While water is often the forgotten nutrient, its importance for your dog’s health is clear. Fresh, clean drinking water is one of the simplest things we can all do as an essential part of looking after our dogs. The amount that your dog drinks will be affected by many things — his diet, how hot it is, how much exercise he has done, and even his age and overall health. I change my dogs’ water at least twice a day and their bowls are washed and rinsed at the same time to keep them clean and free from any nasties.
Water intake will increase when it is hot and your dog has been active, but try not to let him drink huge amounts immediately after strenuous exercise. Pregnant, whelping, and lactating bitches will also often have increased water intake, especially when their puppies are about three weeks old and drinking lots of milk! Young puppies will typically start drinking water at the same time as they are weaned onto solid food, and their water intake will increase as their milk intake decreases.
Water intake will also be higher in dogs fed high-calorie diets, especially high-fat diets. This is because more metabolic waste products are generated as their food and overall energy intake increases. This can increase body temperature as well, so an increased water intake will help support both thermoregulation and waste removal.
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Your Dog Magazine February 2021
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