogs are displaying any of these signs, we need to make sure water is readily available. There are also a few tests we can do to tell if our dog may be getting dehydrated. One is to check the capillary refill time by pressing on a pink part of their gums. If it takes the skin longer than 2 seconds to turn back to its original color, it’s a good idea to call the veterinarian.

The Dehydrated Dog Skin Test

Another test we can try is the turgor test or the dehydrated dog skin test. By gently pinching the skin on our dogs’ head or between their shoulder blades, we can monitor how much water their skin is retaining by its elasticity. Try it now. Gently pinch your dog’s skin, and observe how many seconds it takes to return to its original shape. When our dogs are dehydrated, the skin will remain pinched for a few seconds even after we remove our fingers. 

Dehydration in dogs can be caused by environmental factors such as warm weather or by overexertion during a strenuous activity, or even an activity our dogs may not be well versed in. Dogs taking diuretics or recovering from surgery can suffer from dehydration. We should be aware that internal factors, such as a fever or infection, may require our dogs to have access to a greater amount of water. Diarrhea and vomiting can also be factors leading to a dehydrated dog. 

Puppies, Senior Dogs, and Certain Breeds at Higher Risk

There are also some dogs that are more predisposed to dehydration in the summer months, such as brachycephalic breeds or breeds with shorter snouts. Dehydration can also be a symptom of other illnesses that can be more commonly found in puppies, seniors, or immunocompromised dogs. In each of these cases, we need to make sure all activities have plenty of break times. Even if our dogs don’t want to take breaks, it’s important that we designate set periods of time where their body can rehydrate and cool down.

Whenever we’re concerned about any health risks with our dogs, we should always call the veterinarian for guidance first. If it’s after hours and we’re unable to reach them, it’s important to never force water down our dogs' throats. If water is freely available and your dog isn’t drinking it, there are a few techniques we can try to encourage them to rehydrate safely.

Some dogs enjoy eating ice cubes or diving for cubes in their water bowls. There are also a few different dog-specific broths with low sodium, no garlic, and no onion. Lastly, most wet dog foods contain over 90% moisture and can be a very helpful tool to add to our dogs’ dehydration treatment.

Water should always be available for our dogs, regardless if they are being supervised or not. Even if we’re potty training, there are other techniques to help our puppies learn the appropriate places to urinate. It’s a good habit to get into, bringing collapsible water bowls or canine water bottles when going for walks with our dogs. While the general rule of thumb for dogs’ daily water intake is one ounce of water for every pound of body weight, there are countless reasons why a dog might want to drink more than this. And it’s important they have the choice to do so.

What if Water Wasn’t Available

If our dogs are forced to go any period of time without water, then it can be expected that they will try slurping large amounts at once. This can lead to vomiting, which is the opposite of what we want. In these situations, it’s a good idea to expose our dogs to amounts of water relative to their size every few minutes.

• 1 to 2 teaspoons for dogs under 20 pounds 

• 1 tablespoon for dogs over 20 pounds but under 50 pounds

• ¼ cup for dogs over 50 pounds

If our dogs can make it through this procedure without vomiting, then we can switch back to offering it freely again.

When Dehydration Becomes an Emergency

Even though it can be a potentially large bill, dog dehydration emergencies require us to go directly to urgent care or the emergency veterinarian. Our dogs being able to eat and drink is one of the first signs we can look for about their health. If they are refusing to eat or drink or vomiting whenever they try, assistance from a medical professional will be needed to determine any underlying factors. Also, if we see any weakness, lethargy, or our dogs are struggling to walk, then we’ll want to get our dogs to an emergency vet as soon as possible.

PawChamp offers a variety of courses that can provide us with assistance as we navigate these speed bumps. The “Happy Puppy Parent” has whole sections on Water Intake, Potty Training, and Creating a Potty Schedule. There’s also a “Dog Obedience & Potty Reset Challenge” that can help us figure out alternatives to limiting water. If we’re concerned about any behaviors we’re seeing, PawChamp offers 24/7 expert assistance from professionals who can help us decide on the next best path for our dogs.

References

1. “15 Symptoms of Dehydration in Dogs [How to Treat]”. 2026. https://www.splootvets.com/post/signs-symptoms-of-dehydration-in-dogs-how-to-treat.

2. Goucher et al. “Evaluation of skin turgor and capillary refill time as predictors of dehydration in exercising dogs”. 2018. https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/ajvr/80/2/ajvr.80.2.123.xml.

3. Dr. Elliot. “Dehydration in Dogs: Signs, Causes, and How to Help”. 2026. https://www.webvet.com/dehydration-in-dogs/#frequently-asked-questions.