What Happens When You Don't Drink Enough Water? 10 Hidden Effects on Your Body

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  1. What happens to your blood when you become dehydrated? Blood contains: Red blood cells. White blood cells. Platelets. Plasma, which is mostly water. Proteins, electrolytes, nutrients and other substances. When the body loses too much water, plasma volume can decrease. This can cause hemoconcentration, meaning some substances in the blood appear more concentrated. Possible effects include: Increased blood viscosity under some circumstances. Reduced circulating blood volume. Increased strain on the cardiovascular system. Reduced blood flow to organs in severe dehydration. This is different from having excessive cholesterol or fatty deposits in arteries. NCBI+2 2. Does dehydration increase cholesterol readings? This is where our article can become particularly interesting. A small human study involving 15 healthy participants found that fasting without fluid replacement produced higher measured total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol than fasting with water and sal...
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Why Does My Dog Put Its Ears Back? 7 Things Your Dog May Be Trying to Tell You

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Have you ever noticed your dog's ears suddenly moving backward?

Sometimes those ears are telling you that your dog is relaxed and comfortable. At other times, they may be showing uncertainty, fear, or discomfort.

The interesting thing is that ears don't have just one meaning.

To understand what your dog is communicating, you need to look at the ears together with the rest of the body.

1. Your Dog Is Feeling Relaxed

Some dogs naturally hold their ears slightly backward when they are calm.

If your dog's body is loose, its mouth is relaxed, and its tail is in a normal position, backward ears may simply mean:

“I'm comfortable.”

There's no reason to assume something is wrong just because the ears aren't standing upright.

2. Your Dog Feels Uncertain

A dog may move its ears backward when it isn't sure about something.

Perhaps there's a new person in the house, an unfamiliar object, or something strange happening nearby.

You might see your dog watching carefully while keeping its ears back.

It's almost as if your dog is saying:

“I'm not sure about this yet.”

Give your dog time to observe rather than forcing it to approach.

3. Your Dog May Be Nervous or Afraid

Ears pulled firmly backward, especially when combined with other signs, can indicate fear or anxiety.

Look for signals such as:

  • Lowered body
  • Tail tucked underneath
  • Avoiding eye contact
  • Trembling
  • Trying to hide
  • Moving away

If you see several of these signs together, your dog may be feeling overwhelmed.

Instead of forcing interaction, give your dog some space.

4. Your Dog Is Trying to Avoid Conflict

Dogs often use subtle body language to communicate that they don't want a confrontation.

A dog may put its ears back, turn its head away, lower its body, or avoid direct eye contact.

These behaviours can be part of an attempt to keep a situation peaceful.

If another dog is approaching and your dog is showing these signals, don't assume your dog is being unfriendly.

It may actually be communicating:

“I don't want any trouble.”

5. Your Dog Is Paying Close Attention

Here's where things become interesting.

Sometimes ears move backward because your dog is concentrating on something.

For example, your dog may hear a sound behind it while looking in another direction.

The ears can move independently to help locate sounds.

So if your dog suddenly puts its ears back while remaining relaxed and alert, it may simply be listening carefully.

6. Your Dog Is Excited or Anticipating Something

Dogs can also move their ears backward when they are excited.

Think about what happens when you pick up the leash before a walk.

Your dog may become highly alert, wag its tail, move around excitedly, and change its ear position.

The meaning becomes clearer when you consider the entire situation.

Ears alone don't tell the complete story.

7. Something May Be Causing Discomfort

If your dog's ears are frequently held backward and the behaviour is unusual for your dog, physical discomfort is another possibility.

Pay attention to other signs such as:

  • Scratching the ears
  • Head shaking
  • Redness
  • Unusual smell
  • Sensitivity when the ears are touched
  • Changes in normal behaviour

If these signs appear, especially if they persist, it's sensible to have your dog checked by a veterinarian.

The Same Ear Position Can Mean Different Things

This is one of the most important things to remember when learning dog body language.

Ears back + relaxed body

may mean your dog is comfortable.

Ears back + crouching + tucked tail

may indicate fear or anxiety.

Ears back + wagging tail + excited movement

may occur when your dog is anticipating something enjoyable.

The ears are only one piece of the puzzle.

Look at the Whole Dog

When trying to understand your dog, ask yourself:

What are the ears doing?

Then look at:

  • The eyes
  • The mouth
  • The tail
  • The body posture
  • The direction your dog is facing
  • What happened immediately beforehand

This approach gives you a much better picture of what your dog may be experiencing.

Don't Force Your Dog Into an Uncomfortable Situation

If your dog appears nervous, don't punish it for showing these signals.

Instead, give it some space and reduce whatever is causing the discomfort when possible.

Learning to recognize early signs can help prevent a small moment of anxiety from becoming a much bigger problem.

Your Dog Is Talking—Just Not With Words

Dogs communicate constantly.

A tail movement, a change in posture, a glance away, or a pair of ears moving backward can all provide useful information.

The more you learn to notice these small signals, the easier it becomes to understand your dog's needs.

Final Thought

Your dog's ears may be saying much more than you realize.

But don't try to translate one movement in isolation.

Watch the whole dog. Look at the situation. And learn your dog's individual language.

That is how you begin to build better communication with your four-legged companion.


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