Dog drinking too much?? PLEASE HELP

[eventer131]

my 9yr (nearly 10) old large dog seems to be drinking an excessive amount of water, i would say he is a big drinker anyway but it seems too much now. however it is hard to monitor as i have 4 dogs and the fourth is a new large puppy who also drinks LOADS - as in he will drink until bowl is empty unless you tell him to stop. my issue is that it is hard to weigh up if he is drinking more - as this has health worries such as diabetes, kidney failure/infection (How likely is this is a 9yr old large breed dog???)- or it seems that i am constantly filling their bowl as there is one more mouth to quench.

whats interesting is that when i am not here for long periods (a few hours) i will leave a full bowl but when i come back not that much is gone it only seems to be when i am there. what do you think guys?? i am really worried as my old dog of the same breed died of acute kidney failure aged 11.

please help a heartbroken dog owner (i cry when i think about something being wrong and he is in pain!!) so pleease any advice or thoughts would be huuuuuugely appreciated! xxx

 

[FionaM12]

Have you taken a urine sample for the vet to test? My elderly terrier years ago started drinking excessive water and the vet tested his urine. As I remember there was a little protein in it (it was a long time ago :redface3 and the vet treated him then recommended a special diet for him.

He lived several more years of healthy life, but I had to keep an eye on water intake/output and had his urine tested from time to time.

 

[eventer131]

thanks for your reply, we are taking him to the vets tomorrow, praying for nothing serious as can't imagine life without him! elderly dogs become such a heartache, dont you wish they could live as long as us lot

 

[FionaM12]

thanks for your reply, we are taking him to the vets tomorrow, praying for nothing serious as can't imagine life without him! elderly dogs become such a heartache, dont you wish they could live as long as us lot

I'd recommend you take a sample of urine with you. Hope he's okay.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yep, this is one for the vet. Try catching a sample in an old takeaway container before you go, sure as eggs as eggs he will not pee in front of the vet.

You might need to isolate him with a marked bowl in order to assess if it is him and how much he is drinking.

It could be a health issue or he could just be a 'silly drinker' - I've had a couple of those. My current dog will stand in a stream and just catch water in his mouth.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

thanks for your reply, we are taking him to the vets tomorrow, praying for nothing serious as can't imagine life without him! elderly dogs become such a heartache, dont you wish they could live as long as us lot

Something you didn't mention in your first reply is Cushings. A common sign of Cushings in dogs, is that they begin to drink much more water, but it usually also leads to that they need to pee a lot more. But remember that it doesn't have to be something wrong, for example it has been a rather warm period over here, if you've had the same, that may explain an increased water intake for your dogs. Also, I presume that they're more active when you're at home with them, which also could explain why they empty the water bowl when you're at home, but not when you're not there. Anyhow, if it does turn out to be a problem, try to think positively, because sometimes veterinarians can do things to help, there could be medication, a suitable food etc., which may give them more time.


If you're curious about how much each of them drinks per day, don't think that being a multiple dog owner makes it impossible to give them individual water bowls to try and find out the answer. It is more hassle than just filling up one common water bowl, you need to do it over a period of time for it to be really meaningful, personally I presume that it is easier if they're already used to not being allowed to eat in each others food bowls, and of course, it is difficult to know if they remember to drink in their own water bowls when you're not at home or if they go up for a drink during the night, but still, it can be doable and will give you at least a better idea about their individual water intake.

I know this, because many years ago, I got curious about how much the three bitches that I had then drank separately. This was back when I had two Norwegian Buhunds and one Smooth Collie by the way, anyhow, I've always had sort of designated spots (which is about 1 metre or more apart from each other) where I put down my bitches food bowls, so one day, I took away their usual common water bowl, and instead I put down three water bowls next to where I put down their food bowls.
At first, all three simply wanted to drink in the water bowl that was closest to were their common water bowl used to stand, so I had to show the other two a few times that they now had their own water bowls, it also happened that they simply tried to drink in the first water bowl that they came across, but overall, I really only needed to show them to their own water bowls a few times, before it felt as if they got the hang of it.

I don't remember were I put the fourth water bowl for the cats, but I clearly recall the (modified) saying that you can take a cat to a water bowl, but then they will go and drink in the water bowl that they want to drink in. *sigh* :rolleyes3: So the cats preferred to mainly drink in one of the bitches water bowls, but I "caught" them drinking in the other water bowls too, thus taking my water measuring even further away from being 100% accurate. But it still gave me a good idea about how much water that was normal for my bitches to drink individually.
Admittedly, after a few months, my curiosity was satisfied, and I probably used moving out to our summerhouse as a reason for going back to one common water bowl, because our summerhouse is so small, that it really wouldn't be easy to fit in several water bowls on the floor (without placing them with high risk for stepping in them).



You have my sympathy for worrying yourself about if the time is coming, when you will lose another one of your dogs. It is heartbreaking to go through, and of course you don't want it to happen. My oldest Finnish Lapphund is now about 8 years old, some weeks ago the thought popped up in my head about that this breed's average life length is between 12 to 15 years old, and I realised that I might just have about 4 years left with her, which first just made me want to stop the time. But since the later isn't possible, I tried to simply use it as a reminder to appreciate the time here and now which I do have with her, because regardless if I get to keep her for only a week, 4 years or longer, it will always feel as a too short time.


Hope everything goes as well as possible tomorrow at the veterinarian visit. And good luck with taking a urine sample, from someone who has tried to use various containers, discretely shove them in under a bitch as she crouches, only for her to stop and give me a seemingly horrified look, = me trying to pretend as if I'm not at all interested in what she's doing, so she walks around for a while trying to find a new suitable place to pee at, crouches, notices that I'm again quickly bending down to shove something in under her...
Two tips that could be worth trying if you have problems with getting the sample, try and find a container that is narrow enough to easily fit between their legs, and some uses tape to attach the container on to a stick, the later is so that you don't have to reveal your intentions by bending down.

 

[hayley.t]

Take a urine sample with you. And try not to worry too much, there are a few things it could be and not all serious. Have you noticed if his urine is smelling stronger? It could just be an infection or crystals, usually easily sorted with anti-biotics/ prescription diet. Agree with FL re urine sample! mine got wise to it and would stop weeing when I bent down, in the end I had to get my friend to help as he didn't expect it with her! ha ha

 

[Bestdogdash]

When you go to the vet, ask him to test for diabetes. We had a large English Pointer, who displayed v similar symptoms (aged 8) - just couldn't get enough water. She had become diabetic, and needed daily insulin. Worth the test.

 

[FionaM12]

What did the vet say OP? Hope all's okay.

 

[Superhot]

How did you get on at the vets??? In this heat, all mine are drinking more than usual too...

 

[eventer131]

Been to vets had a full check - urine sample almost normal, hearts fine, couldn't feel any abnormalities with kidneys. Vet is leaning towards Cushings! Bloods to come back tomorrow. what is the prognosis with cushings??

 

[CorvusCorax]

Is he showing any other symptoms, lethargy/depression, bloating, hair thinning or hair loss.
What breed is he?

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Been to vets had a full check - urine sample almost normal, hearts fine, couldn't feel any abnormalities with kidneys. Vet is leaning towards Cushings! Bloods to come back tomorrow. what is the prognosis with cushings??

Leaning towards isn't the same as knowing for sure, but if it is Cushings, then many dogs can live two, three years with Cushings, some more, some less. The only dog that I've known with Cushings, lived around 1 or 2 years with Cushings.

 

[hayley.t]

I do know a few dogs with Cushings, one I particular had it when I met her and that was 5 years ago! She has regular blood tests. The treatment isn't the cheapest but they can do very well.