If you want to know how dex effects your dog, use it before a roll. Just like if you want to know if your female is squirrely in heat, look at her when she's in heat. Ounce of prevention or a pound of cure? Honestly, I've never owned a dog that had such issues with dex given before a show. There was a time where I would give it a few hours before a show with no ill effects.

In regards to Aurora, you can't always account for stupidity. I have never seen any reputable, quality dogman ever do any such thing, and if I had, he would instantly become a fuckin moron.

Loki, if you have a dog that doesn't work hard, then something will have to be adjusted whether it's calorie intake or water intake. I've had dogs that were lazy on the same method of hydration, and there were times where I had to adjust something in order for it to work. If he's not working hard enough, then he's not going to burn excess calories, and that's usually what needs to be adjusted as they will just piss out excess water. I rarely bother with a skin count anymore honestly as I've done this particular thing for such a long time now. When I first started doing it, sure I judged by a skin count. It's just not something I do now.

Loki, you don't know if he had ANY of those side effects. There have been thousands of dogs not look like what you've seen before when they run into the right dog, so don't beat yourself up over something that probably had nothing to do with it.