If you have an elderly dog, you have probably noticed many age-related complaints and changes in your senior.
So it may be that your old dog suddenly drinks a lot.
In this article you can find out when drinking behavior is harmless and what signs of illness can be.
In a nutshell: Is it normal for an old dog to suddenly drink a lot?
Does your old dog drink at one warm day more than usual, this is no cause for alarm.
However, if you cannot find an explanation for the increased drinking, you should observe your dog closely and look out for other symptoms.
Old dog suddenly drinks a lot – How much water does an old dog need?
How much your dog should drink depends on its size and the need for exercise.
As a rough guide, you can assume 60 ml per kilo of body weight.
So if your dog weighs 5 kilos, he should drink 300 ml of water a day. If you have a large dog weighing 30 kilos, he should drink about 1.8 liters a day.
If your dog is fed wet food, he will drink less water than a dog that is fed dry food.
But the weather also plays a role.
On hot days will be yours Dog panting more. This will dry out the otherwise moist mucous membranes in his mouth faster and your dog will drool more.
He has to compensate for the loss of liquid by drinking.
A change in feed can also lead to a change in drinking behavior.
Important:
Is your dog a slobber who floods the area around his water bowl? Then of course you must not consider this amount as drunk liquid.
Diseases in dogs with increased drinking requirements
1. Bladder infection
In the case of a bacterial infection of the bladder or urinary tract, dogs usually have a great urge to urinate. This is how the body wants to get rid of the bacteria. The dog often drinks a lot and is restless.
Many a dog pees in the apartment because it can no longer hold it.
However, due to frequent urination, the body lacks fluid. So the dog has to drink more again.
But also tumors in the kidneys can cause your dog to drink more than usual.
2. Diabetes
The metabolic disease Diabetes mellitus can also affect dogs. Diabetes usually occurs
as you get older and causes your dog to drink more.
If recognized and treated early, your dog with this disease usually has a normal life expectancy.
3. Signs of intoxication
Great care must be taken when you discover your Dog does not eat, but drinks a lot.
These symptoms can poisoning indicate. Especially when they occur together with cramps, diarrhea or vomiting.
4. Renal insufficiency
Also a kidney failure or a kidney failure can become noticeable through increased drinking.
Then the kidneys only work to a limited extent or not at all cannot flush toxins out of the body.
The earlier kidney failure is detected, the better the chances of treatment.
How can I help my dog?
If you find that your old dog is drinking a lot, you should first check whether it is the heat, the food or the sporting program lies.
In warm temperatures you should give him one if possible cool place offer and also the adapt daily exercise to his age.
If the drinking behavior is not due to a change in the dog’s everyday life, you should observe whether your dog has other noticeable signs, such as:
When should I go to the vet?
If you can rule out food, temperature, or exercise, you should take your dog to the vet.
This is especially true if you notice any of the other symptoms described above in your dog quick action better than long wait.
In the case of diseases such as diabetes or the onset of kidney failure, better treatment is possible with early diagnosis.
Severe physical and health damage can be reduced in this way.
If your dog drinks a lot of water over a long period of time, this can lead to a water intoxication to lead. This can be accompanied by unconsciousness.
If you suspect water intoxication in your dog, you should have him to the vet immediately bring.
Good to know:
A urine sample is usually required for a diagnosis. With a soup ladle, you can easily catch this from the dog and put it in a well-closable and airtight transport container.
Conclusion
If your old dog suddenly drinks a lot, this can have various causes.
Sometimes there is something quite harmless behind, such as warm weather, dry air from heating or other lining.
However, if you notice other changes in your dog’s fur nose, you should be careful.
It’s better to have one too many vet visits with your dog than one too few.
Because the consequences of an undiagnosed illness or water intoxication can be fatal for your dog.
How do you check if your dog is drinking enough? Let me know in the comments.