Has this ever happened to you? You just let your dog out, and here he is, asking to go out again. Frequent urination in dogs can be a real nuisance, especially when the first thing he does when he comes back in is to head for the water bowl. No wonder the dog urinating frequently is a problem. He seems to be drinking an awful lot of water...
How Much Water Should My Dog Be Drinking?
A dog normally will drink about three or four cups of water per day for every 20 pounds of body weight. This means a healthy dog that weighs sixty pounds will slurp down up to three quarts of water a day. This seems hard to believe, but it's true. No wonder dogs have to go out a lot!
An easy way to see how much water your dog is drinking is to measure out a set amount of water and put it out for him in a bowl. Make sure he can't get water from a leaky faucet or from the toilet or anywhere else. At the end of the day, measure how much water is left, and then subtract this amount from what you started out with. Do this for several days.
If you discover that your canine friend really is drinking more water than he should, he needs to go to the vet for a checkup.
Obviously, he's drinking a lot of water because he's thirsty. But if he's too thirsty, he'll drink an excessive amount of water. Your vet calls this "polydipsia." This leads to "polyuria," a fancy term for frequent urination in dogs. When your dog drinks a lot of water, he makes a lot of urine, which leads to a dog urinating frequently.
Polydipsia and polyuria are symptoms of some serious canine diseases. These include:
- Canine diabetes
- Liver disease
- Kidney failure
- Pyometra, or an infection of the uterus (often seen in older unspayed females)
- High blood calcium
- Pituitary gland problems
- Cushing's Disease
You can see that if your buddy is drinking too much water, he may have a serious condition. It's also possible that the problem is as simple as a canine urinary tract infection, which is easily treated. This is why a trip to the vet is in order. It's essential to find out what your dog's problem is.
Across the centuries, people in many cultures have used natural remedies to treat bladder and urinary problems, and also to support the immune system. Now these herbal and homeopathic remedies are available for pets.
There are many natural remedies for pets on the market. How do you choose the best one? First, be sure the remedy is formulated especially for pets, not people. Second, purchase your dog's remedies only from a reputable company that has been in business for many years. This company should have a reputation for manufacturing only the highest-quality products for companion animals. Check for testimonials from other pet owners who have used the products on their pets.
In conclusion, excessive water intake and frequent urination in dogs can be a sign of serious health problems in your pet. If you see these symptoms in your pet, now you know he needs to see the vet.