Content
- The functions of water for the dog:
- Why does my dog drink a lot of water? It's normal?
- Amount of water a dog should drink per day
- Dog drinks a lot of water and urinates a lot
In addition to watching that your puppy eats properly, you should pay attention to the amount of water he ingests. He must always have available fresh and clean water and you must make sure he drinks the necessary amount.
water is the most important essential nutrient for the survival of all organisms. About 70% of a dog's body weight is water. Through this article by PeritoAnimal, you will notice if your dog is drinking the necessary amount of water. Why does the dog drink a lot of water? Keep reading to find out.
The functions of water for the dog:
Before you panic and start thinking that you are facing a clinical sign of disease, it is important to know the functions of water, so that you can associate and detect the possible pathologies associated with its imbalance.
Some of water functions are:
- Transport of nutrients and other products to filter.
- Participation in cellular metabolic reactions.
- Be part of the structure of organs and tissues.
- The protection and cushioning of organs.
- Thermoregulation.
The origin of body water comes from its consumption, food intake and metabolic reactions that occur in the body. In turn, water losses occur through urine, faeces, lungs and skin. In the case of puppies, the elimination of water through the skin is minimal since puppies only sweat through the tongue and the pads, where they have the sweat glands.
Why does my dog drink a lot of water? It's normal?
There are a few aspects to take into account related to water consumption, which are not always indicative signs of illness:
- Younger puppies consume more water than older ones.
- The more the dog weighs, the more water he will drink.
- Pregnant or lactating female dogs have a greater need for water intake than female dogs in other physiological states.
- Dogs that get more exercise need to drink more water than more sedentary dogs.
- The components of the dog's daily food ration determine its water intake. The more dry matter the food contains, the more fiber and more sodium it contains, and the dog will proportionally consume more water.
- The temperature and humidity characteristic of the place where we live will influence water intake. So, in places with low humidity and warmer, dogs will drink more water.
- The very characteristics of the water (temperature, taste, smell, cleanliness) that puppies have at their disposal influence their intake.
In addition, it is very important to emphasize that certain pharmacological treatments as steroids or diuretics also cause a higher water intake.
Amount of water a dog should drink per day
How much water should a dog drink each day? If the dog doesn't have any problems, there will be a balance between water gains and losses and it will need about 70 ml of water per kg of weight per day.
If there is any pathology that causes an increase in water losses, then there will be a greater need for water intake. This pathology is called polydipsia. Polydipsia is usually accompanied by polyuria (the dog urinates more) and may be accompanied by other clinical signs.
Water intake is regulated by antidiuretic hormone which is released by the pituitary and travels to the kidneys, which work by concentrating the urine. This axis can malfunction at any of the points due to diseases like:
- diabetes mellitus
- Intoxications
- Infections like pyometra
- Hyperadrenocorticism
- kidney failure
- hypercalcemia
- liver alteration
Dog drinks a lot of water and urinates a lot
If you think your puppy drinks too much water and beyond that he is vomiting, is sad, eats little and transparent urine, you should quickly visit your trusted veterinarian.
The specialist will be able to evaluate, through different diagnostic tests what is the cause that is causing the dog to ingest more water and define an appropriate treatment. Do not try to give the dog a treatment on your own or medicate the dog without the supervision of the veterinarian.