How do I know if my dog is too thirsty?
Depending on your lifestyle and the environment your dog lives in, it can be difficult to tell if your dog is drinking excessive amounts of water. One of the biggest things that will help you track your dog’s thirst levels is measuring how much water you are giving your dog every day. The easiest way to do that is to keep count of how many bowls of water you are filling up.
Some dogs may have water available free-choice through a large container like a gravity dish, water trough, or multiple dog bowls. In those cases, consider using one single bowl while you are monitoring your dog’s water intake.
Having multiple animals who share a dish can also make it a bit harder. You may need to temporarily separate your dogs to see who is actually drinking more water. Even if you can’t separate your dogs for a whole day, a few hours might be enough to monitor the water intake.
The other option would be to monitor how many times your dog goes to the bathroom. If your dog is urinating more than normal, it is likely that she or he is also drinking more water. This method is a bit less precise but still effective.
The most important thing to remember is that you do not want to limit your dog’s water intake. He or she should always have water available. If your dog is drinking more, his or her body needs it. Withholding water could lead to dehydration.
Dying Dog Drinks More Water: Side Effects
Dogs can drink a lot of water before they die if that’s part of the side effects they’re experiencing due to the treatment of an underlying issue.
In this case, the underlying issue might not cause the increased thirst but the side effects of its treatment may do so.
For example, if your dog is on medication one of the side effects may include increased thirst.
Here are a couple of reasons why you might think your dog’s drinking indicates their end of life:
None of these reasons mean that your dog is actually in the process of dying, and it doesn’t mean that treatment is necessarily working either.
In any case, it’s essential to consult your vet.
Doesn’t matter if you think your pet is getting better, getting worse, experiencing side effects, or if you suspect another medical issue.
Your veterinarian should be able to pin down the issue and connect the symptoms.
What to do if your Dog is Ravenous
Your response to your dog’s ravenous demand for food will depend on the cause. The first line of response is a careful assessment of the situation. If there has been a recent change in your dog’s emotional, social, or physical environment, do your best to comfort and reassure your dog. This can go a long way to alleviate stress; observe your dog carefully to see if his ravenous behavior subsides after a couple of days of your emotional support. You may need to consult an animal behaviorist. Consult your veterinarian to make sure your dog’s diet is complete, healthy, and provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
If diabetes, hypothyroidism, or Cushing’s disease are suspected, your veterinarian will have to perform various tests to properly diagnose your dog. Treatment for diabetes will probably continue for your dog’s entire life, but it can be successfully managed. Diabetes treatment typically includes daily insulin injections, multiple daily blood glucose monitoring sessions, timed feedings, and a carefully planned diet and exercise regime. Similarly, while hypothyroidism can not be cured, it can be successfully treated. Your dog will require oral thyroxine hormone replacement for the rest of its life, given once or twice daily, along with regular testing of its hormone levels. Cushing’s disease is treated with either medication, surgery, or radiation, depending on the cause of the disease. Cushing’s caused by problems with the pituitary gland will be treated with mitotane for life, possibly accompanied by radiation therapy if there is a pituitary cancer or tumor. Cushing’s caused by an adrenal tumor will be treated by surgery to remove the tumor, possibly accompanied by corticosteroids, but never by mitotane. Cushing’s can also be caused by steroids, in which case the steroid should be changed.
While stress-inducing situations may not always be avoidable, such situations can be anticipated, and you can take care to reassure your dog through the rough patch. With your comfort and support, your dog may be buffered from the roughest emotional blow. Nutritional deficiency can be avoided if you take care to provide your dog with a nutritionally balanced and complete diet, with proper amounts of all of the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Diabetes is often unpreventable, but keeping your dog at a healthy weight could help prevent diabetes, and is always best for your dog’s general health. Cushing’s disease caused by pituitary or adrenal tumors is not preventable; Cushing’s caused by excessive steroid treatment could possibly be prevented by very careful initial use of steroids. Hypothyroidism is not preventable.
The national average cost of treating hypothyroidism $1300, while the average treatment cost of Cushing’s disease is $2000. Diabetes treatment costs an average of $3000.
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