Dogs can usually tell us if they're thirsty or not through some heavy panting, but in some cases you may not know whether Winslow is dehydrated or not, and this is especially the case if he's sick. Dehydration is a very serious thing, because in severe cases it can lead to death. Having enough water in his body is essential for Winslow; his organs can't function without it, just like yours can't. So it's important to know how to recognize and check for dehydration if you suspect that he may not have enough water in his body.
The straightforward type of dehydration comes from simply not drinking enough water, especially in the summer months when it's very hot, or when exercising too long without drinking some water. To keep Winslow in the safe zone, always make sure that he has plenty of water whenever he needs it. If you're going to be outside in the patio or out camping, make sure he has a bowl that he can easily get to outside. He can't always easily tell you he's thirsty, so you just have to make sure plenty of water is always accessible to him.
How to Check for Dehydration
But a much more serious type of dehydration can occur if Winslow is sick, and you won't be able to easily identify this kind with panting. In these cases, his dehydration may come from excessive vomiting, diarrhea or fever. Additionally, when he's sick he's less likely to want to eat or drink on his own-so he'll probably be taking in less water than usual as well as expelling more. This creates a very dangerous situation in which Winslow's body starts trying to function with less water and can't handle the load. Without additional water, his organs will start to fail.
Some people think that panting or a dry nose are the signs of dehydration, but Winslow won't always pant when his body needs water, and a dry nose can actually be normal in many circumstances. Although a dry nose can be a sign of dehydration, there are much better and more effective ways to test for it, and it's a good idea to try these tests out before calling your veterinarian.
The first test is called the "skin tent" test and is very easy to do. All you need to do is gently pull the skin up on the back of Winslow's neck, the way his mom might have done when she needed to carry him around as a puppy. There should be lots of loose skin here to make it easy to pull up on without even disturbing him at all. If the skin falls right back into place quickly when you let it go, it's a sign that Winslow is safe and properly hydrated. If instead, it sticks up in a sort of tent, that's a sign of dehydration.
A second test you can do is to check his gums (checking his mucus membranes, technically). It sounds strange, but all it takes is sliding your finger along his upper gum. Lift up his lip one the side of his mouth with one hand, and use the other to run your index finger slowly along his gum. If it slides along easily with no problem, then Winslow is safe. If you have a hard time running your finger down smoothly and it gets stuck, then it's a sign of dehydration.
If in addition to these two things, Winslow's nose is dry and his eyes also appear dry, he's likely dehydrated. You should get him to the veterinarian as soon as possible to get him re-hydrated before damage is done to his organs.
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