Can Dogs Drink Gatorade? (Here’s Why You Might Want to Give It a Try)

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After an intense workout or a bad disease for about half a century, Gatorade was an effective way for people to replenish electrolytes in their bodies. And, surprisingly, sometimes, when your dog is sick with diarrhea and vomiting, your vet might suggest giving the pup  Gatorade. There is a group of dog owners using the sports drink to aid their pooch fight against certain diseases such as diarrhea. But can dogs really have Gatorade?

Why use Gatorade for dogs. And is it safe?

At times, Gatorade is an affordable option to re-hydrate the pooch’s body. After all, the drink is developed to restore the electrolytes which assist your body in smooth operating.  And the loss of the same old electrolytes might as well put your pup on a dangerous road to dehydration. This offers the rationale of giving Gatorade to dogs: should it not do the same for our furry friends to keep their body in balance? There’s a caveat to provide him with this drink. After an intense workout or a nasty disease for about half a century, Gatorade was an effective way for people to replenish electrolytes in their bodies.

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Is Gatorade bad for dogs?

Technically speaking, Gatorade will function as it does in your body. It will hydrate and recover its electrolytes and also make the pup feel better if he experiencing an issue such as diarrhea. Gatorade, however, is also a drink with a lot of sugar and sodium. Gatorade, however, is also a beverage with a lot of sodium and sugars added.

And sweet stuff comes in several forms: as Sucralose, a non-calorie artificial sweetener sold as Splenda and high fructose corn syrup, which contributes glucose, sucrose, and fructose to the sports drink. Some of the most questionable ingredients include Monopotassium phosphate added as a phosphate source and approved as a cardiovascular food by the FDA, sodium citrate used to enrich the flavor, keep the active ingredients stable, etc.

All are added based on scientific findings to maintain fluid absorption, energy distribution, and pleasant taste. Since our dogs are smaller than us, it is important to note that their organs are smaller too. They can not process these chemicals as efficiently as possible, which could cause problems if given frequently.

Can dogs drink Gatorade when sick?

Yes, you can offer your dog Gatorade. But generally speaking, not all the vets would approve or recommend this drink to their canine clients if the dog is REALLY sick.

However, if your pup has just a couple of vomiting/diarrhea episodes you can try the following approach involving Gatorade:

  • don’t give your pup any water for a couple of hours, then gradually offer only small quantities of water at a time. Invite your dog to drink, but don’t let him drink too much.
  • give him perhaps a quarter of a cup–see if he’s drinking it and keeps it inside.
  • if he keeps it down–give a bit more liquid 10 to 15 minutes later. Do this until he doesn’t want any more water. Instead of water, you can offer Gatorade as an alternative.
  • if after several hours of drinking, there was no vomiting you can put him on a bland diet that consists of-of a 50/50 mixture of boiled rice and boiled minced meat (preferably beef).
  • offer a small portion of the food at first. You don’t want to let him feel sick again. If he eats and holds inside this small portion of food, offer more in about an hour.
  • gradually increase the portion and the frequency of feeding.
  • the next day–try to mix in your regular food and wean back to your normal diet in a couple of days if your pup feels fine.


Can dogs drink Gatorade for dehydration?

The primary reason pet owners switch to Gatorade to assist their dog is because the drink can prevent dehydration. It’s a common, but possibly dangerous, a problem caused by inadequate intake or sudden rapid loss of fluids. While your dog does not sweat, there are more ways how he can get dehydrated. For instance when he suffers from symptoms like diarrhea, and vomiting.

What flavor Gatorade can I give my dog?

As per Gatorade.com, the hues of Gatorade help consumers distinguish the various flavors. The dyes used in the Gatorade are acceptable for human consumption as identified by the FDA. Since the very least amount of color is being used to achieve the tint of the drink, your pup presumably won’t be hurt if drink a tiny amount of it.

So it can be any flavor you want since the rest of the ingredients of the beverage are pretty much the same.

Dogs and Gatorade. Summary

When giving your dog a Gatorade, your best bet is to dilute it with liquid. Ideally, you want to have a 50/50 sports drink combination with water. If you want your pup to be even shorter in the Gatorade, you can freeze the diluted mix into ice cubes and have him ingest the drink even slowlier, using it also as a treat. It is a great thing to remember that Gatorade is not the only electrolyte-restoring drink and that any other similar functional beverages can help canine to bust dehydration.

Some of those drinks, such as also loaded with electrolytes but lighter on sweeteners and sugars than Gatorade. Some other options, such as , were even developed with kid’s health in mind. So it might be another viable option to eliminate the harmful consequences of dehydration. This will help protect the rest of the health of your pup over the long run.

Credits: thanks for the cover photo to Ethan McArthur on Unsplash

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