5 Feeding Tips: How to feed your horse like a top athlete
1. Feed any GI medications BEFORE grain and hay. Do you use Gastrogard or Ulcergard on your horse? If so, for best results, research shows that when you administer these
Dehydration in dogs is not easy to catch, but it’s important. The issue is no joke and when gone unnoticed can result in heat stroke in extreme cases if not taken seriously. Following are tips on how to tell if your dog is becoming dehydrated. Additionally, ways to keep your dog hydrated this summer.
If you want your dog to stay healthy all summer long the first step is to make sure they have plenty of water every day. While it may seem safe outside to us it is important to remember our dogs don’t sweat like we do. That said it is helpful to avoid going outside with your pet during the peak heat hours of the day. If you do, make sure there shade cover offered and minimize activity.
Dehydration in dogs can be a scary thing to witness. You may not even notice it at first as your dog seems fine on the outside. Some dogs may be more stoic than others not showing you how much they are struggling. This is why it is important to consistently look out for signs and test for dehydration.
This is why it is important to know your dogs baseline for hydration test responses. These tests include the pinch test and capillary refill time test. It is important to remember these tests as they will come in handy when you believe that your dog is possibly experiencing dog dehydration.
Take note of their skin elasticity frequently. To preform this test, pinch some skin near the top of their head or between their shoulder blades and pull up. You are looking to see how long it takes for it to spring back into place after release. This test indicates moisture level within the cells. The slower this skin returns to your pets “normal” could be a sign of dehydration.
Capillary refill time is tested by pressing on your dog’s gum in an area where it is pink. If your dog will not let you look in its mouth this test may not be for you. When pressing on their gum it should turn white. If it is slower to return to pink than your pets baseline “normal” this could be a sign of dehydration.
If you believe your dog is suffering from dehydration it is important to take their temperature and call your vet. Learn more about the risks of severe dehydration and heatstroke in dogs here.
The best way to get your dog rehydrated at home is to get them to drink more water. Because this can be extremely difficult at times, we turn to experts to find different ways to get them to drink.
First, try placing water bowls everywhere around the house. Instead of just having one, this encourages more drinking by having more options of water levels and bowls. Second, consider adding flavor to the water. Adding a bone broth can help your animal become more interested in the water and before you know it they will be drinking away. *Be sure that the bone broth is low if not free of sodium and does not include onions or garlic! * Next, consider feeding your dog wet food. This is an easy way to make sure that your dog is at least getting some hydration. Especially if they are refusing to drink any water – even with flavoring.
That said, if your dog is not drinking water and has clear symptoms of dehydration please be sure to contact your vet immediately!
Studies have yet to show a correlation between hydration and camelina oil for dogs. That said, the polyphenols and omegas offered in ExcelK9 bring a level of support to your dog’s overall well being that cannot be ignored. Omegas offered in ExcelK9 support your dogs central nervous system, heart function and Immune/Inflammatory response systems. Additionally, the antioxidants present in the omegas and camelina polyphenols help neutralize and decrease oxidative stress damage.
1. Feed any GI medications BEFORE grain and hay. Do you use Gastrogard or Ulcergard on your horse? If so, for best results, research shows that when you administer these
The Henneke BCS (Body Condition Score) is a scoring system that evaluates the amount of fat on your horse’s body. Don Henneke developed this universal scale in the early 1980’s
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