Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 8/9/2005

Question
I have a friend who has a mini-pin and the dog is addicted to water. He will drink water till he throws up. They have taken him to several Vets and they canm find nothing wrong with the pooch. They must ration his intake of H2O or he will drink and pee continually. Have you ever heard of anything like this and if so....what can he do?  Thanks

Answer
This sounds like a condition called "Psychogenic Water Ingestation."  The dog just likes to drink.  Measuring the dog's water is the recommendation as there is no drug that will control this.

There are other diseases like Cushing's disease, Diabetes Insipidus, and Kidney disease that can cause the same compulsion to drink water.