How Long Can a Dog Go Without Water Before Dehydrating?
Both eating and drinking are necessary to a dog’s health and survival. But water is more important than eating. Undeniably, dogs can survive without water more than food. However, our today’s main topic is going to answer the question is how long can a dog go without water?
If asked, how long can a dog go without water before dehydrating? Dogs can survive about 2-3 days without water. Survival does not mean that they are healthy. In these 2-3 days their physical condition weakens a lot. When a dog’s body is dehydrated, it directly affects all the processes in its body. As a result, its vital organs will fail and potentially lead to death in the absence of fresh, and clean water.
Why Don’t Dogs Want to Drink Water?
We all know that dogs like water more than cats. Especially dogs are very good at swimming. When they are thirsty, they find water for themselves and drink it. But the thing is, if your dog doesn’t want to drink water, what will happen? Aren’t you really worried about this?
Dogs may refuse to drink water for a variety of reasons. Maybe he has digestive problems in his stomach, his bladder is getting obstructed, etc. If you notice that your dog does not want to drink water, you should take immediate action.
If your dog vomits frequently, has regular diarrhea, he is suffering from dehydration. And that’s just not to drink water like that. As a result, he is slowly losing moisture, becoming dehydrated, and causing physical damage.
How Long Can a Dog Go Without Water?
Dogs cannot survive without water. However, if for some reason your dog does not want to drink water or cannot drink the water due to illness, then you must know how long your dog can survive without water.
Usually, a dog can stay after drinking water for 8-10 hours. And at this time it does not have any bad effect on his health. So if you forget to fill your dog’s water container with water before going to work or your dog pushes the water container without realizing it, there is no reason to panic.
Let the dog drink water as soon as you get home. Never intentionally leave a dog without water. Although it does not cause his health problems, he may get thirsty during this time. He suffers from thirst, you certainly don’t want that.
Be aware that a dog can survive 72 hours without water, but after 24 hours its body begins to dehydrate slowly. Which may cause him serious harm. So let’s take a look at what other problems a dog may face along with dehydration.
| Day | Consequences | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Day-1 | Dehydration, Weakness, Frustration, and Cool Down | Supply cool water and wet food. |
| Day-2 | Weakness, behavioral problem, laziness in mobility, vomit, or diarrhea. | Arrange water, wet food, keep soak water on gums, or consult a vet. |
| Day-3 | Very cool down, unable to move, and crisis. | Manage IV fluids, and hospitalizing. |
Day-1
Staying without water the whole day will gradually reduce your dog’s strength. So he feels dehydrated, so you can notice frustration in him. Your dog will cool down at this stage.
In this case, supply him fresh, cool water and wet food. But do not give more, give less. This will help re-hydrate the dog’s body.
Day-2
If the second day passes without water, the dog’s dehydration level will become more intense. You may notice further weakness and some behavioral problems in the dog. His mobility will be further limited due to laziness. If the condition is very bad, your dog is more likely to vomit or have diarrhea.
Arrange to feed him water and some moisture-rich food at this stage. You can soak a clean cloth in water and put it on his gums, which can increase her urge to drink water. If your dog is unable to drink water, consult a veterinarian immediately.
Day-3
Unfortunately, if your dog is without water for three days, his life is in crisis. In this case, your dog needs IV fluids for re-hydration. At this point, your dog will become very cool down and weak. He must be unable to move.
Damage to your dog’s limbs in this situation can even lead to death. To arrange for him to be rushed to the nearest animal hospital.
How Much Water Should a Dog Drink?
How long can a dog go without water? In addition to asking this question, the amount of water the dog drinks should also be questioned.
If you are a new dog lover. This means that if you have no enough knowledge about how much water a dog needs, then there is no need to worry about it. Because, since you are reading this article, we hope you will get some information on this topic today. After measuring how much water your dog is currently drinking, you will know whether or not your dog should be encouraged to drink more water.
After research, the American Kennel Club (AKC) said that the average adult dog should drink one ounce of water per pound of weight. For example, if dogs weigh is 65 pounds according to the Golden Retriever, then that dog needs to drink 65 ounces or about 2 liters of water per day. On the other hand, an adult French Bulldog weighing 25 pounds should drink 25 ounces or approximately 750 ml daily. There is given a table by which you can more understand how much water (dry and wet food) should a dog wring.
| Dog Breeds | Avg. Weight | Dry Food | Wet Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| German, Spitz Klein, Pekinese, Poodle, Havanese, Chihuahua, etc. | 5 KG | 250 – 500 ml | 25 – 50 ml |
| Basset, West Highland Terrier, Beagle, Cairn Terrier, etc. | 10 KG | 400 – 500 ml | 50 – 100 ml |
| Husky, Munsterlander (small), Border Collie, Dalmatian, etc. | 20 KG | 800 – 1000 ml | 100 – 200 ml |
| Afghan Hound, German Wirehaired, Pointer, Labrador Retriever, Boxer, etc. | 30 KG | 1200 – 1500 ml | 150 – 300 ml |
| German Shepaherd, Hovawart, Rottweiler, Giant Schnauzer, Bernese Mountain, etc. | 40 KG | 1600 – 2000 ml | 200 – 400 ml |
Differences in hydration are seen in puppies. When solid food is transferred to their body through mother’s milk, they need about half a cup of water per hour. After the puppy period is over, they are included in the adult hydration measurement.
Remember, these are just a guide. Your dog may need more water considering your dog’s weather, health, and different levels of activity. Even the amount of water consumed is determined by the amount of food eating. Make sure your dog is properly monitored to avoid dehydration.
What Are the Symptoms of Dog Dehydration?
If the weather is extremely hot and dry, your dog has barely touched a bowl of water. Then be sure your pet will suffer from dehydration, so you should know how you can understand that your dog is suffering from dehydration. Those reasons are mentioned below.
- Excessive Panting: Painting is the process of controlling the temperature of a dog. But if they start painting too much, it means the dog is getting overheated.
- Loss of Appetite: For poor hydration, dog apathy towards in food. Because it breaks in on swallowing or digesting.
- Listlessness or Lethargy: When there is not enough water, blood circulation is disrupted. As a result, the dog will continue to feel tired and weak.
- Dry Mouth and Gums: We see the dog’s nose wet all the time, although sometimes it’s dry, so it’s no surprise. Dogs’ noses get dry for a variety of reasons, but the dog’s mouth and gums must be wet and moist. When pressed, the dog’s gums turn pink instantly. If it stays white for a while, then it is important to hydrate your dog.
- Sunken Eyes: When a dog becomes moderately dehydrated, its muscles begin to dry out. As a result, it is better to keep an eye on the place than to go inside.
- Lack of Skin Elasticity: As soon as pinching is given the skin will become flat on the outside, this is a characteristic of a healthy dog. If this is not the case then maybe your dog is suffering from dehydration.
What Happens if a Dog Doesn’t Get Enough Water?
How long can a fog go without water before dehydrating? Once we know the answer to this question, we will know one more thing – what happens if a dog does not get enough water?
Water plays a vital role in many important functions of the body. So there is no substitute for not drinking enough water. In addition to dehydration, dogs can get various diseases if they do not drink the right amount of water regularly.
Dehydration in the following conditions increases the risk of dogs many times over. Which can result in the death of the dog. Again, even if not dead, a situation arises from the dog’s health, which can lead to difficult decisions such as euthanasia of the dog. However, the situations are-
- Kidney problems
- Metabolic disorders; you can call it diabetes.
- Cancer; a deadly disease for which no cure has yet been discovered.
- Even if the dog is pregnant, there is a serious risk of dehydration in the dog. Because at this time they have a higher demand.
Final Thought:
Instead of trying to figure out how long can a dog can go without water, try to find an answer to the question of how you can guarantee your dog water from time to time. Never leave your dog’s water container empty. If you leave for a few hours or a few days, make an arrangement. So that your dog can find water and drink it as soon as he gets thirsty.
