Excessive water consumption can be dangerous in dogs because it could lead to water intoxication. Too much water intake can cause hyponatremia (abnormally low levels of sodium) in the blood and a host of other serious issues that can result to death of the dog within a few hours if proper medical intervention is not given.
There are several factors that can increase a dog’s risk to suffering water intoxication. These include the following:
- Dog’s size -- The smaller the dog the more inclined they are to suffer water intoxication.
- Proximity to the sources of water -- Being too close to pools, lakes, fountains, and other bodies of water makes it easier for dogs to drink too much water.
- Dog’s body fat -- the lower the body fat levels, the quicker will be the development of water intoxication because the animal has less tissue that can absorb the excess amounts of water consumed.
- Serving sizes --A dog’s risks of water intoxication increases when consuming water that exceeds the safe dose, that is 0.5-1 ounce of water/lb of body weight.
- Dog’s personality -- A dog that is hyperactive is more inclined to playing in the water or engaging in other types of water-related activities and is more at risk.
Sudden changes in your pet’s behavior should be brought to the attention of your vet care Galena, MD.
