Electrolytes Yes?? Or No??

[gwalchmai4110 1,758]

end of last season I gave my bitch a grueller of a run. she had had a hard night with a couple of tough customers already accounted for. my bitch was very fit at the time and i was lamping her three times a week and working her with terriers in the day. but i gave her "one last run" .

 

it turned out that this was a real un and took my bitch on a merry go round over some big ground running her basically to a stand still. she trotted back to me fine, but i could see her legs trembling and she looked un easy on her legs. i carried her back to the van and cooled her carefully with damp towels and allowed her to drink freely. i coated her up and travelled her home, and she came around grand.

 

my question is........... would electrolytes of helped her cause on this night?

 

do any of you lads use electrolytes?

 

in what form do they come?

 

atb

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I always offer a drink of lucozade or powerade, the still isotonic stuff, with a sachet of dioralyte or similar mixed in. This gives them sugars and electrolytes.

 

I usually offer a few sips every hour or so on a big night lamping.

 

I know lads who never bother and I know lads who swear by it.

 

For what it is I always keep a bottle in my bag.

 

A mates bitch took a bad turn after a few really hard runs last season and I believe this drink saved her.

[gwalchmai4110 1,758]

I always offer a drink of lucozade or powerade, the still isotonic stuff, with a sachet of dioralyte or similar mixed in. This gives them sugars and electrolytes.

 

I usually offer a few sips every hour or so on a big night lamping.

 

I know lads who never bother and I know lads who swear by it.

 

For what it is I always keep a bottle in my bag.

 

A mates bitch took a bad turn after a few really hard runs last season and I believe this drink saved her.

spot on mate thats what i was after.

 

i suppose the cut and dry of it is, it wont do any harm.

 

atb

[bird 9,985]

i dont think so . as her tank was empty from the hard night+ run. But to put the salts back in her body, maybe put some in her water+ food for 2 days, then after 2 days rest she should go again . ive found with my 2 dogs, if given rest with each run, and drinking plenty of water they ok in the night,Bryn as done few 30s, and Buck who got better natural stamina as done 45 run in a night. All Buck need is plenty of water pools etc + rest after few hard runs. i find a heat lamp another good thing to help stop (stiffness) next day deff

[shaaark 10,925]

i dont think so . as her tank was empty from the hard night+ run. But to put the salts back in her body, maybe put some in her water+ food for 2 days, then after 2 days rest she should go again . ive found with my 2 dogs, if given rest with each run, and drinking plenty of water they ok in the night,Bryn as done few 30s, and Buck who got better natural stamina as done 45 run in a night. All Buck need is plenty of water pools etc + rest after few hard runs. i find a heat lamp another good thing to help stop (stiffness) next day deff

Similar thing with me when I did a fair amount of lamping. Bit of a rest after each run and made sure they had a drink of water, usually from a stream, every so often. No problems ever. But like gaz just said, I don't think electrolyes would do any harm

[desertbred 5,490]

Electroltes are a part of the bodies natural metabolism so over doing is just as bad as any lower imbalance,seen lads pouring it down dogs throats after a couple of runs, the old adage always leave a run in the tank if observed correctly with in condition dogs eletrolytes should only be an emergency measure not a normal thirst quencher good old H20. Dehydration means the dog has been over run plain and simple severe dehydration will require a intravenous drip not rehydration salts pouring down the throat. observe the dog after each hard run anduse your own judgement.

[shaaark 10,925]

Electroltes are a part of the bodies natural metabolism so over doing is just as bad as any lower imbalance,seen lads pouring it down dogs throats after a couple of runs, the old adage always leave a run in the tank if observed correctly with in condition dogs eletrolytes should only be an emergency measure not a normal thirst quencher good old H20. Dehydration means the dog has been over run plain and simple severe dehydration will require a intravenous drip not rehydration salts pouring down the throat. observe the dog after each hard run anduse your own judgement.

As you've quite correctly said, observation of my dogs, some would say overcautious and bordering on fanatical lol, is key to maintaining good health and wellbeing at all times .

I've never used eloctrolytes and will probably never have the need to.

[Miesque 20]

Dogs don't actually lose electrolytes like humans or say horses do. Because they can only sweat through their pads salt and mineral loss is minimal. Panting only loses water. If they've gone over the top and got to the wobbly stage glucose water is good (buy glucose in the baby section of any supermarket for cheap and add 1-2Tbsp to a litre of water). Feeding extra fat (oil, lards, fatty trimmings) helps replace the muscle sugar stores too.

[FUJI 17,328]

Electrolytes,rehydration potions are imo & experience only given to poorly conditioned or inferior dogs over worked by egotistical owners,well conditioned dogs ran by knowledgeable owners having to use electrolytes etc during a hunting session is something I've never ever seen..

[Snifferboy 659]

I've seen them used on dogs that are blowing out of their arse after a few runs, did it help them? Not the pair of dogs in question, as they weren't in good condition, despite what the owner said, he himself is too lazy to put the effort in and was after something to give him 'the edge'. I can see it's a good idea to carry around 'incase' it is needed, fortunately I don't have the pleasure of catching 20's 30's or 40's in a night, so I probably won't ever need it! Fuji summed it up perfectly and you should be able to tell if your dog is starting to decline....

[Plucky1 1,119]

Great post from Fuji just about covered it but the closer you are to the greyhound you may find it useful,also the larger bull crosses carrying a lot of muscle will need this to operate safely on a heavy night of lamping, fitness is paramount in getting the best out of your dog and knowing the breeds that are in your lurcher will give you an idea on the amount of work its capable of without suffering exhaustion or acidosis, WM

[gwalchmai4110 1,758]

I've seen them used on dogs that are blowing out of their arse after a few runs, did it help them? Not the pair of dogs in question, as they weren't in good condition, despite what the owner said, he himself is too lazy to put the effort in and was after something to give him 'the edge'. I can see it's a good idea to carry around 'incase' it is needed, fortunately I don't have the pleasure of catching 20's 30's or 40's in a night, so I probably won't ever need it! Fuji summed it up perfectly and you should be able to tell if your dog is starting to decline....

im inclined to agree and take full responsibility for my bitch that night! like i say she was very fit at the time but had some gruelling runs with some hard fought customers on the other end, enough should have been enough on my part, was just curious as to whether anything would have speeded her recovery in this situation? cheers

[shaaark 10,925]

I've seen them used on dogs that are blowing out of their arse after a few runs, did it help them? Not the pair of dogs in question, as they weren't in good condition, despite what the owner said, he himself is too lazy to put the effort in and was after something to give him 'the edge'. I can see it's a good idea to carry around 'incase' it is needed, fortunately I don't have the pleasure of catching 20's 30's or 40's in a night, so I probably won't ever need it! Fuji summed it up perfectly and you should be able to tell if your dog is starting to decline....

That's what I was alluding to in my earlier post. Besides not having the opportunity to catch 30 or 40 in a session, the welfare of my dogs, at all times, comes before my ego, or even the desire to catch more than anyone else etc. Observing my dog and making sure it's ok whilst it's working has always been my main concern.

Not having a dig at anyone in particular, but some of the posts put up by some of the older, good dogmen. has in my view, led some youngsters, that are simply not able to condition a dog as well as some of the older guys, to try to emulate or even better them.

Just the way things have gone for the last so many years I suppose, but all that numbers nonsense isn't, and never has been for me.

[billhardy 2,343]

I agree with max here right grub plenty of fats in the raw diet for sessions on the lamp ,we all heard and seen the old mars bar scenario over the yrs ,dinosaur times .there can be know better than good natural stamina conditioning and best raw food Powerade etc hydration dinks can be a saver at times ,but mostly I think watching thy animal in a few minutes breather between every couple runs plenty of water and a cooling bar,stream etc should get one by if natural stamina needed breed for it and breed for a steady running style manic crazy runners burn fuel with out doing very little .atb bunnys.

[bird 9,985]

I agree with max here right grub plenty of fats in the raw diet for sessions on the lamp ,we all heard and seen the old mars bar scenario over the yrs ,dinosaur times .there can be know better than good natural stamina conditioning and best raw food Powerade etc hydration dinks can be a saver at times ,but mostly I think watching thy animal in a few minutes breather between every couple runs plenty of water and a cooling bar,stream etc should get one by if natural stamina needed breed for it and breed for a steady running style manic crazy runners burn fuel with out doing very little .atb bunnys.

thats true (manic crazy running) compared to a dog that paces it self .Bryn my 1x collie x grey, always ran like a nutter same speed on the 1st rabbit- to the last rabbit, had few 30 a night with him, but if he had paced him self bit better he would have got more deff, Buck runs the same style (nutter ) lol but as more natural stamina so gets bigger bags, and can hold a hard night longer But in all honesty i prefer a dog to run like the above,Bryn only changed as he got older had 5 -6 years good bags good long nights with him, when he got tired that was it, maybe if he ran different running style he might have changed , but he nearly 9 now loves mooching in the woods after game, was away the other day for 20 mins the old bugger lol