Is my dog drinking excess water due to dry heat in the apartment?

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.

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.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the increased water drinking is only after playing (no matter the length of time) in 95 F weather then that is normal. That is hot weather for a thick coated dog. I would limit his time outside to only 5-10 mins when it is that hot. At this time I do not think he needs blood work. If he is drinking a lot with minimal activity in the cool weather then maybe he does. Good luck!

The general guideline for water consumption is 1 ounce per pound of body weight daily. That would mean Montana should be drinking about 32 ounces, or 4 cups, of water daily. This amount can vary depending on diet, activity and weather. If she is drinking AND urinating more often or in greater amounts, then she should be examined by your veterinarian. Blood and urine samples can be collected and submitted to assess major organ function, especially kidney function. Older dogs are prone to developing kidney disease.

Based on the information you provided, Aurora should be drinking about 1/2 liter per day based on her body weight. If she is drinking excessive amounts of water, I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian and having her blood tested to see if there is an explanation. Things we would want to rule out would be renal disease, diabetes mellitus vs. diabetes insipidus, cushing's disease, behavioral, etc. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Adding water to her meals is fine. If you observe that she is drinking more than usual or urinating more than usual, she may need to have her urine checked. The only way to measure water intake is to separate her and measure the amount of water offered subtracted from the amount she consumes in 24 hours. Most healthy pets will consume enough if made available.