Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > General Forum for cats and dogs

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 09:42 PM
luckypenny's Avatar
luckypenny luckypenny is offline
Doggie Wench
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: St. Philippe-de-Laprairie, Qc
Posts: 11,812
Water Consumption...What's Normal?

Is there a general guideline for dogs?

All our dogs, with the exception of Toby, are fed raw so the only time I notice them drinking water is during and after playtime. Toby is fed 1 cup of Orijen Senior 2x per day with a cup of plain homemade beef stew/broth....no salt added. It's just beef and water. As soon as he's done eating, he drinks an additional 1 to 2 cups of water. He also drinks about 2 to 3 cups of water upon awakening in the morning and another 1 cup every two hours or so. I'd say on average, he's consuming approximately a little under a gallon per day. Is that normal? It seems quite a lot but I don't have anything to compare it to .

He's had two blood tests within the first week he came home (1 month ago), both showing elevated UREA, CREA, and ALKP. Not alarmingly so, but over the norm esp. ALKP. Everything else fell under the normal range. Stool exams came back fine.

I'm having him re-tested again on Wednesday to see if there have been any changes. Is there something I should be asking/looking for specifically?

I think I should add, he had orange liquid diarrhea his first two weeks here. There was blood present early on but it was attributed to nsaids which were stopped almost immediately...bleeding stopped as well. He's since had two rounds of Metronidazole, 500mg 2x daily...his last dose was 2 days ago. During the treatment, his stools were no longer liquid but, more of of a cow-pie consistency and still an orange-like color. Today, he's had the most formed stool, still soft, but the most normal he's had thus far.

I'm not terribly worried just trying to brainstorm here before Wednesday. Any ideas?
__________________
"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 09:47 PM
babymomma's Avatar
babymomma babymomma is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,170
UREA, CREA, and ALKP. <-- Dont know what these are but have you had him tested for diabetes? My uncles lab drinks an insane amount of water, and it turned out to be a result of diabetes.

And I also know another lab that has a cabin near ours who just drinks an insane amount of water for no reason. She's been tested for everything thinkable.
__________________
Keely - Yorkie
Haley - German Shepherd
Casey - version 2.0 - Black lab
Jasper - White cat

R.I.P Casey #1.
Gone but never ever forgotten.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 09:54 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
Our dogs can drink about 10 cups in a day, LP--they're about 50 - 55 pounds on average. Can't remember how Toby compares. A larger dog might drink a couple cups more, a smaller dog a little less. But a gallon seems a bit high.

If he's dehydrated from the loose stools, though, he might be drinking more to compensate.

Just an aside--we use metronidazole a lot for a number of maladies and one thing we've noticed is that although the drug usually stops diarrhea, the stools never really firm up to normal until after our dogs are off the metronidazole entirely.
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 09:54 PM
luckypenny's Avatar
luckypenny luckypenny is offline
Doggie Wench
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: St. Philippe-de-Laprairie, Qc
Posts: 11,812
I would think signs of Diabetes would show up on a regular blood test . Maybe I'm wrong but I sure have it on my list to ask about.
__________________
"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 09:55 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
Quote:
Originally Posted by luckypenny View Post
I would think signs of Diabetes would show up on a regular blood test . Maybe I'm wrong but I sure have it on my list to ask about.
They can see signs of diabetes in a urine sample, as well--the excess sugar spills into the urine.
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 09:57 PM
Frenchy's Avatar
Frenchy Frenchy is offline
-
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Quebec
Posts: 30,227
Quote:
Originally Posted by luckypenny View Post
I would think signs of Diabetes would show up on a regular blood test . .
I'm pretty sure about that too LP.

I think he may be drinking more just because of the meds and injections LP. It also been very hot lately , since he's been at your place , could explain it too.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 10:01 PM
luckypenny's Avatar
luckypenny luckypenny is offline
Doggie Wench
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: St. Philippe-de-Laprairie, Qc
Posts: 11,812
Toby's 82 lbs but level of activity is quite low. I encourage him to walk the perimeter of the yard at least once...about 4-5 times per day. Otherwise he'd just do his stuff and want back in again.

Quote:
Originally Posted by hazelrunpack View Post
If he's dehydrated from the loose stools, though, he might be drinking more to compensate.
Now that makes obvious sense...something that obviously wasn't so obvious to me .
__________________
"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 10:04 PM
Frenchy's Avatar
Frenchy Frenchy is offline
-
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Quebec
Posts: 30,227
Quote:
Originally Posted by luckypenny View Post


Now that makes obvious sense...something that obviously wasn't so obvious to me .
I can relate it always helps to have someone else's opinions. We're too 'close' to our own dogs. Sometimes we don't see the obvious.

makes perfect sense Hazel !
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old August 22nd, 2009, 10:05 PM
hazelrunpack's Avatar
hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
The Pack's Head Servant
Chopper Challenge Champion, Mini KickUps Champion, Bugz Champion, Snakeman Steve Champion, Shape Game Champion, Mumu Champion, Mouse Race Champion
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Just east of the Hazelnut Patch, Wisconsin
Posts: 53,771
We've seen that effect in our dogs, too--I hope that's all it is!
__________________
"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old August 23rd, 2009, 09:14 AM
Chaser's Avatar
Chaser Chaser is offline
Now I'm Mrs. Chaser!
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Hamilton, ON
Posts: 2,407
It sounds like more water than average, but as mentioned above I would think there are good reasons behind it.
__________________
Chase (Friendly Resident Wigglebum) - Border Collie/Lab/Shepherd X
Kailey (Misunderstood Gentle Beauty) - GSD & foster failure #1
Rupert (Gold-Medal Winner of the 3 a.m. Kitty Destruction Olympics )

Heidi - RIP my sweet baby girl
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old August 24th, 2009, 12:53 AM
growler~GateKeeper's Avatar
growler~GateKeeper growler~GateKeeper is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 17,568
Quote:
Originally Posted by luckypenny View Post
He's had two blood tests within the first week he came home (1 month ago), both showing elevated UREA, CREA, and ALKP. Not alarmingly so, but over the norm esp. ALKP. Everything else fell under the normal range.
Have the blood and his urine re-tested, the Urea & Crea are the kidney enzymes and Alkp is liver enzyme. Increase in water consumption is common in both kidney & liver issues, however as mentioned above it could be other reasons. Toby
__________________
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do

The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:08 AM.