Dog Excess Water Intake

When a dog drinks a lot of water it always becomes a question of concern for the owners or care takers. The main concerns that arise from a dog drinking lot of water is whether the dog might be ill or if this might be an indication of the dog exhibiting signs of some kind of behavioral issues. At times a dog drinking too much water can simply be a sign of a dog liking water a lot. However this may lead to a certain kidney condition which is referred to as medullary washout. This condition may lead to a dog drinking a lot of water. However over time this condition can get normal by itself. The main reasons for this increase in water intake can be tied down primarily to conditions like kidney failure, diabetes and even Cushing’s disease. One can establish quite easily if one’s pet is suffering from any of these conditions by simply running a few urine and blood tests.

It is easiest to diagnose if a dog has diabetes by using a urine strip. This strip will help in establishing if there is any glucose in the dog’s urine. Some other symptoms to watch out for are weight loss in one’s dog also accompanied by high levels of glucose in the dog’s bloodstream. When the dog’s kidneys lose their ability to concentrate water it leads to a condition called as renal failure. This leads to a lot of water loss through the dog’s urine leading further to kidney damage. At times the dog might be exposed to certain toxins that can cause this kidney damage, however at times this condition can develop in older dogs for no apparent cause. Cushing’s disease is the disease that is caused because of hormones. In this case the dog’s adrenal gland produces a lot of cortisol. This then leads to a loss of water into the dog’s urine while at the same time leading to an increase in the amount of water the dog drinks. At times the dog may just be drinking a lot of water if it gets excessively hot. There is no fixed amount of water that a dog is supposed to drink everyday. Also the dog’s diet can play a vital role in the quantity of water the dog drinks. Those dogs that live on a dry diet will try to make up for this by drinking a lot of water. If the dog gets a lot of exercise then this can also lead to the dog drinking plenty of water.