How To Keep Your Pet Hydrated

Most pet owners put down fresh water each day before leaving the house and refresh it as necessary. We all think our pets drink when they’re thirsty, but are they getting enough water? How can you tell?

Daily Pet Water Needs

Puppies and kittens will drink more water than their adult counterparts. They are more active and sometimes use their water bowls as splash pools, so it seems like they’re drinking more.

Adult dogs should consume about an ounce of water per pound of weight. That means a medium-sized dog of 35 lbs. should drink about 4 to 4.5 cups of water each day. Of course, activity levels will increase the amount of fluid your pet needs to stay fully hydrated.

Adult cats need, on average, between 5 and 10 ounces of water per day. If they’re eating moist canned food, you may reduce that amount. 

How To Tell If Your Pet Is Drinking Enough Water

The quickest measure of your pet’s intake is their water bowl. If there aren’t any other pets drinking from the bowl, you can tell by the water level and how often you need to refresh with clean water. There are physical signs that your pets are well-hydrated as well.

• They are active, not lethargic
• Their skin is elastic
• Their coats are shiny and in good condition
• They have a perky attitude and happy, glistening eyes

If they aren’t drinking enough water, there could be an underlying medical condition. But before you worry, try some tricks to entice them to drink more.

Tips To Help Interest Your Pet In Drinking More Water

Cats can be picky about food and drink. It seems odd since they’ll eat a rodent or bird they’ve killed outside, but inside cats have personal preferences, and you may have to make accommodations!

• Cats like moving water. They don’t want to fall into the water or have a bath with shampoo, but they like to play with running water. You could try using a kitty water fountain instead of a water bowl.
• They’re fastidious, too, so keep their water bowls clean and frequently refresh their water.
• Use multiple bowls in different places about the house to see if they favor one over another.
• Add tempting flavors such as tuna fish juice or meat broth/bouillon to their water. Be sure to keep flavored waters from spoiling by cleaning bowls frequently.

Dogs are easy to entice to drink more water.

•  Flavor their water with meat broth
• Add moist canned food to their diets or add water to dry food

In the summertime, your pets can quickly overheat. Make sure they are drinking enough water to stay fully hydrated. For dogs, a kiddie pool in the shade for cooling down can be a real treat. But as always, make sure the pool and water are clean. Bacteria can grow in dirty bowls and water and make your pet sick.

At Androscoggin Animal Hospital, we love to help your pets stay healthy and happy. Call us at (207) 729-4678 with questions or concerns about your pet’s health and drinking habits.

If you suspect your furry friend is not getting enough or is drinking too much water, call us right away to schedule a wellness check.