Dog drinking excessively

[Bojingles]

For the last week I've been looking after a dog for a friend of a friend type thing. The owner is in hospital. The dog is a Scottish Terrier, very obese, under-exercised and unsocialised. She's fed on Baker's , cod liver oil and dried apricots to keep her bowels moving. My terrier's extremely fit so I've had to take them on separate walks. Whilst she's been here, the Scottie's been drinking about 2 litres a day. She'll empty the water bowl as soon as it's down and still want more. Strangely, her urination isn't nearly as excessive as her drinking. I've now returned her to a relative of her owner but mentioned the excessive drinking. Any opinions? This is way too much to drink isn''t it? I'm thinking diabetes?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Weirdly I've been using Bakers (shhhhh!) as a random surprise food in training and the dog is drinking stacks more than he usually does. I won't be replacing the box when it runs out!!

Only a vet/tests will be able to reveal if there is anything underlying.

 

[blackcob]

Could be any number of things - taking a urine sample to the vet could confirm or rule out most things including diabetes.

My over drinking, excessively urinating dog was most recently diagnosed with chronic pyelonephritis, though the presentation is non typical and he may yet have central diabetes insipidus, psychogenic polydipsia or nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. He drinks over three litres of water a day and has never produced a urine sample with an SG over 1.008. Presently we manage him by keeping the bathroom door shut so he can't drink loads from the loo.

 

[Bojingles]

Gosh, that's interesting. I wonder if it's really high in salt. I've had big collies and lurchers and all sorts in the past, but I've never seen a dog drink this much.

 

[satinbaze]

Scottie's are prone to cushings disease and one of the symptoms is thirst. It may be worth suggesting a trip to the vets for a blood test

 

[joelb]

I was also thinking cushings in view of obesity and excessive drinking although a cushings dog will usually pee excessively too.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Seem to remember that Bakers was named and shamed a few years back, for containing possible carcinogenic ingredients (i.e. the colourings etc)???? Plus it was cited for creating hyperactivity in dogs???

Can you get the owner to change to something else???

Would suggest vet visit for some bloods etc too.

 

[Luci07]

I thought cushings too but would try him off the bakers first...appreciate he is not your dog though. I recently bought an alternative dry food for my 2 girls which was supposedly a quality food. Both upped their drinking massively and started scratching. Quick call to the vets who told me to put them back on their normal food...drinking and scratching stopped in a matter of days.