No wonder they say: "The dog is a friend of man." It's no secret that these faithful intelligent animals have been accompanying humans since ancient times. Dogs helped people hunt, guarded the home from uninvited guests. It is not surprising that often a dog became a family member for a person, a close friend, sharing with him joyful and sad moments. Just like people, they worry, get bored, rejoice and, unfortunately, get sick. Busy hosts may not immediately discover that a four-legged friend is ill. Sometimes a person notices a pet's disease too late, when nothing can be done. Therefore, it is very important to know when to pay attention to the well-being of the dog.
How much a dog should drink per day
One of the indicators of poor health - the dog does not drink water. This is a very disturbing sign. As you know, a person should drink about two liters of water per day. Dogs also have a norm of drinking liquid, but since dogs come in different sizes and breeds, the amount of water your pet should drink per day is calculated using a special formula developed by veterinarians. To do this, multiply the weight of the animal by 20-70 milliliters of water. For example, a dog weighs 15 kilograms. Using the formula, we calculate that she needs to drink 300-1050 milliliters. Why is the volume not accurate? Because it depends on several factors, such as the season (in the warmer months, the dog drinks more), the activity of the animal, the type of food (eating dry food, the dog drinks more often).
Reasons why the dog does not drink water
If you notice that the dog’s bowl of water is untouched, it’s worth worrying. This is serious. Due to the lack of sufficient fluid in the dog, dehydration can occur, and this is a very life-threatening condition. Plus, unwillingness to drink can be a symptom of the disease. If you notice that the dog does not drink water (or drinks in small quantities), she has lost her appetite, her eyes are unhealthy, the pet itself is lethargic, it is worth showing it to a specialist as soon as possible. You cannot hesitate with this.
There are a number of reasons why a dog does not drink water:
- Fresh water and dishes. Water must be changed at least once a day. The dishes themselves (bowl) must be washed without detergent, or a detergent for washing children's dishes. If the dishes or water smell unpleasant (and the dog’s nose is much more sensitive than ours), the dog will refuse to drink. Only boiled water should be poured.
- Damage to the oral cavity. If you watch a dog in slow motion, you will see that the tongue acts as a “bucket”. She scoops up water and sends it into her mouth. If the tongue or lips are damaged, it can be painful for the animal to drink. Be sure to show the dog to the veterinarian.
- Sore throat. Laryngitis and pharyngitis cause pain and swelling in the throat, it becomes difficult for the animal to swallow.
- Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the dog may refuse water. You should consult a specialist and control the amount of fluid you drink.
- Viral diseases. Due to poor health, thirst and appetite disappear even in people. Dogs are no exception.
- Diseases of the genitourinary system.
- Oncological diseases.
What to do
Unfortunately, most of the reasons why a dog refuses water is associated with illnesses and poor health. Trying to treat the animal yourself is highly discouraged - only a veterinarian can make a diagnosis. He must prescribe drugs. Primary help is that you need to water the animal. To do this, you can soak your favorite dog treat in water and offer it. If she refuses, you can draw water into the syringe and carefully pour the pet into the mouth.
The dog often drinks water
We figured out the reasons why the dog may not want to drink. But what if the dog drinks a lot of water? The causes and treatment will be discussed below.
Natural reasons a dog drinks a lot
- Season. In hot weather, the dog needs to replenish fluid reserves so that dehydration does not occur, and lower body temperature so that there is no overheating. For a walk on such days it is recommended to take a bottle of cool water so that the pet can drink at any time.
- Food. If a dog eats dry food, it needs to drink more often and more than dogs that are fed wet food. Dog owners also note increased thirst in the pet when moving from wet to dry food. Such a reaction is considered normal and should not cause concern.
- Low humidity in the room. In winter, heating and heaters begin to work, which dry the air. People may not notice this, but dogs are sensitive to such changes. Dry air irritates the nose and respiratory tract, so the animal will seek to replenish the amount of fluid.
- Increased physical activity.
- Taking certain medications (such as diuretics or anticonvulsants).
- Eating salty foods.
- Estrus. At this time, the dog drinks much more water than usual.
- Lactation (feeding puppies).
- Age. In older dogs, kidneys often fail, the dog drinks a lot of water and urinates more often. Incontinence may develop. The animal needs to constantly replenish moisture due to this.
In these cases, increased fluid intake is not dangerous for the dog. However, if this continues for more than a few days, you should show the dog to the veterinarian: there may be serious reasons.
Dangerous reasons why a dog drinks a lot
- Food poisoning. During the walk, the dog could find and eat stale food, the process of intoxication begins, often accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea. The animal drinks more to quickly cleanse the body of toxins and avoid dehydration. If you are sure that the dog was poisoned, you need to give it activated charcoal (at the rate of one tablet per ten kilograms of weight) and try to induce vomiting with saline (one tablespoon of salt per glass of boiled water). These are primary measures, only a specialist will prescribe complete treatment.
- Infectious and viral diseases. If the dog rises in temperature, she needs to drink more to support her immunity.
- Diabetes (sugar and non-sugar). This disease is always accompanied by drying out of the mucous membranes and intense thirst. Be sure to contact a specialist - the animal may die.
- Oncology.
- Pyometer. A dangerous disease, accompanied by purulent inflammation of the uterine cavity. For a diagnosis, a trip to the veterinarian and ultrasound are mandatory.
- Hypercalcemia. The increased calcium content in the dog’s blood leads to dehydration and, as a result, to thirst.
What is important to remember
As you can see, if a dog drinks a lot of water, or, on the contrary, refuses it, first of all it is necessary to try to figure out on your own how this can be caused. If there are no obvious reasons for this, do not delay the trip to the veterinarian. You should never self-medicate both a dog and any living creature. Only a specialist is able to identify the causes of unusual behavior of your pet and prescribe treatment for him. Be more attentive to your four-legged friend, and he will be happy to give you many years to live together.