Can you give dogs Gatorade?

[Stella]

I am taking my two boys to an agility trial tomorrow and it is forecast to be hot! I am taking three large jugs of water for them along with watermelon for my one boy who will eat it. I wondered if it would be ok to give my other one some Gatorade mixed in with his water? I know there are electrolyte powders you can buy for dogs, but I live in a rural area and can't anything like that before tomorrow!!

What do you think?

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

If you google it, the consensus seems to be that you should NOT.  Too much sugar, for one.  Just give plenty of water seems to be the answer.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree that they don't need the sugar, too! 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Gatorade is supposed to be okay for dogs, but I'd stick with plain water. Electrolyte supplements for generally healthy dogs are basically a gimmick. They are useful for dogs who are dehydrated due to heatstroke, or vomiting, but dogs don't lose electrolytes through sweating like we do; dogs don't sweat. So as long as they stay hydrated with plain old water, they don't need the Gatorade, and if they've never had it before, it could possibly upset their stomachs, which you don't want at an agility trial.    

[Stella]

Very true, don't need upset stomachs!!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I too think you should pass on it due to the  high sugar content plus artificial colors....and it is questionable whether or not dogs require electrolyte replacement after exercise.  I think water would be the best choice. The watermelon sounds good too. Keeping them cool ad hydrated will be the most important thing. Have fun and good luck at the trials!

[F, Calla & Luca]

From a slightly different point of view, if it is terribly hot don't push the dogs. Their health is more important than the trials and heat stroke is a very real, and posibly lethal problem.

[Stella]

We are not serious competitors, my dog usually spends more time visiting the judge and ring crew than actually running the course. I am well prepared, I have my shade tent, reflective solar blankets, cooling jackets, wet towels to put in the bottom of the crates and tones of water! A lot of trials on hot days have plastic kiddie pools for the dogs to wade in, next week I am lucky enough to be going to one with a lake for the dogs to swim in! Usually the dogs are so well looked after and it is all the owners that have heatstroke!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sound like you are totally prepared. Take care of yourself too.

[Carrie king]

I have given my dogs gatorade before, however, the dyes & sugar make them kind of funny in the stomach. Water is best :)good luck!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

You can, but good luck getting them to drink Gatorade. I found, they really do not like the taste at all.
Just this week, I had a Gatorade bottle that I rinsed just once and filled with water and rushed on our way out. When it was time, I thought, to get Spud a drink, he refused the fluids. I ended up stopping at a convenience store to get fresh water.
Another thought is that G2 Gatorade has no sugar. You certainly do not want to give G2 with the artificial sugar supplements to dogs. If you do give Gatorade, make sure it is the regular and not sugar free!

[Stella]

Thought you guys might be interested to know that the temperature at the trial was 33C, which with the humidex was feeling like 38C according to the weather network!! Wow, it was hot. Both dogs stood up to the heat really well - no Gatorade required! I'm sure a lot of how well they handled the heat was to do with their Ruffwear Swamp Cooler jackets, those things really work. Hartley got a qualifying score in Gamble, which means we get to move up to Advanced in that class! Chase came along for the day to hang out and get used to the atmosphere. We are working up to entering him, he is very athletic, but very nervous!

On a side note, when I've worked as the therapist for human sports teams, i have always recommended to my athletes that they dilute the Gatorade by half. I found that at full strength even in people, it causes upset stomachs!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am glad all went well.