Can Dogs Drink Powerade

Many of you love Powerade. It is the ideal drink to get energy while exercising. Powerade is made to be as healthy as possible. It is safe for humans and there are a lot of benefits. But, can dogs drink Powerade and get the same benefits? Let’s get into it!

Can Dogs Drink Powerade?

The simplest answer would be no, dogs cannot drink Powerade. But, the real thing is more complicated than you may believe so we will have to explain it. In this article we will breakdown why dogs shouldn’t drink Powerade.

 What Is Powerade?

As always, we must explain something about a beverage we are discussing. Powerade is a Coca Cola product and it is a sports beverage. The idea is that a person will drink it while running or exercising and get electrolytes, vitamins, and more. It is truly beneficial and safe to consume. Can dogs drink Powerade when they are ‘’exercising’’? We will discuss this in detail below. Here are ingredients that we can see in Powerade.

• Water
• Vitamin B6
• Potassium phosphate
• Sugar
• Vitamin B2
• High fructose corn syrup
• Sodium citrate
• Potassium citrate
• Salt
• Sucrose acetate isobutyrate
• Phenylalanine
• Malic acid

The Only Benefit Of Powerade To Your Dog

The only good thing here and the only good ingredient you can see above that is beneficial for a dog is water. They also need water and they will benefit from it. Dogs are made of 60% of water (less than we are) but they still need it. Powerade does contain water hence it can hydrate your pet. 

It is possible to give him a small amount of Powerade when there is no water. He will absorb water from the beverage and he will stay hydrated. Much better than not giving any water to your dog. 

This is the only thing your dog needs from this drink and the only benefit present. Still, it is much better to give him plain water. It is precisely something a dog will need and there are no ingredients that can have a negative effect on your pet. 

Dehydration in dogs can be severe and a huge problem. You will have a dog who is lethargic, has sunken eyes and his nose and mouth are dry. All of them will show signs of excessive panting and have poor energy levels. During warm months, this is more common than you may believe so always look for these and also any other signs your dog may show.

2 reasons Why Dogs Should Avoid Powerade

As you can see there are two main reasons why dogs should avoid this drink. The first one is due to sodium. It is present in the drink and it comes in large amounts. But, we humans can tolerate it, and even when we ingest large amounts of sodium or salt, we will be fine. Dogs can’t do that. A dog with a weight of 33 pounds needs only 100 mg of salt per day. A dog who weighs 100 pounds needs only 300 mg and this is the maximum amount.

12 ounces of Powerade will contain 150 mg of salt. In other words, this is 50% more than your dog who weighs 33 pounds needs per day. Too much sodium can be fatal for a dog. He can develop hypernatremia or salt poisoning and this is a huge problem. 

The second thing here we don’t like is sugar. A bottle of Powerade which is 12 ounces in size will have 21 grams of sugar. This is too much. Dogs don’t need sugar in this amount and the risk is too high. Your pet can end up obese, with pancreatitis, poor dental health, and inflammations all over his body. 

The bottom line here is simple. Your dog doesn’t need Powerade and you shouldn’t give that to him. The issues are severe and can even be fatal if you have been giving him this beverage for a long period of time. Once again, just because something is beneficial for humans, it doesn’t mean it is great for dogs. If your pet drinks a small amount of this beverage, don’t panic. He will be fine. But, avoid giving him Powerade all the time or at all if you really care about your dog. 

Better and Safer Alternatives

Here we would like to talk about two alternatives that are a much better choice than Powerade for dogs. The first one is the most obvious and you already have it in unlimited amounts. It is water. Dogs need plenty of water and as you should know already, they need constant access to water.

It will hydrate them. It may look like something that is mandatory and not an alternative here but the water is still the best drink your dog needs, period. There are no side effects or anything similar you need to worry about. In simple terms, your dog will get everything he needs but none of the downsides.

The second alternative is a bit different. It is Pedialyte. You can find it in any grocery store and it is affordable. The main advantage here is that this beverage is loaded with all the minerals and electrolytes a dog needs.

However, there are no issues such as sugar and salt hence this beverage is 100% healthy for a dog. For the best and also the safest results you will want to get an uncolored drink here. It doesn’t have any artificial coloring or anything similar that might be dangerous for dogs. It is best from both worlds and something you will want to consider as an addition to your dog’s life. The perks are three but threats are not.

The Final Word

Can dogs drink Powerade? Will they get benefits? No and no. This beverage is good for humans and can be really beneficial. But, it is bad for dogs due to high amounts of sodium and sugar. There are much better options out there that are safe but also beneficial. If your dog drinks a small amount of Powerade every now and then, it is not a huge problem. But, do not give him this beverage on a daily or weekly basis. It is best to avoid it completely.