Summer heat can push pets toward serious health risks quickly, and a veterinary expert at Texas A&M says many owners may not recognize the warning signs until the situation is already dangerous.
Dr. Sarah Manning, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, laid out the basics of pet hydration in a report by Phys.org. Water intake affects digestion, joint mobility, organ function, and the body's ability to regulate temperature. Without enough of it, the risks escalate fast.
The recommended amounts are specific. "A cat should drink about a cup of water per day," Manning said. For dogs, size matters. "For dogs weighing less than 50 pounds, it is advised to intake up to 5 cups of water per day; dogs greater than 50 pounds need upward of 10 cups per day," Manning said. "However, when they start to get hot and exercise, they will need more water."
Pets that fall short of those levels, especially in summer, face serious potential complications including heatstroke, kidney failure, neurological issues, and hypovolemic shock, a critical condition that occurs when the body loses too much fluid and can lead to organ failure.
Manning said the earliest signs of dehydration show up in the mouth. "You can check their mucus membrane—the pink tissue underneath their lips and over their teeth," she said. "If it feels very sticky to the touch, that's a sign that they're getting a little dehydrated. You would hope that their gums would be really slick with saliva, but if it's dry and sticking to you, that's going to be a problem."
A second check involves the skin. Owners can gently pinch the skin on the back of the pet's neck and lift it into a tent shape. "In a well-hydrated animal, that skin tent should drop right back down," Manning said. "In an animal that's starting to get dehydrated, it'll stay in place a little before it slowly starts to return down."
When dehydration becomes severe, the behavioral signs become harder to miss. "They may appear to not be feeling well," Manning said. "They won't be as active and may not want to eat or drink."
Manning noted that dental disease, nausea, a dirty water bowl, arthritis, or more serious illness could also explain why a pet avoids water, which means owners should not assume reluctance to drink is always about the heat alone.