Many or most of us who have pets, feed them meals and leave a bowl out for them to drink water whenever they want. But how many of us actually pay attention to how much our pets actually drink? A cat needs 4 ounces of water for every 5 pounds, That means an average 10 pound cat should be drinking 1 cup of water a day; a 15 lb. cat 1 1/2 cups. I know my cats don’t drink that much! A dog requires 1 ounce of water per pound. So an 8 lb. dog needs a cup of water and an 80 lb. dog needs 10 cups of water! That’s more than 1/2 gallon. That is a lot of water, and I have my doubts our dogs and cats are actually drinking what they need. Many pets eat some canned food and will receive moisture that way, but those eating dry kibble likely need even more water to aid in digestion.
To provide some evidence, during my years of veterinary practice, I often felt many of my patients in for wellness checks, vaccines, minor injuries, were mildly dehydrated, but not showing symptoms or having any underlying disease. Owners would report normal behavior and activity and I would note it, but rarely would anything come of it. But being chronically dehydrated is not healthy for us or our pets.
So let’s look at some reasons our pets aren’t drinking like they should. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know if I would want to drink out of a bowl of stale, warm water that has been sitting on the floor for a day or two, collecting hair, dust, bugs and “backwash,” especially if there is a housemate or three. I do my best with my kitties’ water bowls, but I’m busy and sometimes forget to freshen them up. I do have two bowls available. Another is, cats are like little camels, they can really concentrate their urine and conserve water. That is until they’re older and their kidneys weaken. But then, they aren’t in the habit of drinking a lot. The cleanliness of the water bowl will deter a dog, as well. Anxious dogs will often not feel like drinking water and some dogs are just disinterested, especially if they are indoors and regular couch potatoes.
I’ve found a couple articles that I think you may be interested in, about the illnesses in dogs and cats that cause dehydration. I’ve linked them below:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/warning-signs-dehydration-dogs/
To solve the dilemma of stale, icky, free-standing drinking water, PreciousPetsEssentials.com is offering Automatic Watering Stations for Dogs and Cats. Everyone who owns a kitty knows how they love to drink from the sink tap when given the opportunity. Let’s give your kitty the opportunity 24-7! Below is the link to this Automatic Cat Water Fountain:
And here is the link for the Automatic Dog Water Station:
Let’s keep your beloved pets hydrated! They’ll live longer, healthier and happier lives!
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