Quote: Spencer Martin

whether or not he supported raw and he did! He just said to do my research and supplement well! Cool huh?!

I think so, it makes life so much easier to have a vet that will work with you to support the health of the dog!

(not to insult you or anyone else, but most diseases, esp in early stages, do not show outwardly at the P.E. I would be more comfortable with a urinalysis for a quick and painless initial rule out of the possible over-thirst)

Edited by aimee pochron (06/22/2010 02:04 PM)
Edit reason: forgot something

Spencer, from what it sounds like, you are giving him continuous water until he stops, then you take it away, then in a few hours you give him more water, then take it away...Is this correct?

I think what others were suggesting was not to take it away. Leave the bowl of water for him to drink and don't take it away, at all. He should start to realize that you will not take it away and he doesn't need to "hoard" it. My three dogs all drink different amounts and in different ways. One drinks a ton of water and practically immerses his face in it. Another just licks the water up for a short time. The third...well we don't think she learned how to drink lol, she licks it up, but always coughs after drinking.

I would try leaving the bowl down for him, maybe if he doesn't stop drinking, redirect him to training, but leave the bowl where it is. That way he won't think you are taking it away and will make the association that you are leaving it and he doesn't need to drink as much.

Okay I would be willing to try that but how does that work when you are kenneling a dog? He's out a large portion of the day but he's not allowed off of his leash when he's out of his kennel. Should I just take a bowl of water everywhere he goes? I'm up for suggestions.

I just want to make sure he has enough water. I wish there was a way to really just know what to give him so I could divide it up over the day. I realize I might be asking for a lot.

Aimee, you think I should make another appointment for a urine sample testing? What are some of the serious problems with over thirst?

Are you kenneling him at a facility outside of your house? If so, do they not have water bowls for each of the dogs to drink from?

Changing the routine just today isn't going to change his behavior. He's already established a habit of water guzzling. If this is the issue, then it'll take several days of him learning that water isn't in short supply at your house and there's no need to drink it all at once. Even if he is on a leash he can see that his water bowl is there and full when he walks by. What may be triggering this is the absense of a water bowl at all, except during these rationed water breaks. He doesn't know when he's going to get water again.

Again, assuming he doesn't have a kidney issue (which I doubt since you don't say this is a new behavior), he's doing this because he thinks this is his best option given the circumstances presented. It's up to you to prove to him that he doesn't have to be paranoid about water. Drinking (along with peeing and pooping) are simply natural functions that it's best not to create a lot of "crisis" around. He's going to have to drink water every day for the rest of his life--so I don't think it should be surrounded by drama.

I would get him checked with urinalysis and bloodwork if it were me.

It sounds like, given his circumstances that he is hoarding because you limit it's access. BUT

I have had clients at the kennel that didn't notice or didn't bother to get their dogs vet checked for water consumption til I pointed out just how much they were drinking. Three of four in the last year were diabetic, the fourth had a kidney infection.

Best to start knowing that it isn't something healthwise first and then deal with the issue of hoarding.

Biggest worry I would have with overdrinking is bloat, followed rapidly by kidney damage.

I say kenneling but I mean crating lol. I always forget there is a huge difference. He's being crate trained in the house where he lives. Tracy of course I'm not going to do it for only one day, I'm going to do it until he realizes I will be giving him as much as he needs. He's already cooling his jets about it and I just started this morning.

I think I'm going to play this out for about a week Sonya and I really appreciate your concern. I wouldn't have thought about diabetes, to be honest. Then if he still is being crazy with water then I will consider a vet visit.

Another idea is, I've been reading a lot about Boxer dogs being insane about drinking water. Is this some sort of breed issue? I can't imagine why but everyone I've talked to says Boxers will always be like that, and there is lots of info online about it. Can this be so?

Pups are made of water, they drink a ton of water. Maintenance fluids (not growing, not in a hot place, not playing) is 15 cc per lb. So if he weighs 25 lbs he needs
375 cc of water to remain alive. Panting uses a ton of water, and growth even more.

I suspect it's not a "disease". Drinking until they puke is a common complaint. Eating the puked up kibble and water is real common too
I'd leave the water out all the time, put some ice cubes in there for him to play with,to slow him down.

Thank you Betty! Good to hear that it could be just a normal thing!

Spencer, I think it sounds like a plan to see if he is just being obsessive.

I have a limited experience with boxers at the kennel and haven't noticed them to be worse than labs or pointers or some of the generally high activity dogs that spaz and run back and forth to their water.

Worse individual dog for water use but in good health...I have boarded a bloodhound mix that could go through nearly 4 gallons of water a day. Most of it was salivated, leaked or sloshed all over the floor. She doesn't actually ingest it all. She has flews (lips...for those that never lived with a Bullmastiff) that hold quarts as she runs back and forth barking constantly. She is obsessive about it. But she doesn't 'drink' it all.