Unfamiliar places
Unfamiliar places and smells can be the reason why your dog doesn’t drink. And thanks to their acute sense of smell, dogs know how to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar sources of water. However if the smell of the water is not recognized as familiar, your dog may simply refuse to drink it. Planning a trip somewhere new? Here is what you should take care of:
Aging
An older dog may also avoid drinking water. It could simply be that getting to the water requires too much effort, or that the sense of thirst may be diminishing along with its appetite.
However, older dogs need to maintain adequate hydration levels, so if drinking seems to be an issue, switching to a moist food might help. As always, consult a vet before changing dog foods.
Why Is Water Important to Dogs?
Water is an essential component of a dogâs body and critical to good health. Water is required for all cellular, organ, and tissue functions of the body. Pet owners sometimes ask the question, âWhy is my dog not drinking water?â
One realizes the importance of water when faced with the negative consequences of not drinking, which is âdehydration.â Dehydration results from more output than intake. This can occur from not drinking or from excessive output.
Output is defined as the amount of fluid leaving the body. It can be from normal fluid loss, drooling, panting, urination, and bowel movements. Output can also be from abnormal losses, such as from diarrhea, vomiting, and/or blood loss. As little as a 10% loss of body water can be fatal.
In this article, we will share how much a dog should drink, discuss reasons a dogs may not drink, provide tips on what you can do at home to get your dog to drink, and when you should see your veterinarian.