My-dog-does-not-drink

My dog does not drink

A dog that does not drink is likely to suffer from dehydration, so it is a problem that should be taken very seriously by its owner and should be seriously investigated.

In the vast majority of cases, a dog that is not drinking has an underlying problem that may be benign or more serious. Regardless of the cause of the problem and its potential impact on the dog's health, the lack of drinking itself can have very serious repercussions and must be managed.

So today we're going to look at drinking in dogs, the problems that can affect it and how best to deal with a dog that doesn't drink.

 

Drink intake in dogs

A healthy dog should take in between 50 and 70 ml of water per day and per kilo to stay properly hydrated. Note that we are talking about taking in water, not drinking, because our four-legged friends do not necessarily get their hydration from their water bowl.

Other foods do contain water, in varying amounts, and it's not unusual or worrisome to find that a dog fed mash, BARF, or homemade rations drinks significantly less than a dog that eats only kibble. Water intake through diet is difficult to measure and can complicate the diagnosis of a thirst disorder in dogs.

The dog's drinking intake is also determined by the amount of water lost from his body, which it is intended to compensate for. A dog that loses little water, for example if it is sedentary or lives in a temperate, humid climate, may drink significantly less than an athlete or a pooch exposed to a hot, dry climate.

As a general rule, although it must be qualified by the above, a dog is considered to be underdrinking when it absorbs less than 40 ml of water per day per kilogram. Hypodipsia is the term used to describe a reduced intake of water and adipsia is the term used to describe a complete lack of intake.

While a number may be meaningful to some owners, it is likely that it will not speak to everyone, and that is not important: the most important (and easiest) thing to do is to rely on the habits of your dog, who is unique and therefore has his own way of drinking. In other words, if your dog suddenly reduces his drinking, it is probably a sign of a problem, whereas a dog that has never been a big drinker and continues to drink little as usual may not be a cause for concern.

It is also important to recognize the signs of dehydration, which are excellent indicators of whether your dog is getting enough water. Dehydration in dogs means that mucous membranes become dry and sticky instead of moist and that the skin loses its elasticity.

The loss of skin elasticity can be easily observed: simply pinch your dog's skin to form a fold. As soon as you release the fold, the dog's skin should return to its normal position. If your dog's skin takes a long time to return to its normal position or continues to form a fold, he is seriously dehydrated.

Another test, more precise, but more delicate to perform if your dog doesn't like to be handled, is the Capillary Recoloration Time (CRT) which measures the time it takes for the tiny blood vessels in your dog's mucous membranes to revascularize. To do this, simply press gently on your dog's gum with your fingertip, which briefly interrupts the blood flow.

Immediately release the pressure and you will notice a white fingerprint, which should disappear completely in 1 to 2 seconds. If your white fingerprint takes longer than 2 seconds to disappear, your pet is dehydrated. If it takes more than 4 seconds, the situation is critical.

 

dog-water-fountain

 

 

My dog doesn't drink, why?

A dog that does not drink at all almost always has an underlying problem. Indeed, primary adipsia, not consecutive to another problem, is extremely rare in animals (only 12 cases are described in the veterinary literature... and 5 are cats!) In fact, the available data concerning primary adipsia are very limited and do not allow, for the time being, to completely elucidate this phenomenon. However, the involvement of central nervous system disorders, of traumatic or degenerative origin, is suspected.

If you notice that your dog is not drinking, it is therefore wiser to suspect secondary adipsia and to look for the disorder at the origin of this behavior in order to stop it. Secondary adipsia in dogs can be explained by many pathological, behavioral, or environmental causes.

Among the pathologies of the dog that may cause it to stop drinking, oral and digestive diseases can be distinguished from hormonal and neurological disorders. Behavioral causes are more related to anxiety disorders that prevent your dog from drinking because he is not in good spirits, because he is paralyzed by fear or because he does not feel safe enough to engage in this vital little ritual.

Finally, environmental causes are directly related to his bowl, the location of his feeding area or the quality of the water you serve him. Oral diseases can discourage your dog from drinking by causing severe pain when he tries to take in water or by mechanically preventing him from swallowing or lapping.

Gingivitis, dental abscesses, mouth ulcers or labial warts can cause this discomfort or pain, as can a piece of bone stuck between the teeth or any other wound in the mouth. Necrosis of the tongue and its partial or total amputation (which inevitably follows in this context) can also prevent a dog from lapping - the animal will then need some time to find another way to drink.

This type of injury may seem unlikely, but is in fact typically found in dogs that have tasted processionary caterpillars, whose stinging bite is unmistakable. Digestive diseases that result in adipsia can range from simple transient gastroenteritis to the dreaded Twisted Stomach Dilation.

In this case, the dog may stop drinking out of discomfort or because his digestive tract is obstructed, making it impossible for him to swallow anything. In both of these cases, adipsia is typically accompanied by anorexia (the dog stops eating). Other diseases of the digestive tract, such as tumors, intestinal invaginations, occlusions or inflammations of various origins (bacteria, viruses, intestinal worms...) can also be involved.

Neurological diseases and nervous system disorders can affect the communication between the brain and the different muscles and organs of the dog. Thus, the dog may suffer from paralysis of certain parts of its digestive tract (esophagus, larynx, etc.) or of its jaw, which prevents it from drinking and/or swallowing.

Hormonal disorders can also interfere with the mechanisms that control the sensation of thirst, and the dog may not know when it needs to drink. Among the behavioral causes of the dog, latent anxiety and acquired disorders are always the first suspect rather than congenital mental disorders, which are extremely rare in dogs.

Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety and cannot tolerate their owner's absence may stop drinking when left alone and become severely dehydrated. Dogs that are uncomfortable in their environment, fearful of their owner's reprimands or lacking trust in humans and/or animals around them, may also be reluctant to drink for fear of being attacked while in a weak position.

Last but not least, a dog may refuse to drink because the water you serve him or his eating area is not suitable. Although man's best friend is notoriously less fussy than cats, chlorine-scented tap water, a plastic or metal bowl that makes his water taste funny, and a dirty or poorly located eating area can all motivate a thirst strike.

 

dog-drink

 

My dog is not drinking, what should I do?

If your dog is not drinking and is exhibiting other symptoms, such as dejection, extreme fatigue, listlessness or lack of appetite, it is essential that you seek veterinary attention quickly. Lack of water can quickly lead to critical dehydration, especially in a sick animal - which is almost always the case with a dog that stops drinking.

Note that dehydration can quickly take on dramatic proportions in puppies, so our little four-legged friends should be closely monitored as soon as they seem to be drinking less. If your dog has no other symptoms, you can perform a regular CRT test to measure his hydration.

If he seems well hydrated, check to make sure he's not simply drinking from somewhere other than his bowl - like the toilet. If so, you'll probably need to redesign his feeding area so that he feels more comfortable there than in your toilet. If your dog persists in his thirst strike even though he has clear, clean water that is renewed daily, ideally in a ceramic container that doesn't give off an unpleasant taste, it's necessary to consult a veterinarian, even if he doesn't appear dehydrated.

 

FAQ

My dog doesn't drink, is it serious?
If your dog suddenly stops drinking, he is probably suffering from a disease that can be serious or benign. The best thing to do is to quickly consult your veterinarian to be sure and to offer him an adapted treatment if necessary.

My dog doesn't drink, can he die of thirst?
Yes, a dog that stops drinking altogether can die of thirst, as water is essential for its survival in the very short term. However, it is extremely rare for a dog to die of thirst if clear water is available, unless an illness or injury mechanically prevents him from swallowing water.

How do I get my dog to drink?
You can encourage your dog to drink by pouring a little chicken broth into his water, as long as it is unsalted and without artificial additives. However, before trying to get your dog to drink, it is necessary to find and treat the potentially serious cause of his problem.

How can you tell if a dog is dehydrated?
There are two ways to tell if a dog is dehydrated: the first is to pinch a fold of skin to assess its elasticity, and the second, more reliable, is to squeeze the gum with your fingertip and measure the time it takes for the skin to turn white (CRT). In a well-hydrated dog, the pinched skin returns to its original position as soon as you release it, and the white imprint left by your finger on the gum should disappear within 2 seconds.

Like humans, dogs absolutely need water to live, which is why seeing your dog go on a thirst strike is usually very worrying.

To give your dog the best chance of success, it is essential to provide a clean and strategically located eating area where he feels comfortable and can drink and eat in peace. When your dog can drink under optimal conditions (which should always be the case), sudden adipsia is usually indicative of an underlying problem that warrants a visit to a veterinarian.

 

dog-fountain