Should I be restricting my dog's water intake?
I have a basset hound who is about 3 years old. She weighs 41lbs and is not diabetic. Vet says she is a healthy weight, not over or under, for her size.
She drinks so much water every day… I’m not sure if I should be allowing her to have it all. I don’t know if it can hurt her, which is why I’m asking.
The bowl for their water holds just over a gallon of liquid at a time. She easily drinks 2 gallons a day. If you don’t watch her she will drink the whole bowl in one sitting. I try to prevent that, because I know that BH can be prone to bloat, and I don’t think you’re supposed to allow them to have too much of anything at once.
She is the type of hound that will consume anything she can get her paws on, so to speak. Coprophagia has been a huge issue with her since we’ve had her… she also devours any fallen fruit in the yard. Every day is a battle to keep her from eating everything she sees.
In other words, I can’t tell if she is genuinely thirsty – or if she just has a problem with excessive consumption in general. (I’ve heard this is a common problem in hounds.)
Any thoughts?
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15 Answers
If I were you, I’d check with another vet and do some online research.
I once had a bassett hound and never had this problem. she was interested more in playing than drinking or eating. i agree with Pied Pfeffer. seek another vet or investigate more online. this is not normal behavior, at least not compared with my bassett hound.
Alright, will do. Thanks.
I mean, she has been this way for 3 years – do you think it might be behavioral, since the vet doesn’t seem to feel that there is anything physically wrong with her?
I cannot advise on basset hounds. I can tell you that I grew up with a series of Brittany spaniels, and only one had consumption habits that were out of the ordinary. Seriously…things that went missing and showed up in her poop. We got her as an adult, and assumed that it had to do with the abuse she experienced when she was younger.
The water thing though sounds like something related to a health issue. Document her habits and check with another vet.
@Pied_Pfeffer yes, that scenario sounds really familiar. She has had other behavioral issues that we, similar to you, chalked up to abuse and neglect early in life. She was quite young when we brought her home, but the trauma was obvious. I guess part of me assumed that this was just part of it, too. What can I say, she is a quirky dog. :)
Thanks for the advice!
You need to have the Vet run a blood test of her function. Kidney trouble can result in excessive water consumption.
@marinelife is that something that isn’t standard? I only ask because she has been this way all of her life, could it have been a problem since she was a puppy that was never caught?
Yes, it would be unlikely that the vet lhave done a test for kidney function at her age. It could be a congenital abnormality.
Wow. I found a forum online for basset hound owners, and they asked the same question.
Right down to the exact amount of water : 2 gallons.
Everyone said that it was not abnormal, and many of them said their dogs do the same. I guess it really is just a hound thing?
Apparently so. I have never heard that from basset owners, but I have never asked. I guess you should let her have that much water.
I guess so, too.
I will still ask the vet about issues brought up here the next time she goes, though. Otherwise I will worry forever. Better safe than sorry!
In a healthy dog, water consumption is self-regulating. For those dogs, water should be provided on an ad lib basis.
Thank you @BoBo1946 , it is not new behavior though. That’s still good to know!
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