How Much Water Should My Dog Be Drinking

Water. Y'all know your domestic dog needs information technology. After all, you fill up up his water bowl every day. But why is h2o so important? And how much water should a dog drink? It seems like a simple enough concept, but understanding why dogs demand to beverage water and how much they should typically drink during the twenty-four hours will help y'all continue your dog healthier and happier.

Like humans, a domestic dog'southward body is fabricated up of virtually 70-80 percent water, according to Dr. Jim D. Carlson, owner of the Riverside Animal Clinic in McHenry, Illinois. "Just similar us, dogs need to stay hydrated to digest food, behave important fluids through the body, and remove toxins," he says.

Water does a lot for a canis familiaris's body. Water delivers vital nutrients and assists with the digestion process (including eating, absorbing nutrients from food, and moving waste through and out the body). Water helps a dog regulate his body temperature and allows the vital organs to function optimally.

When a canis familiaris is well-hydrated, the body operates in peak form. When a dog does not drink plenty water, or if he loses water due to disease like airsickness or diarrhea, he risks becoming dehydrated. Without enough h2o, a domestic dog's organs can't function and eventually, will neglect.

How Much Water Exercise Dogs Demand in a Day?

Dog drinking from water bowl

If yous know how much your canis familiaris weighs, you can easily summate how much h2o he should be drinking every day.

"Dogs demand, on average, ane ounce of water per 1 pound of body weight per solar day," says Dr. Gary Weitzman, CEO of the San Diego Humane Lodge and author of the National Geographic Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness: The Veterinary's Approach to Calm Animal Intendance . "This varies depending on activity level, ambience temperature, and excitement, because panting will dehydrate your pup."

Breed, age, torso condition, and medications besides influence how much water your dog needs.

Small dogs volition drink a smaller volume of water per twenty-four hours compared to big dogs just due to their divergence in size. A 5-pound dog should drink about 5 ounces of water each mean solar day and a 50-pound dog should potable about 50 ounces of h2o daily.

In that location are instances where some dogs demand more than ane ounce of water per pound of body weight. "Younger dogs have increased water requirements because they are growing and developing," Carlson says.

Dogs might also need more water when it's very hot out, after exercising and after excited play.

Why Is My Domestic dog Drinking Then Much?

Dog drinking from hose

If your dog is suddenly drinking more water than he commonly does, is information technology cause for concern?

Sometimes, a slight increase in water intake is normal. If your dog has been exercising more than than usual, he might experience extra thirsty. Many dogs beverage more water in the summertime when it'south hot and they are panting more often.

Certain medications similar prednisone can likewise cause increased thirst. If your dog is taking a new prescription and yous notice an increase in his water consumption, let your veterinarian know correct abroad.

But other times, excessive water consumption (often followed by your domestic dog urinating more) is a clue that a canis familiaris has an underlying health issue. "Kidney illness, diabetes, Cushing'south disease, and urinary tract infections are the most common reasons for increased thirst and urination," says Carlson.

Is My Dog Drinking Too Much Water?

Dog laying down with water bowl

A unproblematic manner to find out if your dog is drinking too much water is to measure your pup's daily intake.

Commencement the day with an empty water bowl. Fill a split up container with the amount of water your canis familiaris should drink in a day and apply that container to make full upward his water bowl throughout the day. If your dog weighs 40 pounds, for case, fill a jug with 40 ounces of h2o. If your dog drinks all of the water and yous need to refill your dog'southward bowl more than once in 24 hours, it's worth a visit to the veterinary to have your dog checked out. This method may non be accurate for messy drinkers and houses with multiple pets who beverage from the same bowl.

Yous tin also accept a close look at your dog's urine—both the corporeality and the colour. A domestic dog that is drinking too much water will be urinating much more than oftentimes than normal (and may be having accidents in the firm). Dogs that are drinking also much water will also take very diluted urine that will expect very pale yellow or even articulate. Usually the first morning urine of a dog is the well-nigh full-bodied while subsequently in the 24-hour interval urine color and odor is more variable.

Why Is My Domestic dog Not Drinking H2o?

Dog in grass with empty water bowl

What if your dog is not drinking the recommended amount of water each mean solar day? In that location could be a variety of reasons. Dogs that are ill oft don't experience similar eating or drinking. If your dog'southward reduced h2o intake is sudden, take him to the veterinarian for an exam.

Often though, dogs may simply lack interest in drinking, either considering they don't feel thirsty or considering they are picky nearly the taste or temperature of their water, or the location of their water basin.

If you observe this pickiness, try refilling your dog's h2o basin with clean, fresh water or move the water basin to a different location. If that still doesn't entice him to drink, attain out to your veterinarian to discuss options.

How to Help Your Dog Get the Right Amount of Water

Dog with travel water dish

Staying hydrated is vitally important to your dog'south overall health. Fifty-fifty low levels of dehydration tin can be taxing on your dog's organs. Additionally, dogs with certain medical conditions similar kidney affliction or urinary stones need to remain well hydrated to stay good for you. On the flip side, drinking too much water is as well hard on a canis familiaris's body, and can lead to accidents in the house.

Luckily, at that place are some steps yous tin can take to assist entice your domestic dog to potable more water and also to curb excessive h2o consumption.

If Your Dog Isn't Drinking Enough

"Y'all can encourage your dog to drink more water by making sure the water is easily accessible, ensuring it'southward clean and fresh, cooling the h2o (cold water is more than palatable for both humans and dogs), and perhaps raising the water bowl on a stand up, depending on the size of your canis familiaris," Weitzman says.

Some dogs enjoy drinking from pet fountains, which keep the h2o cool and fresh tasting. You tin besides endeavor calculation a splash of low-sodium chicken broth to your domestic dog'south h2o to tempt him to drink more.

If y'all feel like your dog still isn't drinking enough, enquire your veterinarian almost whether adding wet food to your canis familiaris's diet can help. "Feed at least 25 percent of the diet equally wet food and the dog volition increment their water intake through the food," advises Carlson.

If Your Domestic dog is Drinking Too Much

If your dog is drinking and urinating more than than usual, the get-go step is a visit to the veterinarian.

"If your dog drinks a lot more than an ounce of water per pound of body weight per day, it might bespeak a health upshot," Weitzman says.

If your domestic dog takes prescription medication and all of a sudden starts drinking more water, your veterinarian might desire to adapt the medication or try something unlike. Give your veterinarian a call correct away.

If your canis familiaris gets a clean pecker of wellness, inquire your vet if information technology'south okay to selection upwardly the h2o bowl a few hours before bedtime to cut down on nighttime bathroom breaks and unnecessary water consumption.

Monitoring your dog'south water intake is an of import role of tracking their health. Noticing a modify, similar increased thirst, early on can aid protect your pet'southward wellness.