My 30-pound dog drinks and pees excessively. Is this a health concern?

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.

I would not get too worried over two episodes. I recommend watching his water intake and urination over the next week or so. If you notice that both remain elevated he should get checked out by a veterinarian as it could be signs of early diseases like kidney issues and Cushing's disease. Also monitor him for any blood in his urine, dribbling, or straining to urinate as it could indicate an infection or even stones.

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.

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.

Poor Kobe! From your description, I would be very concerned that he has a medical problem causing him to drink and urinate more than normal. In an 11-year-old dog, the most common causes of this problem along with the weight loss you have noticed would be diabetes or Cushing's disease, but liver or kidney problems would also be possible. There is nothing you can do to fix the problem until you get a definite diagnosis, so I would recommend taking Kobe to the vet as soon as you are able to. He/she can do some blood work and a urinalysis to help diagnose the problem, and will get him started on appropriate medication to treat it depending on what is found. In the meantime, please make sure that Kobe has free access to water at all times, even if he is having accidents in the house. Dogs with these problems can very easily become dehydrated without access to water, as you have noticed, so it isn't safe to restrict their water intake.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chewey. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He will need a urine sample tested to start. If he does not appear to have a urinary tract infection, then he will likely need bloodwork. Common causes of increased thirst and urination in a dog are diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease or an adrenal gland disorder. In the meantime, do not limit his access to water. I hope this information helps!

You might want to check back in with your vet and see if there are any other tests they would recommend. Increased urination and thirst (polyuria/polydipsia) can be caused by a number of diseases, and if screening lab work looks normal some of the other tests to consider include a urinalysis, test for leptospirosis, test for Cushing's disease, abdominal ultrasound, or even a modified water deprivation test or medication trial for central diabetes insipidus. If your veterinarian is not receptive to running more tests you may want to ask about referral to an internal medicine specialist.