My young dog is drinking more water and peeing more. What's wrong?

He will pee constantly if he’s drinking that much. He may also be losing sodium in the urine causing him to want to lick sweaty people to get additional salt. That much drinking and urine are not normal and could be a sign of kidney disease. I recommend a veterinary exam and blood work to check his kidney function and check for diabetes which also could cause these signs. Early diagnosis of a medical problem will help get him the proper treatment if needed and could prevent progesssion of the disease. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Maui.

If Bosco is having increased thirst and urination, then I would start with having your veterinarian check some blood work and urine to see if they can figure out that is causing the increased thirst and urination. That may help you figure out the current mystery. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

If Bo is only exhibiting an increase in water intake and urination then you should be okay to wait to schedule an appointment on Monday to see his regular veterinarian. This can sometimes be due to the high environmental temperatures this time of year, but you can certainly see this with urinary tract disease/infections or with metabolic disorders (less likely since Bo is less than 1 year old). In the meantime, monitor Bo for the onset of lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance or decrease in appetite, or any more severe signs (seizure, pale mucous membranes, etc). If any of these signs are noted, then he should be examined by an emergency veterinarian immediately.

Skye is a beautiful girl! This excessive drinking and urination could be due to a UTI or bladder stones. You will need to take her into a vet today for a blood test and urinalysis to see if one of those conditions is causing her symptoms. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Ted is adorable! Thank you for posting a picture. Giving an excessive number of treats can certainly cause an upset stomach, but shouldn't cause an increase in water intake (unless it was salty human food), so the cause of Ted's increase in water intake might be unrelated to the treats. A urinary tract infection is only one of a large number of possible reasons that a dog will drink more water than normal. But the first step in evaluating an increase in water intake is to check a urine sample. That will check for a number of things including a urinary tract infection. Depending on those results, your veterinarian may recommend additional testing or may be able to make a diagnosis. So, I would recommend having Ted evaluated by your veterinarian. They will need to evaluate a urine sample, so they may recommend having you collect one at home or may recommend that he not urinate for a few hours before coming in for his appointment so they can collect a urine sample there. In the meantime, I would recommend measuring Ted's water intake since that will give them additional information about how much water he is drinking. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Drinking a lot more means that he is also urinating a lot more. This is called Polydipsia and polyuria or PU PD. There are various reasons for PU PD and they need to be investigated by a veterinarian, especially in an old dog. Blood work can rule out any of those. 1) diabetes---a urinalysis and blood test will be able to rule it in or out. Diabetes is usually treated with diet and insulin. 2) Cushing's disease: This is an overproduction of cortisone, either signaled by a pituitary tumor in the brain or by a malfunction or tumor of the adrenal glands. Medication can inhibit cortisone production. A potbelly and thinning or haircoat and excessive panting are common signs as well. 3) Kidney disease, treated with diet and supportive treatment 4) A urinary tract infection, urinary crystals or stones: treatment varies according to the cause. 5) diabetes insipidus, usually tested with a water deprivation test and treated with a medication called Minirin. You will need to make an appointment with your vet for an exam and blood tests. I am sure your vet will find the cause of the PU PD.