My Puppy Is Always Extremely Thirsty?
September 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I have a 6 month old pomeranian/papillon mix. when i got her a couple of months ago, she had several health problems (including worms, kennel cough, horrible fleas, and a staph infection). two months later, she is completely better, and as cute as can be. however, she is always TERRIBLY thirsty. i give her about two cups of water each day (the amount the vet recommended) along with her food twice a day. she laps all of her water up at once and licks the bowl clean. sometimes she even drinks her water before she eats her food. i have her on nutramax puppy, so it’s not cheap food that would be making her thirsty, either.
she is so thirsty that she tries to lap up the water on the floor after i shower, or the condensation on glasses! she gets excited about drinking rainwater outside, too. if we’re outside playing, i do give her exta water, and i give her an ice cube or two every day (they feel good with her incoming teeth).
at any rate, she also poops a lot (about 5 times a day), and tries to eat other dogs’ poop outside. i had her blood tested and had two urine tests done a month ago, and they said everything looked good. is this normal puppy behavior? we’re basically done potty training, and at first i thought this was behavioral, but since she’s gone weeks without any accidents and is still addicted to water, i’m not thinking it’s behavioral.
any thoughts?
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Dogs can have a condition called polydipsia which can be a symptom of diabetes. Polydipsia means they have excessive thirst. I wouldn’t withold water either, the dog is genuinely thirsty so I understand why she would drink all the water before eating her food. The water is more important to her.
I get the feeling your vet is not familiar with polydipsia so perhaps another vet would be an idea or if you know your current vet well, ask him to research it. I don’t think much of his advice to limit the water when he has no idea why she is so thirsty.
Always keep a full bowl of fresh water out. ALWAYS. I would be thirsty too if I was only allowed two cups of water a day. My dog drinks WAY more than that. Maybe you miss understood the vet. I can see your concern since she had so many health problems when you got her, kudos for the rescue!!! But, just like everyone else says, please make sure your dogs ALWAYS have fresh water available.
You should always have water available and should never limit your dogs water. The reason she is so thirsty is probably dehydration.
i breed own train and rescuse staffis and have never been told to limit water in take of a dog unless it needs surgery.
i have a large bowl of water down 24/7 for my dogs and they only drink when needed. yours could be that thirsty that she is drinking it all as soon as she gets it because she knows she aint gonna get any more. try puttin a full bowl down and see if the behaviour goes away.
i have one dog that pee’s about 5 or 6 times every time he goes out and he’s not marking. im not worried as i have had him checked for everythign including doggi diabeties.
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Why are you restricting the amount of water available? Dogs need a ready supply of fresh water AT ALL TIMES. She’s probably drinking it up because she doesn’t have this ready supply. So leave her a bowl out all the time.
If you think she’s drinking too much, take her to your vet (again) and have him check her out, and take a urine sample with you but I seriously think this is down to her not having water available all the time?
Don’t EVER limit a dogs water…let her have as much as she wants starting right now and continuing forever…take her out to pee more if you need to.
I have been a Vet tech for 7+ yrs and have NEVER heard a vet tell anyone to limit their dogs water except the morning of surgery.
I see why you may want to pick the water up an hour before bed or so, so that she can empty her bladder before bed and not have an accident…for a couple weeks while she is working on potty training I could see why you might do that. But as a general rule you always want your dog to have plenty of fresh water to drink