If puppies drink a lot and pee a lot, this could indicate existing kidney problems, diabetes or a urinary tract infection. Under certain circumstances it can also be due to anxiety and stress, Cushing's syndrome or liver problems.
A healthy dog normally drinks around 105 ml of water per kilogram of body weight every day and pees 20-40 ml per kilogram of body weight. [1]
However, if your four-legged friend drinks significantly more water and produces a lot more urine, then veterinarians also speak of “polydipsia” and “polyuria”.
Under no circumstances should you deny access to water. This can often make existing problems worse. Below you will learn about the 7 most common causes.
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#1 Kidney problems
The kidneys primarily take care of the water and electrolyte balance. They also filter the blood every day and ensure that toxins and waste products are excreted.
Kidney problems, on the other hand, can limit their function. Depending on the period, doctors differentiate between acute and chronic problems. Typical causes are:
- Poisonings
- Severe dehydration
- Bacterial inflammation
- Heat stroke
- Old age
- Leptospirosis
- Snake bite [2]
One of the first symptoms of this is that the puppy is peeing often and drinking unusually much. The urine is also usually very pale. Other typical signs include:
- Loss of appetite
- Metallic bad breath
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dog suddenly loses weight
- Listless behavior
- Pale gums
- Blood in urine [3]
For diagnosis, the vet takes some blood and urine. Sometimes blood pressure is also measured. Treatment then depends on the suspected cause.
Unfortunately, kidney problems are not always curable. As a rule, the symptoms can be treated well with the help of medication and a change in diet.
If there are existing kidney problems, puppies usually drink a lot and pee constantly. Typically, affected four-legged friends also lose some weight over time, smell like metal from their mouths and have to vomit more often.
#2 Diabetes
When people talk about “diabetes,” they primarily mean “diabetes mellitus.” This type is also known colloquially as “diabetes”.
That also explains the name. Because “diabetes” means something like “flowing through” and “mellitus” is Latin for “honey-sweet”. The urine is significantly sweeter here.
When it comes to diabetes mellitus, veterinarians also differentiate between type 1 and type 2, depending on whether the body produces too little insulin or reacts too weakly to it.
But “diabetes insipidus” can also cause puppies to pee a lot and drink a lot. The word “insipidus” also comes from Latin and means “without taste”.
In this rare disease, it is not the hormone insulin that is the problem, but rather the “antidiuretic hormone” (ADH), which controls urine concentration. [4]
If the puppy produces too little ADH or does not respond adequately to the hormone, enormous amounts of watery urine will be produced. This explains the frequent urge to urinate.
Both types of diabetes are not related and require different treatment. However, the symptoms usually overlap greatly. [5]
Both diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus can cause puppies to drink a lot and therefore have to pee a lot. While the first type is caused by insulin, the second type is caused by the antidiuretic hormone.
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#3 Stress & Anxiety
For evolutionary reasons, both humans and dogs release corresponding stress hormones when danger occurs – primarily cortisol and adrenaline.
This cocktail of hormones means that the four-legged friend becomes more alert and more efficient so that he can either fight or flee. Typical triggers for this are:
- Contact with strangers
- Traumatic experiences
- Strong storms with thunderstorms
- Inadequate socialization
- Contact with strange dogs
- Violence in dog training
- Noise and loud noises [6]
If your puppy is drinking a lot, panting or constantly having to pee, this could be a sign of stress. More specifically, it is a symptom of increased stress hormone levels.
Typically, you can often tell this from their body language. For example, when he tucks his tail and lowers his head. Other classic signs include:
- Sudden tremors
- Constant beeping
- Licking the lips
- Dog yawns a lot
- Raised back hair
- Avoiding eye contact
- Accidents in the house [7]
The solution here is to find out the corresponding stress factor and avoid it. If this is not possible, then you need to proactively get your puppy used to it.
Both stress and anxiety can cause puppies to release too many stress hormones. As a result, the four-legged friend drinks unusually much and often pees. Constant yawning and body language can also indicate this.
#4 Urinary tract infection
The urinary tract is just an umbrella term for all parts of the body that remove urine from the kidneys. So primarily the renal pelvis, the ureters, bladder and the urethra.
A urinary tract infection usually occurs due to the accumulation of bacteria. It is one of the most common inflammations in dogs. Especially in female dogs.
This is because the urethra in females is significantly shorter and therefore bacteria can penetrate more easily. Male dogs are therefore less likely to be affected in practice. [8]
If a urinary tract infection occurs in puppies, one of the signs of this is that they pee a lot and drink a lot. Other symptoms include:
- Foul-smelling urine
- Lack of motivation
- Whieking when peeing
- Dog leaks urine
- Excessive intimate hygiene
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Sudden incontinence [9]
To make a diagnosis, the veterinarian usually examines the urine. If bacteria are behind it, antibiotics are usually used for treatment.
The inflammation and symptoms should disappear within a few days. In some cases, a urinary tract infection can also indicate other illnesses.
If the puppy's urinary tract becomes inflamed, this is primarily noticeable in the amount he drinks and when he urinates. To be more precise, affected four-legged friends drink unusually much, have to pee constantly and usually have a different color of urine.
#5 Cushing's syndrome
Cushing's syndrome is a disorder whereby the adrenal gland produces too much of the stress hormone “cortisol”. As a result, the stress hormone level is permanently increased.
Normally, higher amounts of cortisol should only be released in dangerous situations. The disease usually has only two causes:
- Tumor in the pituitary gland (~ 90% of cases)
- Tumor in the adrenal glands (~10% of cases) [10]
If you've ever had a panic attack, you know that it causes you to suddenly feel extremely thirsty. Dogs are no different here.
If your puppy suffers from Cushing's syndrome, you can usually tell by an increased amount of water and a constant urge to urinate. Other symptoms include:
- Scattered hair loss
- Constant skin inflammation
- Listless behavior
- Dog has a big belly
- Thin and fragile skin
- Excessive panting
- Strong hunger [11]
The treatment depends on the size and stage of the tumor. In some cases it can be removed surgically. In other cases, medication can be a remedy.
Puppies with Cushing's syndrome have chronically elevated levels of stress hormones. In practice, this means that the four-legged friends have to drink a lot and pee a lot. In addition, affected dogs usually lose hair and develop a big stomach.
#6 Liver problems
The liver takes on several tasks in the dog's body. It converts nutrients from food into usable substances and releases them to the cells when needed.
It also detoxifies the body and ensures that harmful substances are eliminated. However, various triggers can limit liver function:
- Very high-fat food
- Certain medications
- Heartworm infestation
- Viral infections
- Cushing's syndrome
- Bacterial inflammation
- Problems with the pancreas
- Diabetes [12]
One of the first symptoms here is that the puppy is losing weight, drinking a lot and having to pee frequently. Other classic symptoms of liver problems include:
- Sudden cramps
- Blood in urine or stool
- Nausea and vomiting
- Accumulation of water in the abdomen
- Yellow gums
- Loss of appetite
- Dog is confused [13]
For diagnosis, liver values are first determined from the blood. Depending on the suspected cause, an X-ray examination or biopsy may also be carried out.
Therapy then depends on the diagnosis. In most cases, a combination of medication, supplements and a change in diet is sufficient.
When puppies develop liver problems, this is often noticeable both visually and behaviorally. Typically, affected four-legged friends pee and drink a lot, develop yellowish gums and suddenly lose weight.
#7 Electrolyte imbalance
In the body, electrolytes refer to certain minerals that ensure balance in the distribution of fluids. These are ions.
Typical examples of these are sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. But there is more. If there are too few or too many of these, it can lead to problems:
Doctors refer to this as “hypercalcemia”. A calcium level that is too high not only causes symptoms, but can also indicate more serious illnesses.
Typically, affected puppies behave restlessly, drink and pee a lot, have no appetite, vomit more often and appear weak. [14]
If the potassium level in the blood is too low, veterinarians also speak of “hypokalemia”. Here, affected dogs usually behave very listlessly and weakly.
Among other things, it can also be recognized by the fact that affected dogs stagger, have problems standing up, cannot keep their heads up and are often constipated. [15]
Various electrolyte imbalances such as elevated calcium levels or low potassium levels can cause puppies to pee a lot and also drink a lot. In most cases, this also leads to other pathological symptoms.
Other causes
- Medication
- Inflammation of the uterus
- behavioral disorder…