How much water do dogs need daily?

Water is essential to a healthy life, and this is true for our beloved pets, too. Water builds up 60% of their bodies, so it’s important for them to get enough water each and every day. On the contrary they will soon show signs of dehydration.

Your dog should always have access to fresh water. Luckily, it’s quite easy to provide: we only need to take care of letting them drink enough water any time they wish to. The canine body is an intelligent structure – it tells their boss when it needs water. That said, if our dog drinks a lot more or lot less than usual, it’s time to appoint a vet visit.

During the hot days of summer it is even more important to keep our pet’s water bowl full as their normal water consumption increases. Every owner knows that panting has a cooling effect on a dog’s body, but they need water to be able to evaporate. We should pay attention to the water’s temperature, too: do not pour very cold water into the bowl, in particular if the dog has warmed up greatly during physical exercise or after having fun with his friends. Consuming water that is too cold, can easily lead to a sore throat and other signs of cold (coughing, sneezing, lethargy, etc.)

Hot weather, longer walks, physical activity and sports also lead to an increased water consumption.

A dog’s water demand depends on its physical activity and the actual environmental conditions, moreover on the dog’s body size. They need to drink 40-60 ml water per kilogramm of bodyweight. This means that a dog weighing about 10 kgs drinks half a liter of water daily given normal conditions. The actual quantity consumed can differ due to the type of food he is fed, whether it is dry, canned or raw.

When do we need to be concerned about dehydration?

Signs that a dog might be dehydrated include:

• lethargy
• dry gums
• thick, dense saliva

When a dog is sick, his water consumption could often change. In case he shows symptoms, like vomitting or diarrhea, it is extremely important to compensate the water loss. Dogs may often refuse to drink when they are sick, so it’s best to put some water into their mouth drop-by-drop with the help of a syringe, until we get to the vet.