Can a dog drink too much....

[Halfpass]

My lab puppy is now 17 weeks.

He is a greedy little thing and will eat anything going (normal lab then!!!)

Since this hot weather I have had a problem with him drinking lots. Everytime I fill his bowl he will drink the whole lot without stopping then be looking for more. He drinks so much that his belly ends up very very bloated.

Is this normal or should I be worried?

 

[CAYLA]

If he clears a filled up bowl every time, I would get him checked, and take a urine sample with you.

Dry food diets can make dogs excessivley thirsty, some naturally drooling breeds

like mastiffs also consume lots of water, and others can jsut drink cos it's there, jsut for the greed of it

I would definately get him checked though.

 

[competitiondiva]

From what you've described I too would get him checked over, if he's getting bloated then there could be an underlying health problem, no point in sitting worrying, get him checked over and put your mind at rest.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Stooopid puppy!!

Sounds like his eyes are bigger than his tummy!!!

As the others have said I would get him checked to be on the safe side but wouldn't panic as it may just be a combination of hot weather and dry food - I know it sounds silly but maybe give him a bigger water bowl.

 

[Halfpass]

[ QUOTE ]
Stooopid puppy!!

Sounds like his eyes are bigger than his tummy!!!

As the others have said I would get him checked to be on the safe side but wouldn't panic as it may just be a combination of hot weather and dry food - I know it sounds silly but maybe give him a bigger water bowl.

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Bigger

if he drinks much more he'll pop!!!!!
He looks much better this morning but I have had to stop him downing an already fairly big bowl ( I have 2 labs and the other one doesn't get a look in!!! ). I think its just greed TBH but will call my vet on Monday and get their advice.

 

[TarrSteps]

My lab x whippet puppy was doing the same thing when we got her. She's on dry food and naturally a bit of a pigglet but she also came from a really bad situation and we've wondered if they only had water intermittently (or the bitch could only produce limited milk) so they learned to drink as much as possible when they could. She's been checked out and is in perfect health - quite something considering her start in life.

What's helped her the most, I think, is having LARGE bodies of water to drink from - buckets at the barn, the pond where they swim, the paddling pool in the backyard (spoiled much??) - she drinks much less at a time when she drinks from these. So I try to make sure she drinks when we're out and about. They do have bowls in the house but she prefers to drink out of the pool in the back yard if she can so the problem is sort of working itself out anyway.

So . . . perhaps a MUCH bigger bucket to drink from for awhile? She seemed to be both daunted and reassured by the amount on offer. Get him checked, obviously, but might be worth a shot.

We joke about her "drinking problem" - good to know other dogs do it too!