If dogs suddenly don't drink enough, it could be due to injuries, illnesses or a change in lifestyle. In some cases, severe stress, fear, water quality or even cancer are responsible.
Water is much more important to dogs than food. Dogs can sometimes survive for up to 3 weeks without food. However, they usually only survive for 2-3 days without drinking. [1]
In practice, even a slight fluid deficiency of 1% leads to visible symptoms. Typical examples are here:
- Constant panting
- Pungent smell of urine
- Lack of energy
- Dry gums
- Dark urine
- Thick saliva
- Sunken eyes
- Dry nose
- Declining skin elasticity
- Low amount of urine [2]
Severe dehydration can also lead to permanent organ damage and death. The dog's body consists of around 80% water.
When dogs drink too little, the first question that arises is: How much is enough? According to studies, 60-80 ml of water per kg of body weight is ideal for dogs. [3]
Body-
WeightRecommended
Drinking quantity2 kg120 – 160 ml4 kg240 – 320 ml6 kg360 – 480 ml8 kg480 – 640 ml10 kg600 – 800 ml15 kg900 – 1200 ml20 kg1200 – 1600 ml25 kg1500 – 2000 ml30 kg1800 – 2400 ml35 kg2100 – 2800 ml40 kg2400 – 3200 ml45 kg2700 – 3600 ml50 kg3000 – 4000 ml
How long dogs can last without water depends primarily on their health, the outside temperature, the type of food and the activity level.
If your dog drinks far too little compared to these recommendations, then this may be due to the following reasons.
- Feed change: If dogs suddenly get wet food or a BARF, they are already consuming plenty of water through their food.
- Poor water quality: Old water pipes often have toxic lead in the water, which dogs can taste with their noses.
- Few opportunities: If the drinking bowl is further away from where they are staying, dogs automatically drink less.
- Seasons: Dogs tend to drink more in the summer and spring due to the heat and less in the winter and fall. [4]
- New environment: After moving or going on a trip, dogs' drinking habits also change. He first has to feel comfortable here.
- Injuries: If active breeds suddenly get injured and just lie around, then this also greatly reduces the need for fluids.
- Pollution: Some dogs drink dirty water themselves, but for others it needs to be completely clear and fresh in order for them to drink from it.
- Competition: When multiple pets share the same drinking bowl, it can trigger territorial behavior. The weaker person therefore often comes away empty-handed.
- Stressful place: If the drinking bowl is located right next to a loud washing machine, this will particularly deter anxious dogs from drinking. [5]
- Old age: The water balance is primarily controlled in the hypothalamus. However, as we get older, the nerve pathways partially lose their function, meaning that the stimuli do not reach us.
If your dog not only drinks too little, but doesn't drink anything for a whole 24 hours, then I recommend seeing the vet immediately.
The following 9 tips can also help to encourage your dog to drink:
- #1 Wet food: With wet food or “biologically species-appropriate raw feeding” (BARF), your dog automatically consumes more water.
- #2 Taste: A salt-free bone broth, the juice from a can of tuna, or milk can be enough to motivate you to drink.
- #3 Travel equipment: I recommend a drinking bottle like this or a foldable travel bowl like this when you're on the go. Two absolute must-haves for every dog owner.
- #4 Cold Water: Most dogs prefer cold water. A few ice cubes in the water can therefore lead to a higher drinking quantity.
- #5 More bowls: The more opportunities a dog has to drink, the more he will automatically drink. [6]
- #6 Daily Cleaning: Dogs often avoid contaminated water. Therefore, make sure that the drinking bowls are always filled with fresh water.
- #7 Drinking Fountain: Dogs' drinking mechanism is greatly inferior to ours. With the help of such a drinking fountain, you automatically drink more.
- #8 Cold Reward: A few treats in ice cubes not only offer fun, but also ensure that you drink more.
- #9 Bowl change: The material of the bowl often gives the water its own taste. So test stainless steel, glass, ceramic or plastic.
If all of these tips don't help, then the following 8 illnesses may also be responsible for the low drinking quantity.
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#1 Urinary tract infection
According to statistics, urinary tract infections are one of the most common diseases affecting dogs. Every 7th dog is said to get it at least once in their life. [7]
Female dogs are particularly affected by this because their urethra is significantly shorter compared to male dogs. Bacteria can therefore penetrate more easily from outside.
Such inflammation leads, among other things, to peeing becoming painful. Affected dogs want to avoid this by drinking too little. Typical symptoms here are:
- Pungent smell of urine
- Constant licking of genitals
- Whieking while peeing
- Dog leaks urine
- Dog has to pee all the time
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Lack of motivation [8]
In addition to bacteria, fungi, viruses or other diseases can also cause a urinary tract infection. The cause also determines the treatment.
For bacteria, antibiotics are usually recommended; for fungi, creams can sometimes help. In all cases, however, you should consult the vet. [9]
Urination in dogs usually causes severe pain due to an infection of the urinary tract. Affected four-legged friends want to avoid this by deliberately drinking too little. You can also tell by the fact that they constantly lick their private parts.
#2 Toothache
Unfortunately, dogs often suffer in silence. This is a trait they inherited from their ancestors. Because wolves and dogs are 99.9% genetically identical. [10]
For wolves, silent suffering is a safety mechanism because weak-looking wild animals often fall prey to other predators. Typical causes of this are:
- Excessive tartar
- Splinters in the gums
- Holes in the tooth
- Inflamed gums
- Broken tooth [11]
Affected dogs tend to drink too little and are often very sensitive to cold water. Classic signs of dental problems are:
- Dog refuses food
- Profuse drooling
- One-sided chewing
- Constant beeping
- Dog stares at food
- Touch sensitivity
- Aggressive behavior [12]
Depending on the cause, dogs can experience severe pain. If you suspect this, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.
If there are problems with their teeth, dogs usually react very sensitively to cold water. To avoid possible pain, try not to drink much. Toothache can often be recognized by the fact that the dog becomes sensitive to touch.
#3 Nausea
Compared to humans, dogs struggle with nausea significantly more often. This is due to evolution. Because dogs originally come from pure carnivores.
It was only through domestication that dogs increasingly became omnivores. However, your digestive system is still very primitive in comparison and can quickly become overwhelmed.
Nausea and vomiting are a protective mechanism to prevent this. And once they're sick, the last thing they want to do is drink. Other symptoms include:
- Listless behavior
- Constant panting
- Drinking too little
- Frequent swallowing
- Licking the lips
- Loss of appetite
- Restless behavior [13]
When nausea occurs, dogs automatically fast. So you don't need to remove the bowls. The most common causes of this are:
- Eating grass
- Food intolerances
- Cleaning agent swallowed
- Kidney and liver diseases
- Food allergies
- Eating too quickly
- Snaring and overeating
- Poisonous plants [14]
If it is due to the usual food, then I recommend doing a food check like this. There you will receive individual recommendations as well as free food samples.
If you experience one-off nausea, there is usually no reason to worry. However, if it becomes a permanent condition, then I recommend visiting the vet.
When dogs struggle with nausea, they fast automatically. This can be recognized by the fact that the otherwise hungry dog suddenly refuses food or drinks too little. In addition, affected four-legged friends often lick their lips and pant a lot.
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#4 Existing trauma
Psychological trauma occurs because the dog has experienced something in the past that led to strong negative emotions or almost died.
Subsequently, similar situations usually lead to severe fear or even panic. It is simply a protective mechanism to prevent the same situation from occurring.
This becomes a problem especially if your dog has had a traumatic experience in the past shortly before, during or after drinking. [15]
Because then he associates drinking with something negative. Especially if it happened at a very young age. Affected dogs therefore do not drink much out of fear.
This happens more often with stray dogs and dogs from animal shelters. The solution is to reconnect drinking with something positive:
- Give your dog a treat after drinking
- Praise your dog every time he drinks [16]
You should be patient here. Because existing traumas do not disappear into thin air overnight. But with enough consistency the problem should resolve itself.
If dogs have experienced something traumatic while drinking in the past, this can also affect their future drinking behavior. Here fear is the cause of the dog not drinking enough. But this can be solved with positive feedback.
#5 Arthritis
If the dog's joints are chronically inflamed, doctors also speak of arthritis. Old and large four-legged friends are particularly affected.
Arthritis is so common that studies show as many as 20% of dogs struggle with it. [17] But what exactly does this have to do with the amount you drink?
Well, if getting up and walking causes a lot of pain, then affected dogs go to the drinking bowl less often. Other typical symptoms include:
- Stiff running style
- Swollen joints
- Groaning when getting up
- Dog avoids stairs
- Lower activity
- Dog drinks too little
- Constant licking of…