Why Does My German shepherd Drink So Much Water?

Why Does My German shepherd Drink So Much Water?

Water is as beneficial to German shepherds as it is to us human beings.

Furthermore, various factors can cause your German shepherd to drink much water occasionally. However, not in excess.

If your German shepherd consumes too much water daily and seems to be thirsty always, then it could be a symptom of a disease, your dog is cooling off, or you have put your dog on dry food. Such are the factors that will drive your German shepherd to drink much water.

So, what is the ideal ratio of water that your German shepherd should take?

How Much Water Should a German shepherd Take in a Day

German shepherds are medium to big animals who need lots of water to keep them hydrated and still help their metabolism. With that, you should always ensure your German shepherd has access to clean water.

So how much water do German shepherds drink? A good guideline that you can follow is that a healthy shepherd dog will need an ounce of water per its body weight. For example, a German shepherd weighing 65 pounds will need 65 ounces of water per day.

How much water will puppy German shepherds need? Puppy German shepherds who are still breastfeeding will need little water as they are on their mother’s milk.

However, as they transition from puppyhood to adulthood, they will need ½ to 1 ounce of water per their body weight.

Why Is My German shepherd Always Thirsty?

If your German shepherd consumes lots of water more than what’s stipulated for long, then most probably there must be an underlying issue. So what can drive a German shepherd to drink a lot of water in a day?

The Dog’s Diet

Your dog’s diet will have a direct impact on how it drinks water. For example, if your German shepherd has been on wet dog food, then it’s rare to find it drinking a lot of water- wet food has a high moisture content that will hydrate your German shepherd.

However, dogs who get their calories from kibble are more likely to feel thirsty, as this dry dog food has less moisture content.

Continuously, dogs who feed on a high sodium diet are more likely to get dehydrated; thus, they will tend to drink more ounces of water in a day.

As a caution, don’t give your dog high sodium food as it’s dangerous to their kidneys

Medication

Your German shepherd consumes water a lot in the day as it’s taking some medication. Such will occur if your German shepherd was not taking lots of water but started this urge after you initiated this dog on certain medication.

Corticosteroids are some of the medications that can make your German shepherd consume so much water.

Illness

Like we humans, diseases can have a physiological effect on your dog. For example, diabetes type 1 will cause a German shepherd to drink a lot of water.

Other conditions that may drive your German shepherd to drink so much water are urinary tract infections, kidney issues, and Cushing syndrome.

It’s Hot

During hot days, dogs will tend to perspire a lot, and that can bring up dehydration. So compensating for the lost water, the German shepherd may tend to drink so much water to hydrate and still cool itself.

Your Dog Has Been Exercising

Maybe you have seen this, anytime your dog is from running or playing, it will tend to drink a lot of water. That is often a normal occurrence as your dog tries to compensate for the lost water and still cools itself.

What to Do If My German shepherd Drinks So Much Water

So what are some of the solutions if my German shepherd consumes a lot of water?

Change the Diet

If your dog has been drinking so much water because of eating kibble, it’s now time to introduce wet or moist food in its diet. When introducing this new diet, do it gradually to avoid stomach issues. Again, don’t give your German shepherd food with high sodium content.

Don’t Exercise Your Dog during a Hot Day

Exercising your dog when the sun is high will cause an increase in perspiration, resulting in dehydration. Unless otherwise, it’s better you adopt exercising your GSD when the sun is down or exercise your dog in a cool shaded area.

Visit the Veterinary

Visiting a veterinary will help diagnose whether underlying conditions drive your German shepherd to drink so much water.

Final Words

A German shepherd can drink a lot of water if it has been exercising a lot or walking during a hot day; however, if the German shepherd starts drinking more ounces of water and still can’t unearth why, you should consider visiting a veterinary.

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