# My dog is struggling to drink



## Nik Carter (Aug 4, 2017)

Hi there,

I'm worried about my dog and was wondering if anyone here has ever seen anything similar. My dog is able to eat his food but seems unable to drink. He tries very hard but manages to get very little to drink, plus he gets his chest soaking wet in the process( leaning over his bowl to try and drink). I've tried different size bowls at different heights in advice from the vets but am still having no joy. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Nik


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Has the vet checked his mouth and tongue for deformities, etc?

As he manages to eat OK, perhaps add some liquid to his food to increase his fluid intake.


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## Nik Carter (Aug 4, 2017)

Lurcherlad said:


> Has the vet checked his mouth and tongue for deformities, etc?
> 
> As he manages to eat OK, perhaps add some liquid to his food to increase his fluid intake.


They didn't check his mouth at all, just suggested the different bowl heights.. I'm going to take him back and push for more thorough checks.

Thanks for the speedy response


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Nik Carter said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I'm worried about my dog and was wondering if anyone here has ever seen anything similar. My dog is able to eat his food but seems unable to drink. He tries very hard but manages to get very little to drink, plus he gets his chest soaking wet in the process( leaning over his bowl to try and drink). I've tried different size bowls at different heights in advice from the vets but am still having no joy.
> 
> ...


How old is your dog and is this something that has suddenly occurred or is it something that he has never been able to do ie drink without it running back out of his mouth. If its something that he has never been able to do, has the vets ever inspected his mouth anatomical wise not just a open the mouth to get a look as far as they are able but actually sedated or given him an anaesthetic to look if there are any anatomical or medical reasons?

The reason I have asked this is because of how dogs drink and whats actually involved in the process. You can read the whole links below about the study and how they found out the mechanics of how dogs lap and drink but here is the jest of it.

"This showed that the mechanism was the same; dogs do not scoop," says Crompton.

Just like cats, dogs fold the tip of their tongue backwards so that the top of the tongue penetrates the surface of the liquid.

While water adhering to the top surface of the tongue is pulled upwards to the mouth, water sitting on the bottom side of the tongue spills back down towards the container as the tongue is withdrawn and the jaw closed.

"It is difficult to see the water transport in the YouTube video, but with a barium/milk solution it is clearly visible in x-ray," he says.

X-rays show it takes three laps to move liquid to the back of the throat. Each time, liquid is trapped against ridges on the dog's palate to stop the liquid falling out as the tongue is protruded.

http://www.globalanimal.org/2016/03/22/dogs-and-drinks-the-science-behind-lapping/

Its therefore the ridges or rugae on the plalate of the dogs mouth that stops the water falling back out of the dogs mouth. There is a further explanation on this link.

http://www.dailydogdiscoveries.com/tag/dog-rugae-of-the-palate/

So as mentioned I'm wondering if there could be any problem or irregularity with the Pallet in his mouth or even some problem with his tounge as that also plays a part in how dogs drink without the water falling back out ie there could be a medical reason and that's why he doesn't seem to be able to drink.

From what I can make out from the links above its only fairly recently due to this study that they have actually found out whats involved and how dogs do lap and drink water.


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## Nik Carter (Aug 4, 2017)

Hi Sled Dog,

They were both really interesting links, thanks for sharing!

My boy is 14 years old, and starting to feel it! He has a pronounced heart murmur which he is medicated for as well as all sorts of other problems, this really is the last thing he needs

I'm going to have a look at his palate tonight when I get back from work but will also mention it to the vet.

Really appreciate your post, thank you


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

If you were to freeze some water in a container would he lick that? Remember to let it melt a little first so his tongue doesn't stick to it.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Nik Carter said:


> Hi Sled Dog,
> 
> They were both really interesting links, thanks for sharing!
> 
> ...


Certainly worth checking out anything physical or physical changes that may have occurred and be causing it. The only other thing I can think of if you think he isn't getting enough water and could be getting bit dehydrated is to ask the vet to give you some large syringes (without the needle obviously) you can then give him some extra water by syringing drinks in the side of his mouth, you do need to make sure you don't squirt it in too fast, but again a vet nurse will probably show you how That might help in the meantime to make sure he is getting enough.

Old dogs can also get something called canine cognitive dysfunction which leads to different degrees of confusion. They may do things like stare at seemingly nothing, bark at things when there is nothing there, just look confused at times, some will even do things like walk into corners and cant figure out how to get out again, or want to go out in the garden then look lost like they are not sure how they go there or what they should be doing.
I have had a couple of oldies develop a degree of it and its never seemed to affect eating and drinking with mine, But I'm wondering if it could be something like this otherwise that causing it. If its not a physical reason its some kind of behavioural/cognitive thing maybe. I would rule or get the vet to rule out physical/physical changes though.


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## Nik Carter (Aug 4, 2017)

Thanks again Sled Dog and thank you Joanne for the ice cube idea, will give it a shot!


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## Emmastar (Apr 29, 2018)

My dog also is having issues.. she sits at her water bowl, and laps the water for quite a while, but if you look closely, she misses the water most of the time when she tries drinking, and ends up licking the side of the bowl, spilling most of the water, and hardly getting any. I'm wondering if it's a sight issue? She is rather old. She just turned 14.


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

Dehydration can be a problem - maybe her mouth is bothering her? A vet check before she gets ill would be a good idea.


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## Emmastar (Apr 29, 2018)

JoanneF said:


> Dehydration can be a problem - maybe her mouth is bothering her? A vet check before she gets ill would be a good idea.


She drinks so much water in one day though. More water than food.


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## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

Emmastar said:


> She drinks so much water in one day though. More water than food.


You said she wasn't getting much water. I'm not sure what you mean.


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## Emmastar (Apr 29, 2018)

JoanneF said:


> You said she wasn't getting much water. I'm not sure what you mean.


She drinks water, all day, but each time she does, she spills a lot. So it could be dehydration, but for the amount of time she spends drinking, even if she isn't getting much, I wouldn't think she was dehydrated.


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## lullabydream (Jun 25, 2013)

Excessive drinking even if you think your dog is not getting enough I would discuss this with a vet. 

Your dog must have a desire to drink and it maybe just be she's trying to drink so fast to quench it.

I would definitely book her in to the vets tomorrow


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## Brix (Dec 5, 2018)

Nik Carter said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I'm worried about my dog and was wondering if anyone here has ever seen anything similar. My dog is able to eat his food but seems unable to drink. He tries very hard but manages to get very little to drink, plus he gets his chest soaking wet in the process( leaning over his bowl to try and drink). I've tried different size bowls at different heights in advice from the vets but am still having no joy.
> 
> ...


Hey . 
I think my dog is doing the same thing recently. Did you ever find out what the issue was???


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