My puppy is drinking a lot. What should I do?

First you should find out if your puppy is drinking too much by measuring the amount of water it drinks in a day. A dog normally drinks about 50ml of water per kg body weight per day. If a dog drinks more than 100ml water/kg body weight per day it is definitely abnormal.

You should book an appointment with a veterinarian if your puppy is drinking as much as or more than 100ml water/kg body weight per day. Bring a morning urine sample (the first urine expelled in the morning) with you to the vets.

A dog may drink and pee excessively in association with diseases that affect the urinary tract or other organs, or if the thirst is psychogenic. For instance, puppies can drink a lot when they are bored or just for the joy of it. You should not take for granted that the thirst is psychogenic in nature and should get the puppy examined by a veterinarian if it is drinking more than it should. If you limit the amount of water you give your puppy and it has an underlying disease causing increased thirst it can result in your puppy getting even sicker or becoming dehydrated. It is also distressing for a thirsty puppy to be unable to drink.