Dog Drinks Water Too Fast? Here’s How to Slow Them down a Bit

You’ve probably heard the saying before: water is life.

And in many ways, it’s true! A large percentage of your body is made up of water, and it can also act as a cure-all for many common ailments. Water is known to flush out toxins, increase mental clarity and even promote weight loss!

But turns out it is possible to get too much of a good thing. Humans can face dire consequences, including death, if they drink water too fast.

And guess what? The same goes for your dog!

Your dog may drink water too fast if dehydrated, eat a dry food diet, or take certain medications. Drinking water too fast may cause painful and harmful medical problems and can even result in death for your pup. Thankfully, there are several ways to slow them down.

In this article, I will explore why your dog chugs water fast and explain why drinking too fast is bad for your dog. I will then wrap things up by providing tips on getting your dog to drink water slower.

But if drinking water is good, then chugging it down as fast as possible should be the goal, right?

Not really!

Join me as I discuss why your dog may be chugging water so fast, how it could harm him and how to get him to slow down.

Let’s go!

Why Your Dog Chugs Water Fast

If you’ve noticed your dog has been chugging water as if his life depends on it, you’re probably wondering what’s up!

True, he may just be thirsty and there’s nothing more to it.

But there actually may be specific reasons your pup is chugging water so fast. Some of these reasons could be:

It’s Hot Outside

Sometimes it’s as simple as that! This is normal if you’ve noticed your pup’s water intake has increased dramatically as the temperature climbs.

The heat can do that to you so no surprise your pup may be feeling the burn and trying to hydrate!

In this case, you can’t control the weather. And you often can’t avoid taking your pup outside at least a couple of times a day, no matter how hot it may be.

Try reserving your pup’s most intensive exercise for the coolest part of the day. Perhaps take them out earlier in the morning or later in the evening, depending on your schedule and your pup’s needs. This way, you can try to dodge the heat of the day.

Your Pup’s Diet

If your dog is on a dry food diet, they may find themselves thirstier than a pup who consumes wet dog food regularly.

Also, it’s a good idea to be on the lookout for any sodium your pup may be consuming, as this can make them crave water.

Sodium can hide in places you don’t even think of, like random table scraps you toss Fido’s way. It can also be lurking inside his own dog food. If your pup has been drinking a lot of fluids, a quick scan of some nutrition labels may reveal the culprit.

Medications

Certain prescription medications can carry the side effect of increasing your dog’s thirst level.

Uncomfortable symptoms like frequent urination, dry mouth, or dehydration can be the result of prescription medications such as:

• Furosemide, used to treat heart failure
• Prednisone, often prescribed for asthma and allergies
• Certain pills for the treatment of seizures

If you think your pup’s increased water intake could be a side effect of their medication, I recommend taking them to the vet to get checked out.

Why Drinking Too Fast Is Bad for Your Dog

I’ve laid out the possible reasons your dog may be consuming their water so quickly. Now I will get into why it can be harmful to your pup to do so.

A few complications that can be the result of your pup drinking too fast include:

Hyperhydration

Simply put, your dog can get plain overhydrated! Hyperhydration is also known as water intoxication and can be fatal.

This condition can become deadly if your pup gets too hydrated to the point that it throws off their electrolyte levels.

This condition can also lead your dog to the deadly state of Hyponatremia. This extreme condition results from the expansion of the cells causing organs to swell up. This is most common in dogs who have taken in too much water while playing in it.

Vomiting

Your dog can drink water to the point that their stomach becomes too full too fast. So full that it makes them throw up.

This can cause further dehydration and maddeningly enough, even more, water consumption…which can lead to your poor pup vomiting all over again!

Canine Bloat

Right behind Cancer, Canine Bloat is the second leading cause of premature canine death.

This is a scary condition where your pup has consumed food or water too fast causing air to become trapped in their stomach.

There are two different types of Canine Bloat. The first, Gastric Dilatation (GD), is relieved by stomach pumping. The second and more serious Canine Bloat is called Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) and must be treated with surgery.

Water That Has Gone down the Wrong Way

This common phenomenon, also known as food or water, “going down the wrong pipe” can be painful!

The faster your pup drinks, the more likely they are to have this happen. This can cause your dog to choke or experience painful coughing spells as their body redirects the water.

How to Get Your Dog to Drink Water Slower

Feeling freaked out by all the things that can happen if your pup drinks their water too fast?

That’s totally understandable!

Rest assured, there are ways to get your dog to drink slower.

Here are some tips you can try out:

• Use an elevated dog bowl or place your pup’s bowl on a platform to slow their drinking
• Put a big object in their bowl so they have to carefully drink around it at a slower pace
• If the weather is warm, add ice to their bowl as it may help them drink slower
• Control their water supply by gradually filling their bowl with less water so they drink less

If you’ve tried all these tips and your pup is still chugging water like it’s his job, I recommend taking your dog to the vet immediately for further evaluation.

Slow down There Sparky!

Your dog indeed needs water as much as any other living being. But there’s no need for them to gulp it down furiously!

Your pup could be chugging water for harmless reasons like the hot weather or because of his diet or the medication they are taking.

Unfortunately, your pup can suffer serious consequences from drinking water too fast including choking, vomiting, bloating, and even death.

The tips in this article offer some simple fixes to help slow your pup’s speedy drinking down to a normal pace.

Safe and happy hydrating!