Individuals get thirsty a lot and would even go for a water break amidst a busy and hassle lifestyle. This same behavior can be seen in dogs quickly running over to their water bowl and making a gulping sound of their thirst from exercise or playing. This is completely ordinary and something individuals must not be worried about.
But if your furry friend suddenly loses interest in drinking water for some days, this might show a warning sign. So let’s tackle the factors that cause dogs to refuse drinking water.
Why won’t my dog drink water?
Countless fur parents generally fret about their canines not drinking water from time to time. As we might all know, water is among the basic requirements of life, and if your furry buddy declines to drink, this could be worrying and an indication you must examine. Fortunately, we’ve listed the five primary factors many vet experts suspect for pet dogs refusing to consume water to help you recognize what’s triggering their lack of interest in the said issue.
1. Old age
Dogs that get older drink less water. It’s because their cravings and thirst reactors start to diminish, or they do not intend to exert effort in going to the other room to consume water. Since older dogs are not as energetic as younger ones, it’s anticipated that they won’t drink as much water.
However, they still need to drink enough water even in that old age. It’s a good idea to feed them wet food sometimes to increase their water consumption, not just drink from their water bowl. If you suspect severe fractures or bone damage from their motion keeping them from drinking sufficient water, have a pet surgeon evaluate them to take care of the situation.
2. Food type
Some types of dog food are dry, causing pets to drink more, but the others that contain more moisture may keep your canine drinking less water. If you’ve been feeding your pet dry kibble ever since, expect that it’ll drink more. But if your furry friend has constantly been eating canned or wet foods, they’ll get water from it, causing them to drink less.
Have you been following your pet’s vaccinations and other regular preventative care? This is essential to protect your furry companion from prevalent pet diseases and life-threatening parasites, so always make this a priority to help your pet live healthier and longer. You may browse this link to learn more about the importance of consistent preventative care for pets.
3. Health conditions
Many pet diseases can lead to lethargy in dogs and cause them to dislike drinking water. This involves conditions like bladder infections, viral or bacterial infections, kidney disease or failure, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, oral pain, anxiety, and any illnesses that cause nausea.
So if you’ve been investigating your pet’s condition and discovered it’s cancer, it’s time to meet with professionals specializing in controlling and treating cancer for pets for urgent treatment.
4. Unfamiliar places and smells
Unfamiliar smells and places can be contributing factors. Dogs can distinguish between unfamiliar and familiar water sources thanks to their strong sense of smell. If the dog sees the smell of the water as unfamiliar, it might decline to drink.
5. Tooth pain or tooth damage
Tooth damage or toothache can be a reason pets avoid drinking water. The pain of the sensitive teeth from the cold water can be unbearable for them, causing them to refuse to drink.
