My dog has ascites. Is normal water or ORS safe for him to drink?

Too much salt is harmful yes, but sodium chloride in the saline is absolutely safe. There is no need to worry about that at all. The continued ascites is a worry, however, and I'm sure Jack's vet is doing everything possible for him. I hope he feels better soon!

Do you mean ORS tablets for hydration? If Bruno is dehydrated the cause needs to be addressed by a veterinarian and a specific treatment provided. Usually to hydrate dog that won't eat and drink intravenous fluidotherapy is required. Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. Ascites is commonly the result of heart failure in a dog. It can also be related to cancer in the abdomen, uncontrolled bleeding, low blood protein levels or bladder rupture. I hope this information helps.

Hello and thank your for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Mild elevation in ALT is usually related to liver irritation or mild inflammation. It is not uncommon accidental finding in older dogs. I don't think that ALT of 156 U/L is clinically significant, but your vet may recommend ultrasound scan of the liver to make sure that there is no mass / cyst / abscess on the liver. Poor thirst is not a commonly seen problem in dogs. Looking at the blood results, Fig is not dehydrated, so he must be getting enough water, most likely from the wet food you are giving him now. Wet food contain a lot of water (over 80%), so as long as he is eating well and going to the toilet as normal, he will not get into any problems.

I am very sorry that Flash isn't eating his food. I am sure that this is very concerning for you both. I would not advise ORS for Flash. If it ha sheen less then 24 hours of rwduced appetite I would try the following; Boiled boneless chicken breast with steamed white rice Save some of the broth you boil the chicken with and pour over food or offer separately to Flash Plenty of fresh water if you notice vomiting or diarrhoea, fresh blood, lethargy, or collapse take Flash in to see his vet. Possible causes for inappetance are far ranging from dietary indescretion, pancreatitis, parasite infestation, toxin ingestion, and liver or kidney concerns. I hope this answer was helpful and that Flash feels better soon! Warmest regards to you both.

I am so sorry that your sweet Jenny has been diagnosed with ascites. There are a few different possibilities that can cause this including but not limited to a liver shunt (the blood bypasses the liver and doesn't detox like it should), congenital heart problems, low protein, a viral infection, a bacterial infection, parasites and more. I would recommend starting with a full panel of blood work and a fecal. Depending on the results, your vet may want to send in some of the fluid from her abdomen, perform x-rays, and/or an ultrasound. I hope you all are able to resolve this and she gets better really soon! Hugs!

Distilled water is not a good idea for dogs that are suspected to have bladder stones. Regular water contains salt and other minerals that increase thirst causing the dog to drink more, thus diluting the urine. In fact, some internists recommend adding salt to the pet's diet. Bud would also benefit from a urinary specific diet such as Royal Canine s/o, that helps reduce the occurrence of bladder stones.