Expert: Delores Beck - 5/16/2011

Question
QUESTION: About 6 weeks ago my 7 year old male cocker, Jet, (castrated at 1 year) started excessively drinking from his water bowl and peeing in the house when previously this had never been a problem. I had not changed anything about this feeding or exercising, the weather was not overly hot and the central heating wasn't on more than before.
The vets tested his blood and urine and found nothing. Then he stopped peeing so much, bloated enormously and stopped eating for about a week.
The vets put him on diuretics, drained the fluid from his belly (which was tested and found to just be tap water), scanned his belly and found nothing unusual.
He remained on diuretic tablets for a few weeks and returned for regular urine and blood tests until he was weaned off the tablets completely last week and he seemed to be back to normal.
No diagnose was ever found.
But, over the last 2 days he excessive drinking has returned and I have no idea why.
Should I put him on wet food instead of dry? Even though his brand of food has never been changed?
Could it be related to the fact that my boyfriend moved out and Jet is on his own a bit more than previously? Could it be anxiety?
Should I take his water up apart from when he is feeding or would this be damaging?
He seems fit and healthy and happy in every other regard.
I will obviously take him back to the vet but it seems like they have drawn a blank.

ANSWER: I have a few questions:
1.  When he drinks excessively, is it a lot at once or back to the water bowl continually??
2.  Exactly when did this begin in relation to your boyfriend moving out?
3.  What are you feeding and how often?
4.  Has anything unusual happened in the past 2 days (from his point of view)?
5.  How much exercise does he get daily and how long is he alone?

Yes, excessive drinking can be behavioral (anxiety) and although dogs should always have access to fresh water, I'd certainly try "interrupting" the behavior.  But I need to know when he does it and how much he's drinking at one time

Also - never rotating foods isn't good.  And yes, I'd do at least half his diet canned.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: 1. He drinks a lot at once.
2. He was drinking more than usual before my boyfriend left but it got increasingly worse since.
3. Dry food morning and evening sometimes mixed with left overs like chicken, pasta.
4. The house has been a bit crazy for weeks with my boyfriend coming round while I am at work to get his stuff and my sister coming around in the evenings to move her stuff in but no single event in the past few days.
5. 20 minutes running after his ball in the park in the morning and an hour round the fields in the evening.
It definitely seems like he will drink a huge amount when I am out and then he seems happy to snooze by my side for hours without a drink when I am home.
Once my sister is fully moved in she will be in the house a lot more than me and she has helped look after his since he was a pup so fingers crossed this will help ease his anxiety.
I have also put him on wet canned food this evening.
Thanks for all your help.

Answer
First - stop feeding him table scraps.  There's nothing wrong with "human food" but it depends on what it is and how it was cooked.  You can certainly add plained boiled chicken (no skin-no bones) to his food.  Lean ground beef - only boiled - drain & rinse - is good too.
Never, ever fry food for a dog or give them things with sauces or bastings.

Now, the drinking.  Here's what I'd do temporarily.

1.  Give him at least half wet food.
2.  A bit longer run in the morning.

To interrupt this behavior I'd make some homemade chicken broth (because you can't ask a dog to drink when you want him to :).  By giving this you can be assured he's well hydrated and you can dole out fluids appropriately.

To make this - use a LOT of water and put in any chicken parts (but no skin).  Bring to boil and let simmer about 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool down.
Strain broth (take out chicken) through several layers of cloth into a pitcher/jug.

Put 2 cups into container to keep in fridge.
Put the rest in baggies (2cups each) and freeze.

Only good for 2/3 days in fridge - on 3rd day use or discard.

Give him 1/2 cup (warm it) as soon as he wakes up - then breakfast - then his walk.
Have no water bowl down.

When you leave, put ONE cup of water in his bowl.  Repeat 1/2 cup warm broth when you get home...and another 1/2 cup broth before his evening walk.

Is someone around to let him out during your work day?  Is he still having accidents?

What I think is that unless there is a medical cause - this is anxiety.  Where does he sleep?
If possible, I'd let him sleep with you.

Dogs are quite aware of tension and changes.  If this is anxiety I think it'll quiet down once your sister moves in and his buddy (your boyfriend) stops coming in and out.

So..by hydrating him well but NOT leaving a water bowl down you are "interrupting" this pattern.
If your sister is around during the day she can also give him 1/2 cup at a time.

Then when things are settled you can experiment and see what happens.  In the meantime he's more than well hydrated.

Oh..you can dilute the broth by half..makes it go further..it's warming it that makes them drink it.  What you've actually made is just chicken flavored water.

Do keep me posted.