Dogs cannot tell us when something is bothering them, and I doubt that they would even if they could. Dogs are just not the type to go around complaining about things.
That's why it's important that we watch for signs and symptoms of a disease. Generally, any change in your dog's body, behavior, actions or routine is telling you something. Some of the signs can be quite subtle and easily overlooked or dismissed. Paying attention to early symptoms can save your dog a lot of suffering and give him the best chance for a successful recovery.
I was talking to a friend about post-op issues her dog was having after an extracapsular repair of her ACL. During our discussion, she mentioned that in the snow they noticed that her dog's urine was clear, with no color to it at all, and she asked whether it was something to worry about.
I asked if her dog was drinking a lot. It turned out that her dog had been unusually thirsty and drinking large amounts of water since her surgery three months ago!
Excessive drinking is a symptom that should be taken seriously.
Any change in your dog's drinking or eating habits should be noted. Drinking more than usual without an obvious explanation—such as hot weather or exercise—should not be dismissed. Do you have to fill the water bowl more often lately? Does your dog urinate more frequently? Talk to your veterinarian.
Take it seriously. Depending on other symptoms, excessive drinking can be a sign of a number of conditions, including
Early diagnosis can mean the difference between treatment success or failure.
Further reading:
What's the Differential Diagnosis of Polydipsia and Polyuria in Dogs and Cats?
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| Photo by ucumari |
Today we'll take a look at excessive thirst/drinking.
I was talking to a friend about post-op issues her dog was having after an extracapsular repair of her ACL. During our discussion, she mentioned that in the snow they noticed that her dog's urine was clear, with no color to it at all, and she asked whether it was something to worry about.
I asked if her dog was drinking a lot. It turned out that her dog had been unusually thirsty and drinking large amounts of water since her surgery three months ago!
Excessive drinking is a symptom that should be taken seriously.
What constitutes excessive drinking?
Any change in your dog's drinking or eating habits should be noted. Drinking more than usual without an obvious explanation—such as hot weather or exercise—should not be dismissed. Do you have to fill the water bowl more often lately? Does your dog urinate more frequently? Talk to your veterinarian.
Take it seriously. Depending on other symptoms, excessive drinking can be a sign of a number of conditions, including
- Diabetes mellitus
- Cushing's syndrome
- Addison's disease
- Liver or kidney disease
- A potentially life-threatening uterine infection
- and other serious conditions
When in doubt, err on the side of caution.
Early diagnosis can mean the difference between treatment success or failure.
Further reading:
What's the Differential Diagnosis of Polydipsia and Polyuria in Dogs and Cats?
Do you know what your dog is telling you about their health?
Learn how to detect and interpret the signs of a potential problem.
An award-winning guide to better understanding what your dog is telling you about their health, Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, is available in paperback and Kindle. Each chapter includes notes on when it is an emergency.
My dog has been obsessive with drinking water the whole three years that I've had him. If there is a bowl out, he drinks the whole thing no matter what unless I tell him "No" or put it away. I've never really been too concerned since he has OCDs with other things (retrieving, tennis balls, etc.) and he's acted this way for such a long time.
ReplyDeleteStill, I'll ask my vet about this and see what she says. Maybe he has something wrong with his kidneys. What do you think? Have you heard of other labs with this obsessive problem? I've known two or three others that acted this way. But who knows, maybe they've all had some kind of medical issue.
My dog did that, and we took him to the Vet ASAP. it turned out he had Diabetes! But it wasn't bad so we just need to give him a couple shots a day :)
DeleteYes, diabetes is certainly one of the reasons dogs will start drinking a lot. Glad you caught it!
DeleteSo sadly, our lab was recently diagnosed with liver cancer and she drinks a ton more now than she used to - please get your baby checked!
DeleteYes, increased drinking is much more profound and serious symptom than it seems.
DeleteMy lab/retriever is 12 years old. And she has been drinking a lot of water, and I have noticed that her urine is a dark yellow. She has an appointment with her doctor tomorrow. It has me concerned.
DeleteMake them perform a sonogram on your Lab.
DeleteMy beautiful Lab died last week.
She had tumors that took over her liver and were pressing against her kidneys.
I had taken her to vet year before cuz noticed small growth protruding from her belly but vet dismissed as fat deposit.
my dog has them to on her belly and my vet does the same thing..she been drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot even in the house.two pee test shows nothing ..so she is sending it out will know tomorrow if they found anything..blood work shows nothing I am worried
DeleteYoud dog has lumps on her belly? Did they identify them? Needle aspirate? Biopsy? Urinalysis didn't show any problems? Yes blood panel is the next step (we usually do them together)
DeleteMy dog did that, and we took him to the Vet ASAP. it turned out he had Diabetes! But it wasn't bad so we just need to give him a couple shots a day :)
Delete=======================================
Giving your dogs two shots a day is not bad?
Glad you were on top of it and got it diagnosed quickly!
DeleteTwo shots make sense to me; think about what the insulin does and how; you want to keep the levels as even as possible without any spikes one way or another.
My 4.5 yr old beagle has kidney failure. The vet kept doing blood test, when they finally decided to to a urine test they found it. He is still here with us we picked him up yesterday said they couldn't do anything else. Wish I would have asked for a urine test sooner, I guess we assumed the vets knew what they were doing.
DeleteSo sorry about your pup. What symptoms was he showing? I'd recommend you getting a second opinion.
DeleteMy puppy is about three months old and she is shaking and squealing she drunk a little bit to much water and has thrown up three times she sits up trying to got to sleep instead of laying down or stares into space for a little bit she has just layed down and went to sleep she is a pomchi (Pomeranian mixed with chihuahua) 3lbs is this just a stomach ache that will go away or is she really really sick
DeleteI don't know how much water she drank and whether a pup would actually drink themselves into such a distress. I do know, though, that shaking, squealing and vomiting puppy IS an EMERGENCY, though.
DeleteOur 11 year old lab drinks 10 - 12 bowls of water a day and goes out 10 - 12 times a day - nights are a pain. We have spent nearly $1,000 on tests from 2 different vets and all tests are normal. Driving us crazy!!
DeleteThat's a lot of money on tests. Which tests were done and what were the results?
DeleteMy 7 year old Angel, a terrier cross, died three days ago.. she was feeling moody and had been drinking a lot, when we brought her to the vet, the vet didn't detect anything and just gave her a shot of antibiotic stating that she could have caught some stomach infection. Now I think it could be of any number of disease.. her departure broke our heart and I wished we have better vets in our area :(
DeleteSo sorry about your loss. Cannot comment on the condition because it isn't known what happened. The only way to find out would have been a necropsy.
DeleteMy friend is a rottweiler. He is 17 years old. I've noticed him drinking too much these days. Iam goingbto the doctor tonight and i'll update you. Pray for him.
DeleteHi Redzz,
Deletethat is a blessed age for a Rottweiler. Glad he's going to see a vet. Fingers crossed it's something simple and treatable.
That's good for rott I was told 10 years is normal ...bless your rott an you
DeleteDear Lindsay
ReplyDeleteExcessive drinking is something to worry about. Though I assume you are not aware of any other potential symptoms? N
No, don't have experience with labs with OCD, and I guess it could lead to excessive drinking. But I feel that obsessive behavior alone could be considered a symptom if that severe.
Not everybody perhaps might agree with that.
Even then though, I would probably worry about electrolyte levels and such things.
But excessive drinking IS often a symptom of a serious problem, such as the ones listed above.
I would definitely have that checked into.
On another note, even OCD could be based in physiology. TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) is a different way of looking at things, and there behavioral issues are tied with physiological imbalances, which can often be corrected by specific diet, acupuncture and herbals. That might be also something to consider.
My shepherd/lab mix drinks like there's no tomorrow; he's a very thirsty dog. But after much money to make sure there's nothing "wrong" with him... the vets came up with nothing.
ReplyDeleteHe's a very thirsty dog.
...Who, as it turns out, likes to sleep right next to the heating vent...and when he gets hot, he drinks.
...So we made sure, again, that he was okay, though our concerns were more toward him being cold. He's not.
He just really likes that spot. Heater or no, that's HIS sleeping spot. (We once put his dog blanket there. ONCE. -___- Of course we did.)
I figured you might find that amusing. At least a teensy bit.
=]
(twitter=@jaennutter see? social networking works!)
Dear JJ
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and your story :-)
Indeed, being hot, exercising a lot, those are 'natural' reasons for increased thirst. As long as a clear cause of the thirst can be tracked down, it should be nothing to worry about.
My dog has been drinking water much more than usual as well as obsessively licking anything around- the floor, the leather couch,etc. Her breath has become almost putrid- this started happening just a few days ago. I have not been able to find anything with these 3 symptoms- if they are indeed symptoms.
ReplyDeleteShe had her teeth cleaned last year and they were in great shape. She is 7 1/2 years old. Any ideas<
If she has a bad breath, one of her teeth is decaded, and must be removed. I had my dog in the vet, he always had bad breath and I brush his teeth every day, he had to have several decayed teeth removed.
DeleteOral disease is a common cause of bad breath, but not the only one. Problems withing the digestive tract or systemic problems can also cause bad breath.
DeleteTogether with the drinking and obsessive licking, you might be looking at something further down than the mouth. I'd start with urinalysis, full blood panel and detailed physical examination.
Symptoms To Watch For In Your Dog: Bad Odor
Hi Carol. Any change in behavior, particularly such a dramatic one, should be regarded a symptom. In fact this sounds quite serious to me and I would definitely have a vet check him out and run some blood tests.
ReplyDeleteBad breath can come from problems with the teeth, but also from problems further down in the digestive system.
Besides dental problem, bad breath can signal gastrointestinal disease, as well as kidney problems and more.
Licking things can be response to pain and or digestive problems. Check out the pancreatitis story http://dawgbusiness.blogspot.com/2010/08/house-is-on-fire-bridgets-pancreatitis.html
Excessive drinking can mean any of the things listed in the article and more.
Something not good is definitely going on. I would make a vet appointment as soon as possible. If the teeth check out (lot could have happened in a year), than I'd definitely look further, including full blood panel etc.
Jana
I adopted a dog almost two months ago. He is obsessed with drinking water and so, has to pee ALOT. The vet did blood work and a urinalisis and said everything appeared fine. He was just "fixed" two weeks ago. He doesn't seem to have any other problems. He was abandoned and underweight, which is has gained back since I have had him. Could this be a mental rather than physical issue?
ReplyDeleteHi, well, it could be ... but I would like to see physiological reasons ruled out first. What tests did the vet do?
DeleteThe list of disorders I can think of that cause increased drinking include:
1. kidney failure (chronic, acute, infectious)
2. Cushing’s disease
3. diabetes mellitus
4. liver failure
5. Addison’s disease
6. pyometra (uterine infection,
applies to females only)
7. intestinal obstruction (occurs after toxins
begin to be absorbed from the damaged
intestine)
8. pyelonephritis (infection of the kidney)
9. hypercalcemia (most commonly from cancer)
10. diabetes insipidus
11. behavioral or psychogenic water drinking
12. acromegaly
13. polycythemia
14. hypokalemia
15. renal glycosuria (Fanconi’s syndrome)
16. partial obstruction of the urinary tract
17. neurologic damage leading to urine
retention or difficulty voiding
18. medications (diuretics, corticosteroids)
19. pheochromocytoma (a form of cancer)
20. pericardial effusion
21. hypothyroidism
22. paraneoplastic syndromes
Read more: Symptoms - Increased Drinking and Urinating - VetInfo
Hello...I have a 9 year old Huskey/shepard mix/mutt (purple spots on bottom of tongue)..anyway..my second "son." About 1 month ago he started drinking excessively. Which means urinating the same. About a week a ago, I started seeing dribble spots on the carpet. Thought it was vomit from him or the 2 cats but upon watching him get up from his observation deck at the top of the stairs one day, I realized it was him peeing a little bit in place. It is clear/no odor because all of the drinking. About a week and a half ago, he peed in the bed/himself which he would never ever do on purpose. He has never had accidents in the house ever. He has done the same laying on the couch too. He licks himself around his genitals and legs afterwards, but more in an ashamed "clean up" effort then any indication of pain/discomfort. The "peeing" on himself is definitely during deep sleep or at night. Never during the day in that quantity unless it is the dribbles which is few and far between because he goes outside to do so 50 times a day because of the thirst/drinking. He pees for over 100 seconds, walks 5 steps, pees about 10 more seconds....then sniffs..runs...stops, pees another 10 seconds. It is continuous and not a "trickle" or "putt putt putt" urination to indicate difficulty in doing so. The 3rd of 4th stop, does start slowing/trickling a litte but I'm guessing because he's about all out. He is still playful, gets toys out of his toy box, runs in circles, jumps in the car just fine, etc. No lethargic indications. He WAS a big people food/begger but we stopped that after noticing the water intake about 3 weeks ago. He seems hungry and begs viciously more but we think that is because we "cut him off" from the people food. He does get white chicken or turkey but no other people food then that. His treats are "Beggin Strips" and does get 1 of those per day for the past year. His #2 business is just fine. VET VISITS= A week after noticing the intake of over 2 gallons a day/H2O, he was tested for Diabetes, Thyroid issues, Urinalysis, blood work-got his rabies..all came back negative and fine. He was put on Enrofloxacin 100mg/ml. About 2.5 weeks later, he starts wetting bed/dribbling..back to vet. They run ACTH STIM Test and another Urinalysis, both negative. They give me more Enrofloxacin and tell me to keep "watching" him..and the next step is a "specialist." I'm a google freak so I brought up Kidney stones, the need for xray's...old age..garbage gut..etc. I do not like being sent home to "watch" and monitor..I've been doing that, obviously. Any thoughts? I've read about adrenal tumors...or cancer or MRI's which I cannot afford and I'm scared that is what they are going to want to do. I could kick myself for not getting Pet insurance. They are family too and I just didn't see it that way ..untl now. PS. Last Vet visit was 12/27..still drinking, wetting bed, eating fine, playing with toys..nothing else out of the norm other then the stop and go 5 times outside while urinating. That seems more frequent. Used to be 2-3 stops..now2-4 ....Thoughts in Chester, Virginia?? Thanks!
DeleteYou're are right to be concerned with these symptoms. Something is going on. Diabetes or Cushing's would be some of my first guesses too. There are NO abnormalities in the blood work? Not even moderate elevations or elevations from previous normal?
DeleteWhere I'd recommend you to start is collecting copies of all the lab work and get a second opinion at www.vetlive.com
They are very thorough and might see something on the labs that doesn't scream loud enough to your vet, as well as they can help you come up with best options for next steps.
Other option would be a consultation with Dr. Donna Spector
http://www.spectordvm.com/ She is even more thorough and specializes in elusive cases.
My dog drinks a lot of water and pees more then a big dog.Unfortunatley I don't have the funds to take him to a vet. are their any other alturnatives for me ?
DeleteNot really as these symptoms can come with a number of diseases and you cannot treat it unless you know what's going on. Physical exam and basic labs ARE NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.
DeleteOur 8 year old male Boxer had a lump and several skin tags/warts removed on Tuesday. Starting on Thursday, he has been drinking much, much more than usual. I took him in on Friday and the vet did urine and blood tests that came back normal (sugar, blood count, proteins) except for slightly elevated urea and creatinine, 33.6 and 1.8, respectively. The vet says he thinks it is due to the anesthesia and will correct itself within a few more days, but I am dubious and very, very worried. As he has had some degree of hair loss over the past few months (I unfortunately didn't notice until recently, and don't know when it started) and has also been hungry all the time and sometimes eating things he shouldn't, I suspected Cushing's, but the vet said Friday's tests ruled that out, as his cortisol levels were normal. Any ideas? I don't really even know what to ask him to test for next. All of his pre-surgery CBC values and tests were normal as well, except for 'gray area' pancreatic enzymes, which is in keeping with his having on/off tummy problems over the years. In response, we have switched him from a dehydrated raw product (Ziwi Peak) to Wellness Core low-fat. That change happened several weeks before the surgery and subsequent excess drinking, though. I would welcome your suggestions...it's been a very stressful week and I am trying to trust the vet, stay calm, and wait this out, but I'm so very worried. His behavior, for the most part, is normal. Maybe a little bit less activity than normal, but not much. Thank you in advance for any suggestions you might offer!
ReplyDeleteI have a 7 year old female boxer who has started drinking excessive and going to the bathroom more often. She has also has several accidents in the house and that is not like her at all. I to am worried. She had skin tags and a bump taken off her ear several months ago and was fine afterwards. This started about two weeks ago.
DeleteYou definitely need to see your vet and investigate what is behind this change. There are a number of things that can cause this and either of them need addressing.
DeleteMy 8 year boxer also drank excessively, also seemed much hungrier than normal. His coat changed texture, becoming much more coarser than usual. It took quite an effort to finally get a diagnosis of Cushings, but that is what it ultimately turned out to be. You may want to get a second opinion
DeleteMy 10.5 year old boxer is going through this too excessive drinking eating and urinating. He was urine, blood, and levels tested. They ruled out Cushing's and diabetes due to his tests. Everything else about him is normal, no weight loss...he has tons of energy and is still happy go lucky? He had a few UTI's (4 in the past 6 months). The vet thinks maybe the UTI was never fully cleared up and he may have to take a pill a day to keep it at bay...Anyone else have the UTIs associated with their boxer?
DeleteYes, it is possible that it is the UTI, though I'm not sure how it would cause excessive hunger as well.
DeleteWith an ongoing, repeat UTI, though, you need to do couple things:
- culture! You want to know exactly what you have there. With recurring UTI you're often looking at a resistant strain. Randomly administered antibiotic can only increase the resistance. That's a bad thing.
- diagnose! With recurring UTI there ought to be a reason for them. Find the reason, have a better chance to resolve the problem.
http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2012/08/16/complicated-urinary-tract-infections-utis/
Hi Jenn,
ReplyDeleteincreased drinking really happens because the body is trying to "flush" something out. That's why there are some many things that can cause it.
In here you say two different things though ...? You say that starting on Thursday he's been drinking a lot; and you say it started several weeks before the surgery ... or do you mean all the symptoms started before surgery and the drinking was added to it after the surgery?
Since excessive drinking is body's effort to flush something out it could be that it is trying to flush out the anesthesia drugs; though I would think that healthy kidneys shouldn't have had hard time getting rid of it. Jasmine, for example, was under anesthesia for a number of times and it never resulted in increase in drinking with her.
Did your vet do any tests other than the cbc? Cushing's would often show up as increased liver enzymes. However, this is not conclusive of it, as the liver can also be unhappy for a whole lot of reasons.
Little more conclusive of Cushing's would be a urine protein creatinine ratio. If this test wasn't done, it would be the next step in determining whether Cushing's is the problem. A test that is conclusive of Cushing's would be ACTH stimulation test.
Do you have the lab tests that were done available?
I agree with you that symptoms should not be dismissed; they do mean something, and it is important to figure out what.
Also the removed lump and things went for analysis?
I'd suggest getting your hands on the lab results. And if your vet isn't willing to investigate further I'd look for a second opinion.
Yes, I was thinking of asking for the hard copies of lab results, as we have some trouble communicating due to language barrier (we live in Germany)...we kind of just get very basic communication. Anyway, Cushing's was ruled out by the urine test, his cortisol levels were normal, which is good. Oh, and the lump he had removed was benign, thanks for asking.
ReplyDeleteSo....the vet isn't exactly blowing me off, but I just don't know what the next steps are. The good news is, while he still drank quite a bit this morning, he didn't get up in the night to drink as he has the past two, and he didn't go straight to the kitchen for water when he got up this morning, either...we had our normal cuddle time before breakfast, and then he drank. So, as worried as I am, I have to admit that's progress. I'll wait it out a few more days and then see where we are. The only other thing I can think to have done right now would be a more complete thyroid panel, though the basic one was normal.
Oh...and yes, I meant that the excess drinking just started, post-surgery. The hair loss, honestly, I noticed it maybe a month ago, but I don't know when it actually started, because his coat is still pretty healthy. I only noticed it because all of a sudden when we had a cold snap a few weeks ago I could see through his coat when it stood up on his back when we were outside.
Thanks for such a quick response! If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Right now he's in the kitchen begging Daddy for bacon that he's not going to get, so things are 'normal.' :-)
Jenn
Good to hear that the drinking seems to be returning to normal! Sounds like it really is the body flushing out the anesthesia drugs.
ReplyDeleteYes, having a hard or electronic copy of the labs is a good plan, whether you are going to seek second opinion or not.
About the coat, sounds to me that perhaps you're a little paranoid after all, boxers don't have very heavy coat, I'd imagine it wouldn't be something odd to see the skin through it if it was standing up? If there are no other apparent issues, I'd doubt there is a real problem there. To put your mind at ease, do you know somebody else with a Boxer so you could compare the coats?
Full thyroid panel won't hurt anything. Be watchful of symptoms but don't set off on a wild goose chase :-)
Thanks. We actually have another Boxer, and I can't see her through coat in the same way, nor could I previously with Jordan. He, particularly, has always had a pretty thick coat. As the morning progresses, he is seeming more and more like his old self, and isn't drinking so much as in the past few days, so hopefully I was, in fact, just paranoid. He's always been my healthy one (bib sis is our 'million dollar baby' at the vet), so when something goes amiss, I confess I freak out. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI fully understand how your feel. It is important not to miss signs and symptoms. Has he been shedding lately?
ReplyDeleteI have a five month old boxer puppy. He is obsessed eith drinking. I try to control the amount of water I give him because he is in the kennel during the day while I work. Well lately he has become more obsessed only wanting to go outside to drink, and peeing a lot. He used to sleep with me on the bed and never pee on the bed and now he has peed several times. Just wakes up walks a step and pees! I don't understand this. He has all his shots doc days he is fine? I have put him back in his kennel at night to get his bladder back on control but he just pees in there now. I don't understand what has happened?!?
ReplyDeleteHi Denise, something certainly IS wrong and not fine. What diagnostics were done? Full blood panel? Urinalysis?
DeleteEither way, sounds like it is time to seek a second opinion as soon as possible.
I have a 8yr old husky who is as fit as he was at 3yrs old has had no problems as of yet but over last month I have noticed that he is drinking a lot more water than normal like 3 full bowls big bowls and eating his food straight away which is not normal and think he has lost weight but he seems his normal happy self any ideas thankyou kev.
ReplyDeleteHi Kev, good you noticed the change; it is the changes that are a tip off. I would certainly start by a full blood work up and urinalysis and go from there. Do let me know what the tests show.
DeleteWe have a almost 10 year old Doberman that has been drinking excessive amounts of water. She was recently diagnosed with thyroid problems and is taking medication. She is also a very anxious dog (probably because of prior history before we adopted her) and is taking Clomiparmine. Does the medication or the thyroid problems cause excessive water intake. Last night she pottied in living room (highly unusual for her) but even after drinking all the water--her urine is very bright yellow on carpet.
ReplyDeleteYes, Clomicalm can cause increased thirst. Upper level dose of thyroid hormone replacement can cause agitation, increased thirst, and diarrhea.
DeleteEither way, I would contact your veterinarian and let them know what's going on.
When is the time to check the levels to determine whether she's on an ideal dose?
For anxiety, unless you tried already, you might want to consider some more natural solutions, such as aromatherapy, DAP, Bach Flowers and so on.
She has already been to the vet to have hormone levels checked about 2 weeks ago and they where fine and told us to continue taking the medication.
DeleteWe have tried many different remedies for her anxiety (including prozac which we are weaning her off of) This clomicalm seems to have worked the best for her.
She also seems to be not interested in eating her usual amount of food when she is drinking large amounts of water.
Good that the thyroid hormone levels are on even keel. If that is so, she shouldn't have any symptoms from the hypothyroid - as it is managed; and shouldn't have any side effects from the medication, if the dose is optimal.
DeleteDigestive upset and increased thirst certainly are possible side effects of the clomicalm.
http://www.ehow.com/about_5583383_side-effects-clomicalm.html
I would certainly let your vet know about this as depending on the severity of the effects you might need to adjust the dose or try something else.
My dog is 9 years old and female she is drinking all the time. this has been going on for the last few weeks. people are saying she looks sad. worried please help.
ReplyDeleteHi Pauline. You need to start with a visit to the vet and having urine and blood tested. This will help to figure out what is behind it so you can address it.
DeleteThere is one condition that leads to a "sad" look; hypothyroidism, but I cannot tell whether that is the case here.
You need to have checked the function of all the major organs and glands.
Our terrier is about nine. She has been drinking a lot more water than usual for a few weeks now. We have been watching her closely but in addition to the frequent water intake she is also having little accidents around the house which is not like her at all. The frequent urination in combination with the added water intake is a change in behavior enough to warrant our taking her to the vet to get h checked out.
ReplyDeleteYes, it definitely warrants a vet visit, urinalysis and blood testing.
DeleteNone of the reasons for this is one that doesn't need one kind of treatment or another.
My terrier is also going through the same, a uti was diagnosed and a fortnight of antibiotics was given however no change and is still having "accidents". Bloods were done and no concerns were highlighted. My vet seems to think she might be incontinent, is this common in an 8 year old jack russell ?
DeleteIncontinence can happen in any dog. Did they re-check to make sure the UTI has cleared? Did they do cultures to make sure not dealing with a resistant strain? There was no improvement at all after the antibiotics were started?
DeleteWe've had our husky for a little over a year, he is 9 now. Ever since we got him he has been obsessed with food and water. We have to crate him during the day because he will destroy the house while we are gone (obviously some type of separation anxiety) as well as go to the bathroom. He has been going to the bathroom in his crate at least 3 times a week while we are gone. He will drink water until he explodes (he drank an entire kiddie pool full of water once). It's raining outside now, and he is pacing and whining to be let out (so he can drink the puddles). He will jump up into the sink to get food/water. We've tried extra play time, changing his feeding/watering times/amounts, a Thunder Shirt made no difference. His behavior lately has become incredibly defiant. He goes to the bathroom outside no problem, but still manages to go in his crate also during the day. Any advice would be much appreciated, we are expecting our first child and are afraid that we won't be able to handle both the dog and the child at the same time. We obviously don't want to get rid of our dog, he is family to us, but no amount of discipline is working.
ReplyDeleteWhat did/does your vet say about this? What diagnostics were done and what physical issues were ruled out?
Deleteplease dont dicipline your poor pet. he cant help it. i made the mistake of giving out to my wee pippy. she couldnt help it; it's part of the disease. be kind and understanding, they wouldnt soil if they could help it .............
DeleteI have a 8 year old dog. He has had increased thirst and then while he was asleep went into a seisure.What disease above does this fit?
ReplyDeleteWell, certainly one that warrants vising a veterinarian as soon as possible.
DeleteI have a boxer cross dog he is 5 years old and recently he has been drinking alot more and peeing alot more he has even started to pee in the house and he has never done this before, what could this be?
ReplyDeleteDepends on the type of accidents in the house he has (large puddles, dribbling, during sleep ...). Could be as simple as UTI or could be something more serious.
DeleteEither way, you need to see a vet to determine what exactly is going on.
hi my 11 yr old dog was drinking a lot of water and the vet did blood work. his liver enzymes were high so i was given 30 days of meds and then instructed to bring him in for blood work in 1 to 2 months. just finished up the meds but he is drinking a ton of water. is it ok to wait?
ReplyDeleteWell, liver enzymes can get elevated for all kinds of reasons. Typically, it is important to find out WHY they are elevated. What meds did they put your dog on?
DeleteNo, I wouldn't wait if the symptoms persist. Are there any symptoms other than the drinking?
I would consider testing for Cushings, since I imagine fever would have been noticed.
hi he is on denamarin. called vet and just did blood work again and he is to take another 30days worth and test blood again. no other symptoms but excessive drinking. hoping it work! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWell, ok, he's treating the liver ... what about looking for the cause though?
DeleteA number of diseases, chemicals, drugs, and toxins can damage the liver. The liver is directly affected by infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis. It is frequently involved in heartworm infection, Cushing’s syndrome, and diabetes mellitus. Primary and metastatic tumors are a major cause of liver failure in dogs.
Chemicals known to produce liver toxicity include carbon tetrachloride, insecticides, and toxic amounts of lead, phosphorus, selenium, arsenic, and iron. Drugs capable of damaging the liver include anesthetic gases, antibiotics, antifungals, dewormers, diuretics, analgesics (including NSAIDs), anticonvulsants, testosterone preparations (Cheque drops), and corticosteroids. Most drug reactions are associated with excessive dosage and/or prolonged use.
Some plants and herbs can also cause liver failure; these include ragwort, certain mushrooms, and blue-green algae. Molds such as aflatoxin, which grows on corn and may contaminate foods, can cause severe liver damage.
A blockage of the bile duct by gallstones, liver flukes, tumors, or pancreatitis is uncommon, but becomes a consideration when a dog has unexplained jaundice.
I will definitely inquire when he goes back on 2/15. Thanks for the info.
DeleteAbout 2 weeks ago, my 7 yr old Husky got very sick. She was vomiting, had diarrhea, and was lethargic. No fever. After 24 hours without improvement, we took her to the vet. They did a radiograph to rule out a blockage, did blood work, and gave her anti-nausea meds. She felt better by the next day. The vet called with the blood work results and said that there was 1 liver enzyme elevated, that it could be nothing, but to come back in a month to have it checked. My dog has seemed normal since then, but I have noticed that she is drinking more water than usual. I'm planning to take her back for another blood test in a couple weeks. Is it possible that the acute illness, elevated liver enzyme, and thirst could be related?
ReplyDeleteFirstly, yes, do take her back in, and I wouldn't really want to wait couple of weeks myself. How long has she been drinking more that usually?
DeleteWhether all those things are related ... could be. Vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drinking (I assume she's peeing more as well?) are all body's attempts to eliminate something that either doesn't belong at all, or does belong but it much lower levels. The liver would reflect any of those situations, since it's the body's detox factory.
So liver enzyme(s) can get elevated with an infection, toxin, hormonal problems (Cushing's, for example will reflect in liver values) ... just about anything.
So, yes, please, do take her in.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI have a 10year old beagle mix that started with excessive water drinking a few days ago. Because of increased water intake, he's also having accidents in the house which he hasn't had in almost 10 years! :(
The day before he started to drink alot, he ate a few french fries. At first, we thought this was the cause of increased thirst, but now we are worried that it could be something more serious. Aside from drinking/peeing alot, everything is normal. Eats well, active and alert. Any advice?
Yes, increased drinking typically comes coupled with increased peeing and potentially potty accidents. Makes sense, all that liquid has to get out.
DeleteThe first thing you need to do is to visit the vet, so they can find out what is causing that, as there is a number of potential reasons.
You do need to do this, though, because excessive drinking is a serious symptom to be take seriously.
Could be pancreatitis take your dog to the vet and get it tested my beagle drank and peed alot and thats what it was.
DeleteYes, it's one of the things it could be. Though at older age there are other things I'd worry about too.
DeleteI have a 5 yr old German Shepherd/Alaskan Malamute. She is high energy, but doesn't over-exercise (not great stamina).
ReplyDeleteWhen I adopted her I was informed she'd been on iv's for a month due to parvo, that she would be low energy and that the parvo stressed her GI, so it would be important to maintain a good diet.
She is a great eater (90 lbs, 2 cups dry food twice a day), no issues with pooping. she occasionally seems to have difficulty voiding urine.
She has ALWAYS been an excessive drinker....my parents refer to her as the Komodo Dragon, as she's always dripping freshly gulped water from her mouth.
She has started paying a lot of attention to cleaning herself,-, like stopping dead in her tracks, dropping to the floor and licking herself. Then panting.
After reading this site-forum, I clearly need to see a vet, but short of having all sorts of costly tests done, where do you suspect they should start? UTI? Diabetes?
Thanks for your assistance!
Licking herself where? Her vulva?
DeleteFiguring out something like this will require some tests. However, I think that seeing an integrative vet (one that uses both conventional and holistic medicine) might be the best way to go.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI have 9 year old Pomeranian who started having seizures late last year. He is otherwise healthy and very active. After a full blood panel came back normal, the vet recommended we do a liver functions test. His bile acids came back increased so we moved on to an ultrasound. A needle biopsy of a spot on his liver was taken and it came back as lymphocytic hepatitis with gastrointestinal pancreatitis.
The vet directed that he be put on a low protein diet and start Denamarin. Ever since we changed him to his new diet, he has been drinking and urinating like mad.
All of his bloodwork is now coming back normal, including his bile acids. We have had his urine analyzed twice in the last month and although it is diluted, his kidneys appear to be working.
Could his new diet or the Denamarin be causing this increase in thirst and urination?
Hi Jessica,
Deleteit's good that the blood is looking normal (though things can be within normal range and yet actually need attention; hard to tell without seeing the values). Good the urine seems normal also.
How long has he been in the diet and supplement? The Denamarin should be quite safe and benign, I wouldn't really see it doing it (though, of course, anything is possible)
What is the diet he's on?
Either way, I'd probably start with a second set of eyes reviewing the blood results and urinalysis results. The numbers are one thing, how they are interpreted can be another.
He's been on the new diet/supplement since end of December and that coincided almost exactly with his increase in water consumption. The only reference I've been able to find online to a low protein diet and increased water consumption is here: http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/urinary/c_multi_polydipsia_polyuria
ReplyDeleteMy vet called Science Hills (the food he is on) to see if increased thirst is something that can happen on their low protein diet, and they of course said "no". I don't trust that though for some reason. I think my next step will be to make another appointment with the vet in a week or two and request a copy of the bloodwork at that time as well. Thanks for your help!
Which diet is it exactly? Yes, I think a second opinion never hurts.
DeleteHe started on Science Hills L/D (both dry and a little bit of canned). The vet advised us to try changing to Royal Canin Hepatic, which he's been on for almost two weeks, with no noticed difference between the two, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteActually, I was doing liver diets analysis for my dog nutrition course; I would consider the Hill's formula better than the Royal Canine; as far as these products go.
ReplyDeleteWysong has a Rx Organ
http://www.wysong.net/vet/rxdiets/organ.html
Not specifically for liver but that one looks quite good. The protein levels are high, but my dog nutrition instructor says that more protein would be ok if protein : fat ratio is correct and balanced
So I'd discuss that with the vet.
Another option, of course, is getting a nutritionist formulate a custom formula for home preparation.
Still, though I don't see the diets causing all that drinking. I would really start by talking to www.vetlive.com, reasonably priced confidential second opinion.
You will need the lab results for them to evaluate the situation, though.
Thanks for all your help - I will definitely move forward with a second opion.
DeleteI have a 3 1/2 month old German Shepard/Lab mix. She drinks a lot because we're in the coolest state of Arizona. But last night she started acting weird. She drank all the water from one bowl and demanded to go outside and proceed to drink all the outside water, and then drank the inside water again all in one sitting. She wouldn't come on the bed to go to sleep and she's grunting. I'm not sure exactly what is going on..
ReplyDeleteI have a German Shepard lab mix. She's almost 4 months old. She's a very thirsty puppy because we live in Arizona, but she started acting weird last night.she wouldn't come to bed and she drank the three bowls of water I have for her and my other puppy all in one sitting and now she's bloated and keeps grunting. I'm concerned..
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope you got this resolved since you posted the message. Is all ok now?
Deletemy dog is a lasha apso cross breed.. he is ten years old... suddenly from two months ago he started drinking more water and less solid food intake.... first he avoided his regular foods... then we tried to give him meats to take food... he did ate it... then started avoiding that also later.... today all he had was water..... not even sniffing his canned chicken or beef.... i am so worried... what will be his condition... long back like 6 months ago he was suffering from stone in his kidney.. he will be struggling to urinate... he pee in drops...... but later on he started drinking more water and urinated frequently and normally.... we took him to vet... they took blood test and said he might be having diabetes.... what to do with him..... pls somebody tell.... he s not eating at all even his favourite food he is avoiding and drinkng only water.... i am worried...
ReplyDeleteWhen was the blood test which indicated that it might be diabetes?
DeleteFirst step = back to the vet, as so much drinking and no eating are serious symptoms. You need your vet to determine what is the cause, then you can look into solutions.
My Beagle/Maltese mix got into our leftover easter ham and ate may a couple pounds of it. Since then he drinks his bowl dry 3 or 4 times and needs to go out just as frequently. He had an accident last night. Could this jus be the sodium in the ham?
ReplyDeleteSince then ... how long has it been? Is he eating otherwise? No vomiting? Stools are good?
DeleteWith ham in large amounts you're looking at the potential of pancreatitis, among other things.
If this is lasting longer than the day after he ate it, I'd be worried and want a veterinary check.
I have a six year old labrador who weights 65 lbs. two weeks ago we went to our yearly summer home in Idaho from Palm Springs CA. My dog River started drinking about one gallon of water a day. When i went to the vet. for her yearly shots, i told him of the water concerns. He did blood work and urinalysis all seems fine. I did a 17 hr water fast to check her urine in the first thing in the morning ..it was dark and the ph was good.....the vet said no treats or people food except carrots ,her treat,and see if it slows down. What do you think/
ReplyDeleteClean blood work and urinalysis is definitely a good sign.
DeleteIncrease in temperatures and exercise also leads to increased water loss through panting and will result in drinking more. Do you feel that that could be the case?
I have a 2 year old German Shorthaired Pointer who is very tiny (30 lbs) and drinks more water in a day than my 75 lb lab/weimaraner cross. She also gets the same amount of food as my 75 lb dog, but has put on no weight. My husband thinks this is just because she has a high metabolism (admittedly, she is more active than the big dog). However, she seems to have excessive thirst. For example, in the mornings she will run to her water bowl and gulp water as soon as she wakes up. Before bed she usually tries to do the same thing. I have had to pick her up and carry her away from the water bowl before bed because I don't want her to have an accident while we are asleep. Do these sounds like symptoms of a health problem, or just a young, normal, active GSP?
ReplyDeleteClearly she is drinking enough for you to worry about it. Together with eating a lot and not gaining any weight would concern me too. I would start by a vet check up and full blood panel. If that doesn't show anything, you might want to investigate how the endocrine system is working.
DeleteI have an 8 week old Lab that I've only had a few days. She's always thirsty and drinks more water than my weiner dogs combined. I wasn't really worried about it since she's a larger breed dog and she was urinating normally. But today she had an accident in the kitchen floor and I noticed it was clear, not five minutes later she peed in the bathroom. After I cleaned it up I went to take her outside and she peed on me as I was carrying her out. Then she peed again a few minutes later, so within 30 minutes she went to the bathroom 4 times. I'm going to watch her and see if it continues tomorrow and if so take her to the vet. If it were diabetes would the frequent clear urination start out of nowhere like that? Thanks, Sarah.
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of things that can cause frequent urination; she seems a bit young for diabetes ...? But definitely, if she's drinking so much and peeing so much, you do want to have it checked out.
DeleteMy beagle is an outdoor dog and she's 5 years old. Now and then after her shower I bring her inside. Usually, I play fetch with her outside during the evenings when I'm free and she drinks normally. Since she's an outdoor dog, I don't really monitor her drinking but sometimes I do notice that her bowl of water is empty after around 3 hours. Is this normal? When I bring her inside she does drink quite a lot as well and has to go out to pee. Should I be concerned?
ReplyDeleteWell, drinking increases with exercise, heat and so on. Without actually having a good idea about how much she drinks and urinates total, it's hard to say. What color is her urine when she has to go pee shortly after brought inside?
DeleteHi my lab drank whole bowl of water this morning before peeing and eating, which is strange because he loves to eat. He then went to out side and I filled the other water bowl up and he drank it all. And was not interested in food. Very strange. And his breath stinks and his gas is extremeley smelly. So I am worried.
ReplyDeleteHi Deana,
Deleteyes, I would worry too. I would worry enough to take him to the vet as soon as possible.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteMy 13 year old dog (mixture of Cocker and Setter) is lately drinking huge amounts of water.
Since he is also 'sad', lethargic, with no appetite (which we thought that it was due to the new baby dog we got) wee took him to the vet. Although the lab results don't point all (just one) to hypothyroidism the vet decided to begin the treatment for it (last Saturday). However he continues to drink lots of water. Since we live in an apartment (Portugal) with no backyard he is now starting to it at home. Going out with him at 4 a.m. as happened today is not a solution ...
Even if the hypothyroidism is confirmed, and taking in mind this diagnosis, is this water 'problem' normal?
Shouldn't the meds have started to diminish this obsessive drinking?
Thank you so much for your help.
Sandra
Sandrine, that doesn't make sense to me ...? If the labs are not pointing to hypothyroidism, why treat for it?
DeleteWas she tested for Cushing's, diabetes, infections ...?
Yes, with treatment the symptoms should subside.
Well the vet said that sometimes dogs have the symptoms although the results are not clear. One of the results (sorry don't remember which) pointed that he could be with an infection. So he is being treated also for that possibility.
DeleteI don't think they tested him for Cushing's or diabetes...
That's interesting, because a false positive is WAY MORE likely than a false negative ...?
DeleteWhat other symptoms are there?
Seems to me you ought to get a second opinion asap; covering the other possibilities also, as really, IMO, hypothyroid in this case doesn't feel likely with the negative test, while something clearly IS going on.
The vet tested him for (its in portuguese...):
DeleteColestrol total: 297mg/dl (110-314)
Fosfatase Alcalina: 64.1u/L (20-200)
T4-T4 Total: 8.91 nmol/l (20-60)
TSH-Canina: 0.33ng/ml (0.00-0.65)
But since he has all the symptoms the vet decided to go with the treatment (symptoms: lethargic, no appetite, drinks lots of water, his 'hair' isn't growing evenly, some 'stains' with black dots on his tummy near his genitals)...
Thank you once again so much!!
I see. The total T4 is below normal, but
Deletea) by itself isn't really indicative of hypothyroidism
b) these levels can be affected by other disease processes
I'm not seeing glucose values nor I'm seeing kidney values.
I hear you with the symptoms; my recommendation stands, though, I'd get a second opinion. AND the glucose and kidney values at least.
I will. Thank you so much again for all your help!!!
DeleteI have a very strange story with my 12.5 year old beagle. He had a splenectomy made two years ago because of a tumor that turned out to be benign. A month after the operation my dog started drinking and urinating too much and the blood tests show high levels of liver ensymes ASAT and ALAT. We gave him something for it and things became normal about a month after that. Everything was perfect till the same month (september) exactly 1 year after the operation. It all started again. This time the test (blood, biochemical and electrolites) were normal. We didn't give anything this time and thigs turned back to normal for a month.I forgot to write that polydipsia and polyuria appeared mainly between 19.00 - 22.00 h in the evening accompanied with severe hunger. And what a shock for me! This year, the same month - all repeats again. We had two injections of dexametazone bed=cause of a different problem and after that this all started again, But it's the third month from then and my dog still drinks a lot, though not as much as in the beginning (every 3 hours). Now it can hol for 7-8 hours in the day but in the evening it's again 3 hours. And this awful hunger again...The tests came out normal except the liver ensymes AF and GGT which are higher. Now we give a hepatoprotector EPATO 1500 and waiting for a change. I still wonder for some hormonal problem (hyperthyroidism (though rare???). Is it possible the problem dues to the dexamethasone?
ReplyDeleteI will be happy for advise!:)
Thank you in advance!
Hi. Dexamethasone is a potent steroidal medication, so excessive drinking, urinating, hunger, and changes in liver values would be consistent with that kind of medication. Was it a "long-lasting" injection?
DeleteWith steroids one needs to watch for symptoms from the treatment itself, as well as coming off the treatment too quickly can cause serious problems.
It's really strange, though, that it would happen repeatedly at the same time of the year.
Thyroid and adrenal function require specific testing. The specific timing of the symptoms makes me think that a consultation with a integrative veterinarian might be a good idea.
Thank you very much for your reply!:) It wasn't a long- lasting injection but they were two injections of 50 ml in a period of two days that caused the problem. My dog is very energetic though, and hasn't changed its weight or behaviour during these 3 months (except for drinking, urinating and hunger during the evening time). I always want second opinion and also a third one :) My vet is giving my dog antibiotics for cystitis now, because he doubts for it. The result ater two injections is that the urine hasn't got that unpleasent smell it had before. .The urine test showed low weight but the vet set it could be because of the too much drinking. Now we continue with the hepatoprotector (i'm not sure if this is the right word in English) for a month and if we have no result we will make test for the hormones.
ReplyDeleteYes it's really strange that it happens at hte same time of the year. Something like "memory of the body". It's always when we take my dog back from our summer house where it leaves for the summer.
Is it possible the high AF and GGT ensymes to be a result from dexametasone or infection? My dog often confuses the veterinarians when I explain everything about its problem. We also made ehograph scan and it showed only structural changes of kidneys and livers that are normal for an old dog. My vet says there could be structural but not functional changes (as the other tests show). I don't know how to stop this excessive drinking (though it is decresing a little). Everything is too confusing for now.
Best regards,
Rusana
Hi Rusana,
Deleteyou mean that after steroidal shots urine lost the bad smell?
And multiple vets cannot figure this out?
I'd recommend consultation with Dr. Spector then, she specializes in mysterious cases
http://www.spectordvm.com/
No, no, I probably haven't written it right, my mistake. After the cystitis shots the urine lost its smell. Today we're going for another antibiotic shots.
ReplyDeleteI will wait for a while and see if these injections have effect. If don't, I will make hormonal tests. Do you think this is the right thing to do? Thank you once again for your help and answers! :)
All the best,
Rusana
Hi Rusana,
Deleteoh, ok, that makes sense then. Well, before spending money on trying to figure it out, I think I'd still have your vet contact Dr. Spector; particularly if the vets feel it's a confusing case. She really does specialize in this, she's like a veterinary detective :-)
I have an 11 year old lab that had surgery about a month ago to remove a golf ball from her stomach. Surgery went well and she also started Proin for incontinence upon her return home. Proin has been working great but since she got home she has been drinking a lot of water. She has not been having any accidents. I talked to the vet and they said they did bloodwork before her surgery and everything was normal. Vet wasn't overly concerned but also said there is no reason Proin or her surgery should cause excessive thirst. Should I have them run bloodwork again? Could it change that quickly? I noticed an increase in thirst right after surgery...
ReplyDeleteIncreased drinking definitely means something. Yes, I'd run urinalysis and another blood panel as a start.
DeleteHi I have a collie dog girl she is 6 she lost her owner in January this year and we lost our other collie in August just lately she is drinking a lot more and wonders off in the night for a drink two or three times and has gone really fussy with what she eats is this a sign of diabetes
ReplyDeleteDiabetes is one of the things that could cause increased drinking; along with other symptoms. The best way to find out is to see your vet and have them run some tests to figure out what is behind this.
DeleteMy Springer Spaniel is 7 years old and she has had an auto immune disease for the last 4 years requiring her to have a low dosage of steroids daily. I have noticed that she is drinking a lot at the moment far more than usual. Is this normal. I worry that her illness might be affecting her kidney function
ReplyDeleteTypically, steroids would cause increased drinking. Because it's a low dose, though, and she had it for a long time? (I assume this symptom is new?) I'd definitely have urinalysis and blood work done to see what is going on.
DeleteMy dog was having this issue and we also noticed his urge to frequently urinate without producing much. We took him to vet to find out he had gallstones. With surgery they were removed but if we had waiting they were not the kind he would've have been able to pass on his own. Please make sure you dont wait, take your dog to the vet to get the right diagnosis without speculating.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your note. Glad your baby is ok now. Yes, it's important to pay attention to symptoms. And as one of my veterinary friends says, "if you see something, do something."
DeleteMy 5 yr old boxer had 3 mast cell tumors removed a year ago. The oncologist recommended chemo protocol for the remainder of his life. He alternated between vinblastine and ccnu every other month. She also has him take pepcid ac as well as benadryl (100mg daily). 4-5 months later she said he was in full remission but suggested to continue the protocol as a preventative measure. Towards the end of august he began leaking urine in his sleep. We had a urinalysis done and it all checked out okay so our vet prescribed Prion for a month. Not sure if it was the pills, but he seemed to be back to normal. However last week, he started drinking excessive amounts of water and having more leakage problems every time he slept for a long period of time. He doesn't seem to be lethargic but two days ago he lost his appetite. He will eat eventually but not like he used too. But will always drink water and eat snow. We had blood work done on Monday and another urinalysis and everything came back normal. Yesterday he had a test for cushings disease and the doctor said it was borderline but not that bad. We are going in tomorrow to possibly have an ultra sound done. This is so frustrating. Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteSorry about your baby. I agree with you that those are important symptoms and need to be investigated. Something is going on that shouldn't and it is important to figure out what. If your vet cannot find anything, consider a second opinion.
DeleteMy family's great dane is quite old and she has been having leakage problems. Both of her parents, Duke and Gracie had cancer and died. She has also been drinking TONS of water lately. She still eats fine and runs faster than our old dog Jacob, but my mom has been having to put diapers on her because she's tired of having to clean the pee off of the beds and blankets. I'm afraid it might be cancer and we might have to put her down :(
ReplyDeleteI understand your concern. However, since she's drinking a lot more too, it is possible that it is something much less sinister, such as UTI or hormonal issues. Please have a vet examine her and run some basic tests to get to the bottom of this.
DeleteMy 10 year old Rat Terrier mix had the same battery of tests done as described above for the same symptoms. All negative. She's now on a 21 day regimen of antibiotics for urinary tract infection since all other possibilities were ruled out. I trust my vet so I'm going to wait five days and see if the symptoms disappear. If not, I'm at a loss as to what to do as this vet is the best in the area, short of taking her to a local veterinary teaching hospital.
ReplyDeleteThe UTI was a diagnosis of exclusion? Urinalysis didn't show anything that would confirm it?
DeleteEndocrine issues had been ruled out?
My 9 year old dog has been hacking alot for a while she has also been drinking alot lately. She also hasn't been as active or happy as she used to. Is this because she is getting older? Or is it something else?
ReplyDeleteThese are certainly NOT signs of getting older. It's definitely something else, and frankly, from the symptoms, I'm worried. Please see a vet and have this figured out.
DeleteCould she have congestive heart failure? I lost my other dog to that.
DeleteI wouldn't see excessive drinking as a typical symptom of congestive heart failure. Combined with the hacking, it sounds to me like an infection of sorts.
DeleteI hope they've seen a vet by now.
My 13 yr old lab also had the hacking problem. Took her in to find she has a fatty tumor in her throat. She does have other fatty tumors as well. Now she only does it if she gets real excited.
Deletei have had my dog since she was 2 1/2 months old she is 7 almost 8 months now and still till this day she drinks way to much and can't control or hold her bladder and its really annoying cause i cant potty train her cause she seriously cant hold it. i have taken her to the vet numerous of times including 2 days ago and 2 days ago last week and she has gotten over 7 urinalysis and still cant figure out what is wrong with her i am losing hope :/
ReplyDeleteSorry about your trouble. Did you take her to the same vet each time? It is time for a second opinion - trying a different vet.
DeleteI have done dog rescue 18 years. Vets are notorious for missing diagnosis of tapeworms. We have had tons of pups and dogs test clean but then find they do have them. ALL of those dogs drink excessively and eat a lot. After 2-3 treatments of praziquantel, they become normal again. Can also feed food-grade diatomaceous earth which is natural, available online, and carries out several parasites and toxins with no side effects.
DeleteEvery case of excessive drinking needs to be investigated until a cause is conclusively found.
DeleteMy boyfriend and I just adopted a dog this weekend and so we don't really know what is normal for our Ruby but she seems to be drinking a lot. Nothing else seems out of the ordinary or cause for concern.. We're hoping to bring her into a vet this weekend. Of the issues listed above and in other posts are there any that might be more likely to show up in dog that have been living in a shelter?
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Taking her for a check-up is certainly a good thing and I would definitely mention your concern about the drinking. Try to collect some fresh urine just before you get to the vet too.
DeleteHow old is she? Is she peeing a lot also? What color is the urine?
She is two, a Maltese terrier mix, she doesn't seem to be peeing as frequently as she's drinking. She was having some issues with excited peeing but that's happening less and less as she settles in. Her urine varies from yellow to clear.
DeleteHow do you collect urine from a dog? (that feels silly to ask)
Are there any questions we should ask when we bring her to the vet?
Thanks so much for your help!
Best,
Jen
Excessive drinking typically goes with excessive peeing; which makes sense, as all that liquid has to come out. Clear urine would be a sign of 'over-hydration'. Could also mean kidney problems.
DeleteWhats In The Urine? (Part I: What You Can Notice On Your Own)
What's In The Urine? (Part II: Urinalysis)
Collecting pee from a tiny dog is going to be tricky, our guys are big so we have it easy. We collect by putting a jar under the bum when they're peeing. In this video they're using a ladle,
Collecting urine on a female dog
When you bring her in you want to bring some FRESH urine (if possible); ideally fasted, even more ideally first morning urine (don't know when your appointment is - fresh is more important; stool sample, notes about all your concerns and history if you have any (including vaccination history if you have it)
Ideally, you'd want full physical exam, urinalysis, stool analysis and I would also run a blood panel (if nothing else to establish present state and baseline for the future)
My sweet Boston Terrier has been drinking water excessively for months, getting up in the middle of the night multiple times to either drink water or go to the bathroom and is licking his paws (or couch, carpet, etc.) constantly. I've taken him to the vet multiple times, they've run blood test, urinalyses, ultrasound, I've eliminated treats, and more. It's not diabetes, cushings, kidney, liver, bladder or urinary tract issues. My vet and I are at a loss. He will actually cry/bark for minutes at night to wake me up because he either wants water or needs to go out. He has not had any accidents in the house. I wish I could do something to make him better....has anyone found a solution to these symptoms?
ReplyDeleteSorry about your baby. Clearly, there IS a reason for this and it is a question of finding it. Did the licking of everything start at about the same time as the increased drinking?
DeleteJust recently, science made a connection between excessive licking of surfaces and gastrointestinal disorders. So that would kind of point towards the GI tract.
Excessive drinking, in general, is the body's attempt to flush something out, or failure to regulate this (dipsogenic diabetes insipidus).
I take it all the tests done were perfectly normal? Was comparison of the results to baseline (results from earlier age when he was healthy) done? Sometimes things can be within normal range but when compared with older results one might notice differences. Was calcium perfectly normal also?
Of course, both could be caused by psychological or neurological problem, though personally I like to look for physiological reasons first. Were there any dramatic changes in his life? Do you feel he might have a reason to be anxious?
At this point, I would suggest another pair of eyes
- either veterinary internal specialist or
- integrative veterinarian
to see whether they can make better sense of this.
A great internal specialist who provides consultation is Dr. Donna Spector, who specializes in mysterious cases and has an eye for seeing connections and things other veterinarians don't see. So perhaps you could start there.
PLEASE HELP ME!!! My baby is very ill. She is a beagle dog, female and 4-5 yrs old. Her name is Britany Taylor. She has stopped eating and drinking. :'(( She will only eat soft dog food, and drink water if it has milk or ice cream in it, and to do this we have to force her. * tears * Please help my baby girl. Im only 14 yrs old, and my cat died from enturnal bleeding in febuary, a couple weeks after my dad died, i cant bear to lose another person/ animal i love. I just... can't. PLEASE HELP ME, HELP MY BABY GIRL!! * MORE TEARS * :'((
ReplyDeleteHoney, you need to get your mom/grandparents (whomever you live with) take your baby to the vet. As soon as they can. Please talk to them and ask them to do so.
DeleteSorry I can't help you over the internet, your baby needs to be examined by a vet, hon. (((hugs)))
If you don't have a guardian who would take her, try talking to a vet yourself.
Also be careful what you offer her, in order not to make her worse. Milk or ice cream isn't the greatest idea. Try if you can get your hands on low sodium broth, some boiled chicken, stuff like that. And do find a way to get her to a vet.
DeleteI have a 13 year old rescue (beagle/coon hound I think) and started out of the blue drinking excessively and of course urinating. I've taken her to the regular vet and they did all sorts of blood/urine tests as well as a scan and came up with nothing. I then took her to a holistic vet and they tried a couple different things that didn't improve anything either. Now on my third vet (who is holistic) and they started her on pills that are for her kidneys and liver. Basically "food" for the liver and kidneys. I've also started her on salmon oil for her skin/coat. She's on a mostly whole food diet of ground turkey, sweet potatoes and carrots with some high quality grain free dry. There hasn't been a real improvement and she is thinner than she used to be also her muscles in her legs are not as strong. Not sure if she has cushings but she has some of the symptoms. I just don't know what to do about the treatment because they've tested for diabetes as well and everything comes up negative. I know she's old but I want her to be as comfortable as possible and if there's anything to get her to stop drinking so much i'd be interested in checking it out.
ReplyDeleteAdrenal function would certainly be one of the things I'd test. Why do you test and see whether that will give you answers.
DeleteAbout 2 days ago we adopted a 3.5 month old husky/pit puppy. The couple we got him from was very sweet but didn't really seem to know much about puppies. He's been an outside dog till now and is pretty underweight. He has a healthy appetite but he also drinks a lot. He urinates each time we go outside but it doesn't seem excessive. Could he be dehydrated and if so how long until his drinking will calm on it's own? Also, I noticed the water bowl he has in the bathroom he stays in when when we are gone is still full. Could he be only drinking even we are home because he's still so new to our home and is adjusting?
ReplyDeleteIf you're dog has ANY one of the following symptoms:
ReplyDelete-nausea
-vomiting
-pale gums
-drooling excessively
-lethargy and lack of coordination
TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY.
Time is critical in this situation, I unfortunately lost a 4 year old cockapoo to water intoxication this past weekend. She was biting at the water in lake michigan for an hour and an hour later she was already dead. There is no time for blood work at the vet, explain your situation and that your dog has water intoxication action needs to be taken immediately in order to avoid brain damage, heart failure, coma and death. Keep an eye on your pup and keep them safe this is a more critical situation than one would expect, take action immediately if you have doubt better to be on the safe side. Best wishes for all.
My neighbors dog dies all of a sudden. he said he acted normal monday, tuesday it was in the 90's, the dog didnt want to go in the house all day but was drinking lots of water. Later in the evening, he finally came inside, went into the guy's room, and started twitching. then lied down, farted out a bunch of blood, then started convulsing, started breathing heavily and died. it happened so fast, the guy didnt know what was going before the dog just died. he was a german shepherd/ boxer not even a year old. he didnt get into anything that could have poisoned him, no other dogs or people came over. his owner went on vacation on sunday, but thats all that was out of the ordinary. any ideas?
ReplyDeleteSorry, Christina, we could only guess. The only conclusive answer could be gained from necropsy. Certainly does sound like some kind of poison, though.
DeleteI have a Corgi mix..my parents were here with us foe a little over a no,th my dad had cancer surgery they brang their two dogs who got along great with my two...well my dog marked a few places (pretty much th r same place) I know he was just letting them,know this is his place...well they left now two weeks ago he's been drinking a bit more (not tons more), urinating a little more, eating well and lost a little weight...we've been told he was stressed and had a little anxiety from all the business...he tends to make the same spot if I leave my house often or for a longer time...he's never done that before...is he really just depressed or still upset? Should I be worried yet?
ReplyDeleteThe marking I'd consider a normal reaction. The increase I would not. Why don't you start with urinalysis a go from there?
DeleteOur vet doesn't see it as an issues and won't get us in till after Christmas..and I can't afford an emergency visit at the animal hospital...can't afford my own doctors bill right now...Dec is low income cause lack of hours..but after Christmas they said they can get us in...he had a check up a few months ago and was in perfect health...I'm still worried...I have a 14 year old who's a few years behind and autistic ... She's been worries as well...feel so lost what to do till then...Thank you for your information
DeleteWell, since you said drinking and urinating A LITTLE more (which you know what that means to you) ... Try adding some cranberry extract in case it's a mild UTI, make sure he gets enough liquids and gets to urinate frequently and watch him carefully. If anything changes or other worrisome signs pop up, you will need to take him in.
DeleteYou have only one vet where you live?
I've been calling and with holidays everyone's closed. I've made my self physically sick. Barney We for,after my brother died at age 21, as a therapy dog. My dad has cancer, my mom is ill with ptsd (cause she watched my brother pass away) and and lung issues and to top this crazy off my husband just landed in the hospital with BP high and blood vessels exploded in his brain..that just happen this weekend...I'm so sick with grief my daughter has AS and I'm beyond stressed now,sick,over the dog....I don't want him,in pain, if this is simple med fix I want that desperately for,him and if it's something big like cancer or organ failure I need to get him put to sleep because I refuse to,watch him die slowly or horribly all because we can't let him go...
ReplyDeleteThabk you for you input and help I appreciate it...I'm calling one last place this morning and Praying,they will see him
So sorry for your hardship. You didn't really describe what is wrong with your dog. Increased urination can be from a simple infection or from a disease that is treatable. But you need to determine what it is.
DeleteI wanted to let you know I appreciate your input I finally found a vet yesterday who was compassionate and had us take our Barney in...I'm heart broken we had to put him down.,he had dibeates quick onset his kidneys and,liver were failing he lost 12 pounds in two weeks I had to do the hardest thing of my life other then bury my brother...I stayed with him th r entire time,I didn't want him going alone. We are broke right now , I feel like a monster but the vet told me,I did what was best for the dog cause he wouldn't have made it threw any surgery ...they put him to sleep and gave him that other shots.the was gone before all the med was given I asked the vet is it always that fast cause I was shocked and he said no honey he was just that sick and it took him so fast...so heart broken at Christmas ...I miss him...we're all hurting even my husband lost it...cause he just got,out,of,the hospital as well...their my 4 legged babies cause I can't have any more children and my daughter wants a sibling so we sis next best thing and got the dogs...just wanted to say thabk you for taking,your time to help people with their furbabies... I hope you have a Blessed Christmas
DeleteSo sorry about your loss :-(
DeleteSo, we just got a five-month-old puppy. She's from a blue ribbon pedigree mongrel line. :P She's got a bit of Dalmatian in her somewhere and will probably end up a bit shorter and less lean than a Dalmatian. She drinks a LOT of water. Apparently she's always been like that. Her foster people told me that her water bowl would be refilled six to seven times a day. Now I'm trying to keep track of how much water she drinks since her urine has barely been coloured. I'd say she drinks about one and a half litres of water if I fill up her bowl every time she asks instead of pouring half a cup. She goes quite a bit, too - about 2-3 times when we take her out, and we take her out about five times a day. She usually lets us know when she wants to be taken, too. Her appetite is fine, especially for things she sees us eating. It's pretty hot and she likes playing quite a bit. She's usually either napping or trying to get me to play with her or chewing her sticks. Our first vet visit together is tomorrow and I wanted to ask if there's anything specific I should ask him, because of all this. Is it just because it's got hotter in the last few days and her activity level has definitely risen since she's been with us? Or should I be worried?
ReplyDeleteYou definitely want to mention this. And I would run urinalysis and blood panel to see how everything is working (and I'd do it even with a healthy pup to either see whether anything is brewing under the surface or to establish a baseline; believe it or not, having a good baseline is very handy later).
DeleteDiscuss with your vet whether her water intake is appropriate to the conditions (weather, temperatures you've been having) and her activity level.
When it's hot, dogs will drink more. The question is how hot do you have it as is the water intake in proportion to all this.
So I wouldn't quite worry just yet but I would be diligent about it. Please make a note of everything else that could be out of the ordinary.
Hi Jana,
ReplyDeleteThe reply button wouldn't work for me, so new comment, sorry about that.
Anyway, I am going to get an analysis done even if two vets (I was unhappy with the first, very happy with the second) have assured me that there's absolutely nothing wrong with her except that she's a bit anaemic. That's being fixed now, I'm going to up her beef liver intake a bit so that she doesn't need supplements for long.
It got really hot very quickly (beginning of tropical summer already, even if she's got a short coat and can take heat), and she'd been playing with the kitchen towel, which must have dried her mouth a bit. I restricted her water intake to a litre for two days and she's got used to it without any discomfort or whining, now she doesn't finish every drop the moment I fill her bowl. Her pee is yellowish and clear, too, now, so it looks as if she was just really overhydrated, and getting used to her new diet (she was with a vegetarian family who fed her veggie homecooked diet plus commercial dog food, I've taken her off the dog food except for occasional pouches of the wet one).
So while I'm definitely going to get an analysis done, urine and blood, I'm not worried anymore. But thank you so much. There's so much conflicting information, and she came with very incomplete medical records, so I was at sea and expecting the worst. You helped with straightforward advice and information. I'm so glad I found your blog.
Cheers!
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Deleteyes, have the work-up done. Unusual thirst and "a bit anemic" too? Does pop some red flags. I'd test for tick-borne too, while at it.
hello.. my dog is drinking a lot of water. he normally stays at our bathroom where the floor is wet . he dont want to eat , lost his appetite. im very worried because he also sleep to much. what will I do?
ReplyDeleteEmy, you take your dog and see a vet, ideally today.
DeleteI have a 12 year old Siberian husky who has fatty tumors over a large portion of his body (yes they have been tested). Over a year ago my dog has become obsessive with his water, and I took him to the vet about 7 months ago. He was tested and had something similar to a UTI and was put on medication. His obsession has never went away. I took my dog back to the vet last month due to his sudden irritation with our other dog. He ended up having hips that hurt him and is currently on medication for that. While there I mentioned his obsession with water has never cleared up, and the vet said that it was the dogs way of trying to "flush" something out. His obsession is so bad we have caught him drinking up water from our walk in shower at night. Last night he was pacing and whining and I let him outside where he urinated and drank water. I eventually picked up the water and brought him back in. He continued to pace and whine from my bedroom to the bathroom. I placed him in my office with a kid gate so I could still hear/see him and within 3 min he urinated in there... this is not normal behavior, but the vet seemed to act like it was just something older dogs would do in his condition. To me it sounds/looks like kidney failure. Any information or thoughts would be welcomed.
ReplyDeleteSarah, no, this is not a normal behavior at all. Did you vet run urinalysis and blood panel? Nothing at all was off about it?
DeletePlease go back to a vet but this time A DIFFERENT one. It could be kidneys, it could be another infection, it could be Cushing's ... it could be all kinds of things. Please get a different vet who's willing to figure this out.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteMy Lhasa Apso is 8 years old and it has been a month since she is drinking water a lot and peeing around the house.
She eats normally. She's always been a picky eater so I can't judge her on her eating habit because it is the same, just she eats better than before in fact.
She gets regular exercise.
I took her to the Vet and they had no clue.
they just wrote down vitamin supplements and oral anti-biotic for her.
I asked them for urine test and they said that the lab technician is off duty and she doesn't do it any ways!
And then I told them about Cushing's disease and diabetes for which they told me to buy the regular diabetes home test kit and check for myself!
I live in India, in one of the most remotest town where nothing much is available for animal health care. The Vets here are useless. Their knowledge is as good as mine!'
Can you help me with what I should do.
I know that I can't heal her so how do I control her problem which might be Cushing or diabetes.
What can I do to make her live longer, pain free life?
I have an 11 year old pit bull/lab mix. Recently dx with bladder infection given zeniquin. Within a week she started pacing, drinking a lot and soiling in the house. All blood levels came back goo except liver ADL at 136, just slightly high. It had been that way for about a year. Ultrasound of abdomen showed mass on sole, which was then removed. Waiting on pathology report, most likely cancer. She is still pacing, drinking a lot and soiling in the house. Went back to vet to be checked for cushings disease. Adrenal test done and came back normal, they did not want to do the LLDL? Due to her recent surgery. What could be causing her to be so thirsty and pacing non stop. Vet is unsure at this time and I am really lost on what to do. How can I help my little girl?
ReplyDeleteAt this point, given the mass that was found, I'd wait for the pathology report and then consult with an internal specialist if it comes negative or oncologist if it comes positive (though in your area you might need to work with an internal specialist if no oncologists available.
DeleteDrinking and urinary accidents can be caused by many things but the pacing along with it narrows it down somewhat to likely pain.
My dog has been drinking an excessive amount of water for the past week, if this continues for another week I'll discuss it with my parents, and have them take her to the vet. She is turning 7 years old next month.
ReplyDeleteUnless it's quite hot and she's exercising a lot (which would lead to increased thirst naturally) I would not really wait a week. Is she spayed? Is she less active? Is she eating normally? Peeing and pooping normally?
DeleteI have a 9 year old female black lab. She takes phenobarbital for seizures. She stopped eating her normal food she has eaten since she was a pupp. Drinks alot of water. We took her to the vet , blood work and lab test where done and she has a low thyroid count. Vet gave her meds for that. That was a week ago and she is still not eating unless I give her a hot dog or piece of turkey. She lays around alot now . I'm kinda thinking she might be fixing to expire . Just wondering what yall thought.
ReplyDeleteShe's do young to be ready to "expire." Something is going on medically your vet hasn't found. There were no abnormalities on the labs at all, other than the thyroid? (Note that thyroid levels can be low because of an issue that has nothing to do with thyroid; any disease state will result in low thyroid). Were her thyroid levels re-checked after starting the meds?
DeleteSomething is going on there and it needs to be figured out. Might want to seek a second opinion.
The only thing she ate today is a chicken nugget. Her hind end is shaking a little also. When we took her a week ago the vet said everything looked good except her thyroid was low. She looked healthy. If she is not better by Monday we will go back. I feel horrible for her.
DeleteThere is definitely something going on. I wouldn't even wait till Monday if possible. So many things can be treated or managed but they need to get diagnosed first.
DeleteTook her back to vet ,they kept her most of the day to run test. After a complete exam including ultrasound and x-rays they found what was wrong.
ReplyDeleteHer back bone has started to fuse together . 70%. Vet said he has been practicing for 20 years and never seen a animal this bad. After some shots and relaxing she finally started eating . So she is retired from action in the field and jumping in out of trucks . She will be a house dog until her last days. Thanks for your help.
Sorry about the diagnosis but at least now your know what you're facing and can manage it. Acupuncture can be quite helpful, as well as careful physical therapy. She should still be able to do gentle, slow, on-leash walks, to keep her muscle strength.
DeleteI have a 9 yr. old female Morkie. About 2 weeks ago she started vomiting white foamy stuff & had diarrhea. Then started having this thick bloody discharge in her urine. She quite eating and acted lethargic. I took her to the vet & he gave her a shot & 2 prescriptions. He said her stomach was probably inflamed by something bad that she ate. Two days later, she started acting very tired & could barely walk. Took her to another vet, they thought it was her pancreas. Took blood tests & then ruled that out. Once again, was told that she probably ate something that didn't agree with her....Well, she did start eating a little yesterday and;even more today. She drinks water excessively and the red bloody discharge is still coming out in her urine. Vets didn't act too concerned about that. Can't afford to keep taking her in for more and more tests...has anyone else experienced anything like this???
ReplyDeleteNone of the vets were concerned about this? I'm sorry but you do need to see another vet, one who will take this seriously. Where do you live?
DeleteMy 10 year old border collie has been drinking more water than usual and hasn't wanted to eat for more than a week. The eating problem started one evening when he literally collapsed on his stomach and never moved for hours even for his favourite treats. The vet did a blood test and an examination and found nothing that concerned him. After that mysterious collapse, he doesn't seem to be in obvious pain and is still relatively energetic but he seems uninterested in food. I've been getting food into him by warming it, feeding wet food but he turns his nose up at a lot of things he used to like or even spitting it out. If it were just the food, I'd consider that he was getting picky, but I'm very concerned about this because of the excessive drinking as well.
ReplyDeleteI've also had his mouth examined and it appears normal. He doesn't seem weak at all and can jump, swim and tug on things without showing pain. I have no idea what could be wrong, or how his out-of-nowhere collapse that has only happened once could have anything to do with over-drinking and under-eating.
Would really appreciate any ideas you might have.
Hi Rob,
DeleteI agree that it doesn't sound like an oral/dental problem to me either. Does sound very concerning, though, and I'm surprised that your vet isn't more concerned, particularly after a collapse. SOMETHING caused it and something is causing the loss of appetite and increased drinking.
I can even begin to guess what might be going on either but I think your vet needs to go back to the drawing board or you need a second opinion.
My 4 more old boxer mix wants to drink all the time. Urinates often even in his crate while sleeping. His ultrasound was fine. Urine is pretty much water and recently started shaking ..The vet has no answers
ReplyDeleteWhat other diagnostics were done? Urinalysis? Blood work? Nothing found on any of the labs?
DeleteSuch excessive drinking HAS a reason which needs to be found, particularly when shaking has been thrown into the mix now.
My 7 month old isn't eating or drinking. He will eat his treats but not his dog food. He also urinates more frequently than he use to. Can you help me on what to do about this issue?
ReplyDeleteI can't really help you other than by telling to see your vet. This can be truly figured out lnly with a physical exam and lab work.
DeleteI have a 7 year old min pin, as you probably know thy are usually pretty hyper. A few days we noticed she was pretty quiet and wouldn't eat, looked sad. Brought her to vet and they did blood work and said white blood cell count was low. Kept her overnight on IV (antibiotics). Next day vet said she was fine, brought her home, not eating and drinking lots now. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteYou're correct to notice and be concerned about such changes; these things are important messages your dog's body is telling you.
DeleteWhat was your vet's working diagnosis? It is possible that antibiotics could cause some temporary changes but you need to talk about this with your vet.
Your vet needs have a good explanation to what's happening or go back to the drawing board or you need a second opinion.
Vet was unsure as to what the problem is for sure. Was saying we might have to get ultrasound done to check further. Gonna bring her back in morning and see what they can do.
DeleteDid he recheck the blood work? Shooting in the dark and not checking whether it's working isn't very effective. I'd definitely call them back.
DeleteReasons for low white blood cell count
DeleteIt's a sad day, brought her in to have ultrasound done. They found multiple cancer lumps in her abdomen and one large one in her intestine. The one in the intestine had ruptured and they said she probably wouldn't survive operation. We had to have her put. Thank you so much for the help.
DeleteOh no, Ed, so sorry about your pup :-( Depending on what shape she's in I'd likely get a second opinion.
DeleteWell, it's confirmed, had to have her euthanized today. Thanks again for your help.
DeleteMy suggestion to all is maybe consider ultrasound after your dog reaches certain age, say 5 years old to catch such things.
So sorry for your loss :-(
DeleteYes, technically, doing an ultrasound during annual wellness exams would be idea.
Hi I have a 12 year old german shephard, a few days ago we noticed she was drinking alot (she's never been very good with drinking) now she won't eat and looks very sad,her behaviour has totally changed and she's very lethargic. She also has epilepsy and her back legs are bad.we are worried about taking her to vets in case they put her to sleep but we also don't want her suffering.
ReplyDelete