Dog Water Intake

Water is essential for all known life forms and a dog’s water intake as an important aspect of its care. Some dogs tend to drink a lot more water than other dogs.  This can then result in the dog urinating fairly frequently. However with these dogs, one should monitor their dog’s water intake closely. This does not mean that one should deprive the dog of water at all. Water is extremely vital for a dog’s health and well being. Those dogs that have been trained or have sufficient self control, one can leave water in a bowl out for them the entire day. This water bowl should be cleaned out regularly to avoid any bacteria collecting.

Dog water consumption will differ from dog to dog and from dog breed to dog breed. In fact some dogs that ought to be drinking more water tend to not drink as much. In these cases one can seek advice from a vet as to how to increase a dog’s desire for drinking more water. Some dogs may even be choosy about the kind of water they drink, choosing natural spring water over regular water. For those owners who have enough time to keep taking their dogs out for a walk where they can relieve themselves, then giving these dogs plenty of water is not a problem. The older dogs are more able to regulate their own water intake, thus adapting to their owner’s lifestyle and avoiding accidents. An important point to make note off is that dogs can get dehydrated fairly easily. Some dogs may get dehydrated quite fast even if they are drinking plenty of water. This can happen to those dogs that are suffering from some kind of medical conditions. Dehydration can even occur in a dog due to heat, over activity or even stress. Normal dog water intake may not serve to be sufficient in these cases.

A simple way to establish if one’s dog is suffering from dehydration is by checking the elasticity of the dog’s skin. This can be done on the dog’s upper back in the region right below the dog’s shoulders. When checking for skin elasticity in one’s dog, one should use their forefingers and their thumb to pinch the dog’s skin in a gentle fashion. Then proceed to lift up the dog’s skin and then release it. If the skin is seen to return to normal fairly fast then it can be established that the dog is absorbing a sufficient quantity of water.

However if the skin does not appear to be elastic enough, then one should ensure that their pet drinks more water. One should also notify their vet as soon as possible about this situation. The average dog water consumption will also differ from dog to dog. A dog’s water intake also differs depending on the environment that the dog is living in. those dogs that live in hotter climates tend to drink more water than those dogs living in the cooler temperatures. Puppies intake of water should be monitored very closely especially when house breaking a puppy. When at a beach always ensure that fresh water is available for the dog, as in its absence the dog may end up drinking the salty sea water. A dog swimming in salt water is not considered to be harmful provided the dog does not ingest the salt water. When a dog drinks salt water it can lead to an increase in dehydration and also can cause vomiting. This condition is referred to as beach diarrhea. Can dogs swim in chlorine water is another often asked question. Just like the beach, swimming in the chlorine water or dogs swimming in pools is not considered harmful as long as they do not drink the chlorine water.

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.