Providing Your Pet With Quality Emergency Care

If you're like most people with a recently acquired canine companion, you're probably looking forward to spending many happy years with your new friend — especially if you're a camping enthusiast. Dogs make great activity, road trip, and camping partners. They don't turn into backseat drivers, they rarely complain, and they're usually up for any type of fun. However, if you've never gone camping with a dog before, you may be thinking that although you'll definitely need to bring along plenty of food for your dog, it can nonetheless get its hydration needs met through water sources near your campsite such as lakes, rivers, and streams. This is a bad idea because these bodies of water may have dangerous contaminants in them, not the least of which is blue-green algae, which is toxic to dogs.  

Although it can be very difficult to keep any dog from lapping up water while playing in a creek, river, or lake, try to limit this behavior while on your camping trip. Here's what you need to take along on your camping trip to ensure that your pet's hydration needs are met.

Potable Water

Bring enough potable water to meet both you and your dog's hydration needs for the duration of your camping trip. Though some campgrounds supply drinking water, bring along some bottled water anyway just in case something goes wrong with their water source. 

Water Filtration System

Although it's better to have plenty of potable water on hand, every camper should have a water filtration system to use as a backup. For instance, if you become lost or otherwise are not able to leave your campsite at the scheduled time, you may run out of potable water for your pet. A packable filtration system can work in a pinch to get you through until you're rescued. 

Pedialyte

Pedialyte can help your pet recover from moderate dehydration. Keep in mind that your pet may be more likely to suffer from dehydration during a camping trip than at home because of the added physical activity and higher outdoor temperatures. Because most people tend to camp when the weather is nice, chances are good that outdoor temperatures will be warmer than your home interior — and your pet may become dehydrated before you know it. 

Always take your pet to the veterinarian if you suspect it has become dehydrated whether on a camping trip or at home. Extreme dehydration may have lasting negative effects on your furry friend's health. To learn more, contact a veterinarian.