Table of Contents
Table of Contents:
- 7 Factors that Affect How Much a Puppy Drinks
- 5 Most Common Causes for Puppy Dehydration
- How Much Water Should a Puppy Drink?
- How to Tell If Your Puppy Is Dehydrated
- 7 Water Recommendations for Dogs and Puppies
- Frequently Asked Questions About Puppy Hydration
New puppy owners often ask their vet… “How much water does my pup need?”
Water is an essential part of a dog’s body and critical to good health. After all, water is essential for critical cellular, organ, and tissue functions of the body. One realizes the importance of water when faced with the negative consequences of dehydration. As little as a 10% loss of body water can be fatal to a puppy or adult dog.
Reading: How much water for a puppy
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Water in the body is not static, but a constant and dynamic process. Dogs lose water through breathing, panting, urinating, and having bowel movements. Dogs take in water primarily through drinking, but also get some water from eating food and, to a small degree, by the body’s normal metabolism. We refer to this dynamic flow of fluids as “intake” and “output.” Intake is primarily from drinking and water content in food. Output is fluid loss through normal methods of panting, drooling, urine, and bowel movements, as well as abnormal means like diarrhea, vomiting, and blood loss.
Dehydration results from more “output” than “intake.” Overhydration results from more “intake” than “output.”
7 Factors that Affect How Much a Puppy Drinks
There are 7 factors that can impact how much water a puppy or adult dog should drink.
- Dry dog food vs. Canned dog food. Dry dog food has approximately 15 and up to 30% water, while canned dog food can contain 50% to 75% water. Dogs that eat canned food may drink and require less water.
- Body weight. Water requirements are based on body weight. Bigger dogs require more water than smaller dogs.
- Sodium intake. Just as we have increased thirst after ingestion of a high-salt snack, ingestion of excessive sodium for dogs can create a need for increased amounts of water intake.
- Exercise & activity. Dogs that are more active drink and require more water.
- Weather exposure. The high temperatures of the spring and summer cause dogs to pant. Panting helps them regulate their body temperature, but also results in loss of water.
- Drug therapy. Some medications increase a dog’s water intake, including steroids or diuretics like Furosemide (commonly known as Lasix).
- Disease. Diseases such as kidney disease and diabetes can cause increased thirst in dogs.
5 Most Common Causes for Puppy Dehydration
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There are many possible reasons that a dog or puppy is dehydrated. They include:
- Eating Indigestible Items. Puppies commonly chew on and ingest things that are not digestible, such as toys, ribbon, string, garbage, or even chemicals. These ingestions can cause fluid losses through vomiting and diarrhea.
- Exercise. Puppies can be extremely active, and intense play can deplete bodily fluids.
- Heat. Excessive water loss can occur during exposure to extreme heat. Never let a puppy stay out in the sun without shade, and never leave your dog in an enclosed car.
- Parasites. Puppies are born with intestinal parasites, commonly referred to as worms, which can cause diarrhea resulting in loss of water.
- Viruses. Different viruses can infect puppies, causing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and lethargy leading to dehydration. One virus common in puppies is parvovirus.
How Much Water Should a Puppy Drink?
The amount of water a puppy should drink per day is dependent on their size. The general rule is that dogs drink 20 to 40 ml of water per pound of body weight per day. This comes out to about 1 to 5 cups of water for a 20-pound dog.
Below is a table of water requirements based on size. Note that there is a range, which is influenced by the factors listed above. And like people, some dogs are better at drinking water than others.
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