Your assessment results for:

Drinking more than usual

Contact an emergency veterinary hospital

What to do next

Contact an emergency hospital ASAP and collect a urine sample

Contact the vet before travelling to ensure they are able to see your pet. They may also need to give you specific instructions. During your call, be sure to tell them what else is going on in addition to the excessive drinking.
In this case, it is the other symptoms you’ve selected in combination that makes this an emergency. Some regular hospitals may be able to treat your pet.
Don’t take away your dog’s water. This will not help your dog, and depending on the underlying issue, may make it worse.
Collect a urine sample (store in the fridge if not going immediately to the vet).

Why it’s an emergency

Excessive drinking in combination with lethargy, vomiting, or inappetence indicates a severe underlying condition

While drinking more on its own is unlikely an emergency, based on the other signs you’ve selected, your dog could have a life-threatening condition and requires immediate veterinary attention.
Some of the conditions we are worried about include kidney disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes Insipidus, Cushing’s Disease, and endocrine disorder.
These situations are time sensitive and require ER veterinarians with specialized equipment (though some regular clinics may be able to treat your pet).

First aid tips

Record your dog’s water intake and restrict exercise

Try to record how much water your dog is drinking in a day in a 24-hour period. 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.
Restrict exercise to short leashed walks and bathroom breaks only.
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.

Drinking more than usual

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