How Much Water Should My Dog Drink in Ukiah, CA?

Dogs need to have access to clean and fresh water to be healthy, and you might be surprised at just how much water a dog needs to stay healthy, particularly when it is hot out. Without free access to water, dogs can get heatstroke, which is life-threatening and an emergency medical condition. People who have dogs who love to play and run and fetch need to remember that dogs will not always ask to drink water when they are having fun, which can lead to serious health problems in a very short timeframe.

Knowing how much water your dog should drink can also help you to identify potential health concerns early. Kidney and liver issues can be indicated when a dog is drinking to excess, and you will want to be sure that you pay attention to your dog’s usual drinking patterns so that you know when they are drinking more or less than usual.

If you are ready to learn some more about how much water your dog should be drinking, you need to keep reading!

How Much Water Should a Healthy Dog be Drinking?

Knowing what an average dog’s water intake is can help you to be sure that they are getting what they need when they are exerting. You will also be able to identify changes to their drinking behavior, so you can get them to the veterinarian if need be.

The average adult dog will drink about 1 ounce of water for every pound of their weight each day. This means that a ten-pound dog will need to drink about three-quarters of a bottle of water each day. Dogs that are active might need as much as double this amount to stay hydrated. When it is hot, this might also be the case.

This is a good baseline for your dog’s drinking behavior, and you will want to be sure that you are aware of their usual drinking behavior before you take them out running or before they need to be exposed to hot weather.

Are There Reasons That My Dog is Drinking Less Than This?

There are some reasons that your pet’s daily water intake might be less than this average amount. If you are feeding wet food, this might change the amount of water that your dog needs to intake to meet their daily needs. Pets that are eating kibble will always drink more than dogs that are eating wet food due to the moisture that is in the wet food.

Illness can lead to reduced drinking, as can worried behavior or fearful behavior of various kinds. If your dog does not like something about their water as well, they might refuse to drink enough of it. Dogs that get too hot and start to show signs of heatstroke might also choose not to drink. This is usually a warning sign of some kind of major health issue unless your dog is getting wet food.

How Do I Know if My Dog is Dehydrated?

There are a few really easy ways to check to see if your dog is not hydrated enough. This is important to pay attention to if the weather is hot or if you think that they have not been drinking enough. Dogs that are dehydrated can get seriously ill very quickly. These tests are very simple, and you should not hesitate to check your dog’s hydration if you are worried about it for any reason.

Skin Tent Test

The fastest way to tell if your dog is dehydrated is to pinch the skin between their shoulder blades and pull up slightly. If the skin does not fall back into place readily, then your dog is most likely dehydrated.

Check Gums

If your dog’s gums are dry, sticky, or pale, this is a sign that they are dehydrated. You can easily check this by lifting up their lip and feeling the gums or pressing a fingertip into them to see if the capillary refill can be seen with ease.

Dry Nose or Mouth

Everyone knows how wet and slobbery dog kisses are, so if your dog’s nose or mouth feels dry and sticky, this is a sign that they are not hydrated enough. You can easily just touch your dog’s nose to check for hydration, and even if it is hot out, your dog’s nose should feel wet to the touch.

Sunken Eyeballs

When your dog’s eyes appear sunken in, this is a key indication that they are seriously dehydrated. If you have noticed this symptom, you will want to be sure to take your dog to the veterinarian right away.

What Happens if My Dog Gets Dehydrated?

Dogs that are dehydrated are at risk for heatstroke as well as other serious health conditions. It is very hard on a dog’s liver and kidneys if they are not hydrated enough, and your pet could suffer long-term health issues related to a serious bout with dehydration. Make sure that you are paying attention to your dog’s water intake to be sure that your pet will avoid serious health concerns related to not drinking enough water.

You can make it easy for your dog to be hydrated by having lots of clean and fresh water available and making sure that you do not take them out to exercise when it is too hot for dogs. This is one of the key reasons that dogs get dehydrated, and you will want to avoid putting your pet in this position by accident.

Dogs Need to Drink a Lot of Water Every Day to be Healthy

If you have been worried about if your dog is drinking enough water, you should be aware by now of the average amount of water that they should consume. If your dog starts to deviate from this amount of water intake significantly, you should consider taking them to the vet. There are many serious complications to your dog’s health that can happen due to dehydration, and you do not want to wait too long to get your dog help if they are dehydrated.

Call Mendocino Animal Hospital at (707) 462-8833 or book an appointment online if you have questions about the amount of water your dog is drinking.