July 18, 2024, 6:00 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Everyone knows them. The friend or colleague who always drinks too little, so has to remind themselves to drink more. They place large bottles of water on their desk or hang colorful reminders at eye level. Individuals who are good or bad at keeping hydrated don’t just exist in the human world, they also exist in the animal world. In this article, PETBOOK reveals why it is important for dogs to drink enough water and how to encourage them to do so.
While a healthy adult human should drink between two and three liters (about 8.4 and 12.6 cups) of fluid a day, a dog’s water requirement — depending on the source — is between 50 and 100 milliliters (ca. 0.2 and 0.4 cups) per kilogram (ca. 2.2 pounds) of body weight. For example, a dog weighing ten kilograms (ca. 22 pounds) should drink between half a liter and one liter (about 2.1 and 4.2 cups) of liquid per day. However, there are also many dogs that drink considerably less.
Dogs can meet some of their fluid requirements with the food that they eat
However, their fluid requirements do not have to be met solely by drinking, as dogs can also obtain fluid from their food. Depending on what the dog eats, they can also cover part of their fluid requirements through food. Wet food, for example, usually contains 70 to 80 percent water. Dry food, on the other hand, contains a maximum of 14 percent.1
For all bodily functions to run smoothly, it is important that every living creature consumes a sufficient amount of fluids. If your dog is not drinking enough, this can have many causes, both physical and psychological.
Why is my dog not drinking enough?
Some reasons why dogs don’t drink enough include increased stress, for instance, when there are major changes to their usual daily routine. For example, a new pack member, a female dog in heat in the neighborhood or a change of food.
However, reasons can also include food allergies, which can lead to abdominal pain, stomach aches, or nausea and result in the affected dog not drinking enough. However, it is also possible that the dog is suffering from a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. This would lead to symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea, all of which would cause them to not drink enough.2
Lack of thirst can also be an indicator of illness
However, physical ailments can also be the cause of a dog’s lack of drinking. For example, toothache and inflammation of the gums or kidney disease in the early stages. Owners should therefore keep a close eye on why their dog is not drinking enough. However, there may not be any need for concern. If a dog isn’t drinking but continues to eat and shows no other signs of illness, there’s generally little cause for alarm, according to veterinarian Dr. Marco Antonio Fragoso.
“However, if the dog is not drinking and seems listless, owners should definitely consult a vet.” But in general, if the dog has not consumed any fluids for several days, a vet should be consulted quickly. This is because dehydration and organ damage can occur relatively quickly in dehydrated dogs, especially in puppies and younger dogs, the vet explains to PETBOOK.
Owners should pay attention to any signs of dehydration
If a dog is also suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, the condition can quickly become life-threatening. Owners should therefore be aware of the signs of dehydration and act quickly if in doubt. Signs can be:
- Heavy panting
- Lack of energy and listlessness
- Dark-colored urine
- Lack of appetite
Tricks that can be used to stimulate a dog’s thirst
Fortunately, there are a few tricks that owners can use to help their dogs so they don’t get to this point. Owners of dogs that don’t drink well can give them extra water in their food. Either the dry food can be soaked or the wet food or BARF (biologically available raw food) can be enriched with water.
Another option is to switch from tap water to mineral water or filtered water. This is because some picky dogs can find odors in water, such as chlorine, so unpleasant that it stops them from drinking.
Another trick that many dog owners swear by is adding a little flavor to drinking water. Meat juice, bone broth, or goat’s milk powder can be added to the dog’s normal water. Depending on the dog’s personal taste, the water can also be “infused” with pieces of fruit or vegetables to take the taste to another level. This not only enhances the flavor, but also adds some valuable vitamins.
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However, there may also be tactile reasons that prevent a dog from drinking. There are indeed dogs that may prefer a ceramic bowl to a stainless steel one, or vice versa.
But there are also dogs that are afraid of their bowl, for example, if it is made of metal, has no rubber rims on the underside, and makes strange noises while drinking. Owners can see if changing the bowl makes a difference.3
For the hot summer months, dog owners should always have a drink bottle with them when they are out, regularly offering their pet refreshment from it. Speaking of refreshment, homemade dog ice cream can not only provide your pet with a tasty refreshment, it can also provide additional liquid. Some owners recommend filling a cone or something similar with dog ice cream. This allows the dog to slowly lick the ice cream, cool off, and keep hydrated.