Should I worry if my Australian Shepherd drinks excessive water?

A healthy dog should not drink more than 60ml water/kg (2.2lbs) body weight/24hrs. So if your dog weighs 22lbs, he should not drink more than 600ml per 24 hours. If your dog drinks significantly more than that, then something is wrong. Since Coper is a very old dog, this could be a sign of kidney disease, Cushing's disease or diabetes. All of these can be easily diagnosed with blood tests and treated to where your dog has a good quality of life. Please make an appointment with a veterinarian for an exam and blood tests soon.

The amount of water your puppy should drink will depend on whetheer he is fed dry or wet food and his weight. On average a dog needs at the most 60ml/kg of water within 24 hours. Sometimes dogs drink more due to liver disease or a congenital liver condition (calle "shunt"), excessive heat , or even out of a bad habit. There is also a disease called diabetes insipidus and excessive drinking can also be psychogenic. If your puppy drinks more than 60ml/kg over 24 hrs in an AC environment, you will need to take him to a vet for an exam and diagnostics to find out the cause.

I am sorry to hear about Scooter. If he weights 30 pounds the maximum amount of water he can consume that is considered "normal" for his size is about 5 and 1/4 cups. If he is drinking more than this at the weight of 30 pounds I would recommend bringing him to the vet for examination. There are many possible causes of increased thirst and urination including diabetes, kidney disease, cushing's disease (an endocrine disorder), urinary tract diseases, and more. They vet will examine him and likely recommend bloodwork and urinalysis to screen for possible causes.

If you are feeding drying food, she may need more water to help digest it. Also, that breed is very energetic. Some dogs only seem to drink with owners present and drink very little in the day when alone. If it seems excessive (you are always filling up the bowl) give her 8 oz at a time and see how long it takes her to drink that and keep up with how much she consumes over a 24 hour period. You can then take that to your vet for them to check and do a urine sample or blood test to make sure there is no infection or diabetes.

About an ounce per pound per day is the upper limit of normal. If she is drinking more than this then I would recommend that she be seen by your veterinarian for blood work and urinalysis to help define the problem such as diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer among others. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

No, female dogs do not naturally drink more than males. If your female is drinking all the time, this can be a sign of a medical illness such as kidney disease, diabetes, or Cushing's disease among other causes. I'd have her seen by a vet for a health check.

At her weight she is allowed to drink up to 110cc of water within 24 hours. If she eats more dry food or when it is very hot, she can drink a bit more. 110cc is 3.71 fluid oz. So your dog is well within her normal water intake.