Dog not drinking enough water

Discussion in 'Labrador Health' started by WillowA, Jul 25, 2019.

  1. WillowA

    WillowA Registered Users

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    Willow is just on wet dog food and I don't think she is drinking enough water.
    When we come back from a walk and she is panting I put fresh water down and she looks in the bowl but doesn't drink.
    I have tried leaving the water down longer to see if it's the chlorine but there is no difference.
    We have lactose free skimmed milk and add water to this and she drinks this stright away.
    She is peeing normally should I be worried.
    Is she getting enough fluids
     
  2. Ski-Patroller

    Ski-Patroller Cooper, Terminally Cute

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    Why do you take the water up. We leave water down all the time. Cooper and our day care Samoyed both drink a lot of water, as did Tilly.
     
  3. WillowA

    WillowA Registered Users

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    I don't take the water up sorry if I confused you I change the water in her bowl she has access to water all the time.
     
  4. WillowA

    WillowA Registered Users

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    Willow was on dry food as well as wet but she was sick and it was all dry and crumbly so we only give her wet food now.
    I think this was because she didn't drink enough.
    I change her water every morning and a few times in the day I tried leaving the water a few hours without changing it and it made no difference whether it's clean fresh down or been down a few hours.
    She has access to clean fresh water all the time.
    She is gven watered down skimmed lactose free milk she laps this up until it's all gone so she is getting fluids.
     
  5. 5labs

    5labs Registered Users

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    Mine are fed wet food (raw) and rarely drink. I have two dishes down and I bet they drink a maxium of one dish between 7 of them all day. I have another one stay at weekends. She is fed dry food and drinks at least a full dish each day.
     
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  6. Ruth Buckley

    Ruth Buckley Registered Users

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    Mine doesn't drink much either (raw fed)unless he's been running a lot.
    He likes kefir diluted with water if I do want to encourage him to drink for some reason.
     
  7. Jo Laurens

    Jo Laurens Registered Users

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    Like 5 Labs says, dogs fed raw or wet food are going to get a lot of moisture from their food and not need to drink as much as dogs fed kibble. My dogs don't often drink, even in this heat.

    I would not add milk to water, since milk contains lactose and dogs can't digest lactose - so it's likely to lead to soft or runny poos and/or an upset stomach.

    If you want to get more liquid into the dog, add water to meals. But really, dogs know how much water they need and will regulate it very well by themselves, so I don't think there's anything to worry about...
     
  8. WillowA

    WillowA Registered Users

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    It's lactose free milk watered down she was off her food in recent hot weather so I had to get fluids into her somehow she is eating again but not as much as before.
     
  9. Emmabarnes

    Emmabarnes Registered Users

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    Yes I also agree milk can create problems for dogs depending on their sensitivities. I would suggest to provide wet food or you can increase the quantity of water in food.
     
  10. WillowA

    WillowA Registered Users

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    She is drinking fine now as she is eating more dried food.
     

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