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Expert: - 2/10/2011


Question
My yellow lab is 13+ years old.   He is slowing down considerably, but I have noticed lately that he drinks at least twice as much water as he used to when he was younger and stronger.  Is this unusual, or is this a symptom I should be concerned about?

Answer
Your dog is doing well to have made it to 13 +. Water consumption is usually elevated due to age but the main concern about it is that the kidneys may be having some issues.

My dog is an English Pointer cross and she is also 13. She drinks far more water than she used to but seems spry in every other way. She still runs as if she was 6 yrs old.

I had her kidney function checked a while ago and it was normal, but at this age their kidneys have lost a bit of working surface. Age takes its toll on the organs and the kidneys seem to be one of the first in dogs and cats.

If he were my dog I would take him in for some senior blood work just to get an idea of where he stands at this point. He might have a sugar issue too, like late onset diabetes, but that isn't quite as common as the kidneys slowing down tend to be.

Otherwise, keep doing what you are! It's working.:-)

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

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Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

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Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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