My dog isn't drinking water tonight. When to worry about dehydration?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends on a lot of factors including if she is otherwise exhibiting any symptoms of sickness, if she is eating canned food which already has water in it, how much water she is actually having, among other things. If she is not drinking anything especially if having other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and/or lethargy, she should be evaluated as soon as possible to prevent dehydration and to investigate the cause. If she is otherwise doing well and is eating canned food, it would be ok to monitor her for another 12-24 hours and if not improved to have her evaluated by a veterinarian then. Hopefully she returns to normal and there is no need for a veterinary visit. Have a great day!

An adult dog that has no other medical conditions can usually go for 12-24 hours without eating as long as he is still drinking water and is alert. He may just have a bit of an [upset stomach](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-treat-your-dogs-upset-stomach) from something he ate (that he wasn't supposed to) or he could have a touch of gastrointestinal infection. Continue to monitor him. If his symptoms worsen - he stops drinking, becomes lethargic, develops a fever, or begins [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/article/vomiting-in-dogs) or has [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/diarrhea-in-dogs), then you should [contact your veterinarian](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-handle-a-pet-emergency/).

It could just be an off day for Kira, and she may have an upset stomach. Given that she is eating a little bit and still drinking water, I'd keep an eye on her for now. If she stops eating altogether, she keeps eating very little for the next 24 hours, she stops drinking water, she becomes lethargic, or she develops other signs such as vomiting and diarrhea, I would take her into the vet. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

She may not have a drive to drink if she received iv fluids during her procedures and you are meeting what she needs through her diet. If she is otherwise happy with normal appetite and energy level and no vomiting or diarrhea you can continue monitoring. If any of these change in addition to not drinking then that would be more concerning as dehydration could ensue. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is not necessarily wrong if he is otherwise doing fine. Dogs like humans rely on thirst and usually will drink when thirsty so I would not worry about this too much. If he eats a wet food, that may be another reason why he does not drink as much water. Good luck!

IF she needs water and becomes thirsty she will drink, do not worry about that just leave several bowls of water, i usually even leave a large salad bowl filled with water when i leave for more than 24 hours.

If Biscuit is not drinking enough and is very dehydrated, she will need to be seen by an emergency veterinarian. There is no way that you can make her drink. You can try spooning some water into her, however, considering she is dehydrated, you cannot put enough fluid into her that way. Also being dehydrated is usually a sign of being ill, and that needs to be investigated as well. The vet will either give fluids under the skin to rehydrate or she may need intravenous fluids, if her condition is severe.