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Your assessment results for:

Drinking More Than Usual

Urgency level: Low priority

Monitor your dog at home and contact your family veterinary practice if the situation doesn’t improve

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What to do next

Monitor your dog for new symptoms or persistent excessive drinking

  • Monitor your dog closely for any new symptoms or changes in behavior. If the dog becomes very lethargic or starts vomiting, contact your family veterinary hospital right away.
  • Don’t take away your dog’s water. This will not help your dog, and depending on the underlying issue, may make it worse.
  • Record how much water your dog is drinking in a day. See the Home care tips section for instructions on how to do this.

 

Why it’s lower priority

Occasional excessive drinking is normal

  • Dogs can occasionally drink more than usual, especially after a period of exercise, being in a hot environment, or any changes in diet (such as table scraps from a salty meal).
  • There are a number of things that can cause a dog to drink more water, but any persistent excessive drinking (more than a few days) may indicate an underlying problem.
  • If an underlying condition is present, there will usually be other symptoms present such as lethargy and vomiting in addition to excessive drinking.

 

Home care tips

Record your dog’s water intake

  • Try to record how much water your dog is drinking in a day. To do this, use a measuring cup each time you fill your dog’s bowl for a 24 hour period.
  • A normal dog drinks approximately 40-60 ml/kg/day of water.
    • For example: 10 kg dog x 40-60ml/kg = 400-600 ml of water per day (over 24 hours)
  • If your dog is drinking more than 100 ml/kg/day of water, this is considered to be excessive drinking (polydipsia) and should be seen by a vet.
  • Learn more about drinking more (excessive thirst) in dogs

 

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Disclaimer

Please note that our Symptoms Assessments and Results are intended for informational purposes only, and not a medical diagnosis. Our goal is to help pet owners make an informed decision about if, when and how urgently they need to seek veterinary care. Using our site should not and does not replace a consultation with a veterinarian.