After a long walk out with the dog, most will race in with the lead still attached, in search of their water bowl. The sounds of slurping and gulping as your dog enjoys a refreshment are life’s little pleasures, but what happens when it becomes too much?
Senior dogs that drink a lot of water can sometimes be harmless, but it can also indicate a bigger problem that you might want to address.
In this guide, you’ll learn why senior dogs can sometimes have excessive thirst and what potential problems could be present due to this increase in water intake. A senior dog drinking lots of water could be something you want to be cautious of with a trip to the vet.
Understanding Your Senior Dog's Thirst
A senior dog drinking a lot of water might just be due to an exceptionally warm day or a walk that may have turned into quite the adventure. However, excessive thirst can sometimes be common in senior dogs and can signal an underlying health issue.
This could be kidney disease, diabetes or Cushing's disease. All of which can be quite serious for a dog to have in the latter stages of their life.
Some excessive thirst can be part of ageing, as well as dietary changes. Sudden or extreme changes are something to be wary of. It’s also a change that you’ll notice quite quickly when you see an empty bowl of water that’s usually filled to some capacity.
Excessive thirst can also be a common first sign of something serious in senior dogs. Early detection and diagnosis by a vet is crucial to managing whatever condition might be underlying. With a vet, you’re able to help your dog manage these conditions and ensure their quality of life remains as healthy as can be.
Common Causes of Increased Thirst
There are some common causes of increased thirst that are helpful to know about. A better understanding of what causes these heightened levels of thirst can better prepare you for the potential diagnosis that might come for your dog via the vet.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious health condition in dogs where high blood sugar levels can increase your dog’s thirst and urination. If you’re asking why my senior dog drinking so much, then diabetes could be the cause of it.
As a result of diabetes, this diagnosis will require the administration of insulin consistently. This helps to contribute to a stable and stress-free life for the dog.
Kidney disease
Kidney disease can be common with ageing kidneys, where they don’t function as effectively as they used to. This leads to frequent urination and, as a result of all the bladder movement, a subsequent increase in thirst.
With kidney disease, you’ll want to address this as early as possible to prevent it from getting worse and causing irreparable damage.
Kidney disease is something that can be helped if you seek help from a vet. However, you’re going to be looking at the management of the condition, rather than a cure. Typically, the vet will prescribe a renal diet, specific medications and fluid therapy to help with kidney disease.
The treatment plan itself is usually tailored to the specific stage and type of kidney disease that your dog has, which can vary.
Cushing’s disease
A hormonal imbalance where the adrenal glands end up producing too much cortisol can cause increased thirst and urination.
The main treatment for Cushing’s disease in dogs is to take medication. Some surgeries can be done to help remove a tumour, but this is something that, again, is dependent on the case specifically.
Liver disease
Liver disease is another common condition in older dogs, and as a result, it can contribute to increased water intake. The number of diseases that have a symptom of excessive thirst only reinforces the need to see a vet as quickly as possible.
Solutions for liver disease would be a combination of treatments from specialised diets to medications like antibiotics, for example. Some liver-supporting supplements will likely be prescribed, as well as IV fluids and anti-nausea drugs.
In some cases, surgery might also be appropriate, but this is something to discuss at length with your vet upon a diagnosis. Whatever treatment plan is picked for your dog, often the plan comes with regular monitoring and follow-up appointments.
Dehydration
A less scary diagnosis could simply be that your dog is dehydrated and in need of water to compensate for it. While most dogs will be able to drink water and be fine, dehydration can spiral out of control fairly quickly if the dog doesn’t recover normally.
For ageing dogs, they may find it even harder to recover from being dehydrated, which could be dangerous to their health if not aided with veterinary help.
Medications
Some medications can have a side effect of increased thirst. Steroids and diuretics can often be a cause of dehydration.
Health Implications of Excessive Drinking
There are health implications that come from excessive drinking. While you wouldn’t think that drinking a lot of water would be a problem, there are significant health implications that come with a dog overloading their body with too much water.
Sometimes, you might not notice that your dog has been drinking excessively until symptoms of water intoxication are present. From bloating to lack of coordination, here are some of the symptoms that occur with water intoxication and what damage it could do to the body if not addressed quickly.
Symptoms of water intoxication
Some tell-tale symptoms come with water intoxication. These include the following:
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Lethargy or extreme tiredness
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Vomiting
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Bloating
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Loss of coordination
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Restlessness
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Pale or glazed-over eyes
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Drooling or excessive salivation
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Difficulty breathing
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Collapse or seizures
What to do if your dog drinks too much water
If your dog has drunk too much water, then there are a number of steps you can take.
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Monitor your dog
There may not be any further need to do anything for your dog, other than to monitor their water consumption and look out for any other symptoms mentioned above. Hopefully, the condition of your dog improves, and no further action needs to be taken.
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Contact your vet for advice
If there’s a noticeable change in the symptoms or you’ve noticed a significant and unexplained increase in thirst, then it’s best to contact your veterinarian immediately.
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Do not restrict water
You should never limit your dog’s water intake, as this can lead to dangerous dehydration. While it is recommended you limit water or food after a dog has vomited, that’s in general circumstances. Excessive drinking and restricting water as a result can be something serious that you don’t want to dismiss.
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Get a diagnosis from the vet
Your vet can perform further tests in order to check the levels of your dog’s electrolytes. They’ll also be able to determine what the underlying cause is of the excessive drinking so that it can be treated as quickly as possible.
When to Consult Your Vet
As mentioned above, you should be very mindful and attentive of your dog’s condition when it comes to water intake and excessive thirst. While you can monitor their water intake, you want to keep paying attention to any new symptoms that might come over the next few hours.
For most dog owners, you’ll know when something isn’t right and requires immediate veterinary attention. If you’re unsure at any point, it’s always better to go in to see your vet, or to at least give them a call to ease your mind.
When you go to the vets, try to be as specific as possible about how much water your dog has drunk and when this all started. You might not have the most accurate information, but the more you can provide, the sooner your vet can conduct tests and administer treatment.
Chances are, you’ll be with a vet who knows everything about your dog’s previous medical history, so they’ll be able to cut corners where it’s needed to pursue a course of action that will help your dog recover.
Get help for senior dogs and excessive drinking
If you’re asking the question why is my senior dog drinking too much, then this guide will hopefully have helped you get answers to that question. Make sure you’re being proactive in getting veterinary help, especially if it escalates and your dog begins to deteriorate.