Lou, can you expand on that a little more? What are the issues with giving a dog the full strength drinks?

I wasn't thinking of electrolyte loss through evaporation so much as imbalances that could occur as a result of lower blood volume. But, upon further research it does appear that this might not be as much of a problem with dogs as it can be with humans.
I would imagine the reason Lou mentions not giving the full strength electrolyte replacement fluid is that since water follows solutes (the electrolytes), too many solutes in the small intestine will pull water out of the bloodsream and cause dehydration.

Sure Jeff. The primary reason for not giving the drinks is that they're so sweet that they can cause an upset stomach that may lead to vomiting and/or diarrhea, which will make the dehydration worse. The dogs don't need the electrolytes at any where near the rate that we do, it's just there to enhance the flavor so they drink more water. They can be very dilute for that.

The research on humans for the necessity for the electrolyte drinks that I've read says that they should be diluted at least 2:1 to prevent stomach upset. They also say that unless you're engaging is high level physical activity that lasts longer than (I'm pretty sure it's 4-6 hours) they won't make much difference. The placebo effect with humans is very high with these drinks though. Sorry but I don't have citations for these comments.

I use "Go Dog" when I'm training. My dog will not drink much water otherwise. I really like it for my dog. Here's a link http://showandsport.com/canine_performance.htm

I have done a lot of web research with the sudden onset of heat this year and have sure found nothing do substantiate the claim that electrolyte beverages help dogs other than by encouraging them to drink. But the loss of water from panting can actually ELEVATE blood sodium so I am not sure that adding sodium and other electrolytes would be wise......

I did find much on acclimatization, lean conditioned body mass, and temperament of the dog that influence susceptibility.

Also that many dogs succomb after excercise when they are put in plastic crates or wire crates with out a fan because lack of air flow creates an air layer of heat around the dog that cannot be dissipated.

One thing I have been doing - right or wrong - has been to break their food into two feedings and adding lots of warm water to it and allowing it to cool before feeding. That way they get additional water they would not drink. The two meals makes the volume not so big.

Also, my dogs are in my house while I am at work (neighbor kids would get them worked up) but I do have the A/C set at a warmer temp than I would like to help acclimitaization.

Also, be sure you don't put your wet dog (wet as in post swimming wet) in a plastic crate without a fan. It increases the humidity, and thus the heat index inside the crate, making your dog more prone to heat stroke.

I just joined the forum and this seems to be a very hot topic on many of the performance dog lists. There are a number of canine sports drinks on the market these days. Some only hydrate the dog, others provide energy and hydration without addressing the importance of reducing core temperature and preventing muscle damage. The question is what do you want the product to do for your dog? Is the user looking to keep the dog hydrated? Is the user looking to enhance energy levels, prevent fatigue and/or prevent muscle damage? Is the user looking to keep the dog's core temperature at a safe level and prevent heat exhaustion? Plain water is an excellent choice if the dog will drink it during training and competition. Many dogs during the stress of training and especially competition will not drink an adequate amount to maintain a safe level of hydration. Water alone does nothing to assist in preventing fatigue, reduce the dog’s core temperature or prevent muscle cramping (tying up) or damage. During exercise the dog’s muscles propel them. The more power generated by the dog during exercise, the more muscle is broken down and more heat is produced. Without a cooling agent this heat builds up, limits the dogs’ performance and focus and can be deadly in hot weather.

Using the appropriate canine sports drink is an important but not sole factor in preventing muscle damage and heat stroke. Make sure your canine athlete is in good physical condition. (Weekend warriors are more prone to injury than dogs on a good conditioning program.) Warm up and stretch before exercise, cool down and stretch after exercise even in cold weather. Know the warning signs of heat stroke: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red or purple tongue.

Good luck and train safe.

Terry Fisk
http://www.showandsport.com

I just came back from the HOT trial where the temps were mid 90's on the field. I started 10 days out loading with Peak Performance and 3 days out loading with Peak Workout. He looked great, recovered super fast and his temp never went over 102.5 the whole weekend. I wouldn't train or show without either product.

John Sequino
http://www.k9power.com

I'm going to throw my 2 cents in, even though I've never researched the dog energy drinks.

I feed my dogs a raw diet and I eat very healthy foods myself. I eat NO sugar, processed foods, potatoes, white rice, white breads, and the list goes on and on. Both my dogs and my husband and I eat organic foods whenever possible.

I don't at all like the energy drinks for people because they're FULL of sugar. Sugar is metabolic poison. Our body doesn't need it, creates blood imbalances and even feeds cancer cells. I would just say to read the ingredients and make sure that it doesn't contain sugar in any form (sugar, sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, etc...). Your dogs need it even less than you do.

Stacie, also to that point about sugars in some sports drinks...sugars in some of the drinks cause one to urinate, therefor just depleting the body of more precious fluids during a time of strain.