Why is my dog urinating so often?
Is your dog drinking way more water than usual and peeing a lot more, too? Maybe during your walks, it feels like you’re constantly stopping to let your pup relieve themselves?
Don’t stress too much — this isn’t all that uncommon and it could be caused by a bunch of different things, most of which aren’t too serious. Some dogs just have a bigger ‘need’ than others, for instance.
But if you’re pondering ‘why is my dog so thirsty?’ or you’re noticing they’re peeing way more than usual, it could be a sign that something’s off, and it might be worth looking into.
Let’s dive into why your dog might be peeing so much, and take a look at any medical, behavioral, or dietary factors that could be behind it. We’ll also cover some treatment tips and what to do if you’re wondering why your dog is peeing a lot. And we’ll help you figure out when it’s time to reach out to your vet for advice.
Symptoms of your dog drinking excessive water and urinating
It may seem like a question with an obvious answer. What are the symptoms of a dog drinking excessive water and urinating? Well, that would be… your dog drinking water excessively and your dog peeing a lot.
But, what’s excessively, and what’s peeing a lot?
But, what’s excessively, and what’s peeing a lot?
First of all, ask yourself, what’s ‘normal’?
While each dog is different, these rough calculations can act as a helpful quick guide to work out whether your dog really is urinating too frequently.
- Normal water intake: (140 x number of kg dog weighs) x 0.75
- Normal urine output: 20 to 40 ml per kg dog weighs over a 24 hour period
Polyuria and polydipsia (PU/PD) are the fancy terms for excessive thirst and urination. They often go hand in hand and can be caused by a variety of underlying issues that may be making your dog pee more than usual.
If you’re noticing a change in your pet’s behavior and your dog is urinating frequently, there could be a few reasons behind it. Keep an eye out for some of these red flags along with the frequent peeing, as they might mean it’s time to take a trip to the vet:
- Urinating frequently
- Urinating in large amounts
- Accidents
- Water bowl constantly empty
- New drinking habits (such as drinking from the toilet or puddle, in dogs that don’t normally do this)
- Drinking and urinating during unusual hours i.e. the middle of the night.
The earlier you can act on these symptoms the better, both for your furry friend’s wellness and your own peace of mind.
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Causes of increased urination and thirst in dogs
There are three main types of polyuria that can help figure out what might be going on with your dog:
- Physiological – This is when your dog’s increased thirst and urination are just a normal response to drinking more, and it could be a sign of a behavioral issue.
- Pharmacological – This happens if your dog’s drinking and urinating more because of things like too much salt in their diet or medications (like diuretics or corticosteroids) that make them pee more.
- Pathological – This is the trickiest one and could be due to a health problem, like kidney failure or even a hormone imbalance.
As is so often the case with your dog, the earlier you can address these kinds of symptoms the better.
Common medical reasons why your dog is so thirsty and urinating so frequently
Urinary system causes
There are a few things in your dog’s urinary system that could cause frequent urination, like kidney failure, a kidney infection (pyelonephritis), or a bladder infection. It could also be a sign of a urinary obstruction, which can be pretty serious.
Endocrine system causes
Some endocrine system issues can also lead to increased urination. These include conditions like hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease – where the body produces too much cortisol), diabetes mellitus, or diabetes insipidus.
Liver inflammation can cause frequent urination, along with other signs like weight loss, vomiting, or a general lack of energy. If you notice these symptoms, it might be worth getting your dog checked out.
Electrolyte imbalances, often caused by kidney problems or parathyroid gland issues, can lead to dehydration and make your dog feel tired and lethargic. Keep an eye out for these signs, as it could be affecting your dog’s health in other ways tooWhen your dog is losing more water than they’re taking in, their body’s water levels drop below normal – this is dehydration. It can lead to excessive thirst and urination as their body tries to compensate.
Cancerous tumors
There are two main types of tumors: benign (not cancerous) and malignant (cancerous). While benign tumors might just need some treatment, malignant ones can spread and pose a serious health risk.
Depending on how aggressive they are, they could require immediate attention, but some dogs can live many years with cancerous tumors, especially with early treatment.
What if your dog’s peeing a lot but only producing a few drops at a time? Bladder stones could be the problem. You might also notice blood in their urine. This condition can be pretty painful for your pup, so get it checked out if you see these signs.
Psychological and behavioral causes
Not every case of a dog drinking excessive water and urinating is due to a medical issue. Sometimes, the reason your dog is peeing a lot could be linked to psychological or behavioral problems. In these cases, excessive thirst (polydipsia) is usually the main cause, which then leads to more urination (polyuria) because your dog is drinking more than usual.
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Diagnosing your dog’s excessive thirst and urination
So, you’ve noticed that your dog seems to be overly thirsty and is peeing a lot. What do you do? The best course of action is to take it to the vet.
They’ll most likely want to start by taking a good look over your pet and talking to you about the kinds of behavior you’ve been seeing.
Lab tests
Complete blood count (CBC): This test checks for anemia, which could be related to kidney failure or liver disease. If an infection is the cause of the issue, there will usually be an increase in leukocytes (white blood cells). In the case of Cushing’s disease, there may be an increase in specific types of white blood cells, like lymphocytes or eosinophils, which is known as a stress leukogram.
Blood serum tests: These tests can help confirm a variety of problems. For example, dogs with diabetes may show high fasting blood sugar levels.
Blood serum tests can also detect kidney failure by measuring an increase in BUN (blood urea nitrogen), and liver disease can be identified with elevated levels of ALT, ALP, Bilirubin, or AST.Urinalysis: This test helps identify blood, protein, or glucose in your dog’s urine. If leukocytes are found in the urine, it could suggest a kidney or bladder infection. On the other hand, red blood cells in the urine might point to a more serious infection, or even diabetes.
Advanced diagnostics
Once the vet has an idea of why your dog is thirsty all the time or constantly has to pee, they may suggest further testing. These are some of the likely tests.
- Hormone tests: Tests like the ACTH stimulation or low-dose dexamethasone suppression test can help confirm conditions like Cushing’s disease.
- Ultrasound or x rays: These imaging tests may be needed to check for cancerous tumors or look for abnormalities in the kidneys or liver (like cystic kidneys).
If kidney disease is ruled out, a water deprivation test can help determine whether your dog’s urine concentration is normal.
By performing these tests and doing a thorough physical exam, your vet should be able to work out why your dog is so thirsty and urinating so much. From there, they’ll be able to recommend a treatment plan to help your pup feel better and get back on track
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Treatment of increased urination and thirst in dogs
Your dog’s treatment will depend on the vet’s diagnosis. If, for example, it’s an infection causing the problem, antibiotics should normally do the job. In some cases, adjusting your dog’s other medications may reduce the extent of the PUPD, while other conditions, such as tumors, may require an operation.
Metabolic issues
Conditions like diabetes will require daily insulin injections, along with changes to your dog’s diet and exercise routine to help regulate their blood sugar levels.
Endocrine imbalance
Endocrine imbalances usually require long-term treatment to help balance hormone levels. Keep in mind that hormone replacements can come with side effects, so it’s important to discuss these with your vet.
Endocrine disorders/tumors
Endocrine disorders may be cancer-related. In this case, surgery, and/or chemotherapy may be necessary.
Kidney disease
This may be managed by diet changes, medication, or dialysis treatment, depending on what stage it is at.
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Recovery of Why Is My Dog So Thirsty And Urinates Frequently?
Increased Urination and Thirst Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
chow shepard mix
Ten Years
107 found this helpful
107 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
My dog is about 10 or 11 years old. He is extremely overweight. Recently I've noticed him drinking excessively. I'm having to fill his water bowl several times a day. He also urinates quite a bit. He has never had accidents in the house but has peed 5 times in the house this week, mostly in the middle of the night. He doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain but he just doesn't seem himself lately.
June 29, 2021
Answered by Dr. Sara O. DVM
107 Recommendations
Hello he could have diabetes or kidney issues. It would be best for him to see your vet. They will want to run bloodwork to figure out what is going on.
June 29, 2021
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Husky
Two Months
35 found this helpful
35 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
My 9 week old puppy is having constant thirst he almost always finishes the water and he constantly keep urinating alot he is working on potty training but he will go outside then he will come in and pee like 2 to 3 more times almost rather quickly after going outside .
Jan. 14, 2021
Answered by Dr. Maureen M. DVM
35 Recommendations
Hi,
He could be having a urinary tract infection. Please visit the vet for a conclusive diagnosis and treatment.
Jan. 14, 2021
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Dalmatian
Five Months
22 found this helpful
22 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Diarrhea, Frequent Urination, Excessive Thirst
5 month old dalmatian puppy has solid stool in the morning and progressively looser stools as the day goes on— usually ending the day with some diarrhea (with consistency, not completely liquid). she also has started regressing in her potty training and pees in the house 2-3 times per day, sometimes even more. this will even be after peeing 2-3 times within 10-30 mins outside. she drinks a TON of water; this she has always done but it seems to me as though it may be more now. it is difficult to tell if she simply does not know how to hold it, or if something else is wrong. she pees so often
Dec. 29, 2020
Answered by Dr. Linda S. MVB MRCVS
22 Recommendations
That does sound like excessive peeing and drinking.
A blood and urine test would be the next step to rule out e.g. diabetes or bladder stones.
Dec. 29, 2020
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Chihuahua
Seven Months
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Painful Urination
Our puppy just got neutered and he is drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot
Oct. 18, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. This can sometimes happen after neuter because there is some information from the surgery. If he is acting normally otherwise, and eating and drinking well, then you may be able to monitor it for a few more days and see if things return to normal. If he continues to have these problems, it would be a good idea to have every check with your veterinarian, as there may be a problem with his urine.
Oct. 18, 2020
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Dogo Argentino
Five Years
17 found this helpful
17 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Thirst,Peeing Alot,Loss Appetite,And Tired
Ruby is drinking alot and peeing alot. I saw a little bloody mucus in her pee pad,she's not herself
Sept. 29, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
17 Recommendations
Thank you for your question, I'm sorry that Ruby is not feeling well. If she had a little bit of blood in her urine, she may have a urinary tract infection, and that can make dogs feel quite ill. It would be best to have her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible who can examine her, as they will be able to see what is causing this problem and let you know how to treat. It may be something quite simple, and she may be able to feel better soon. I hope that all goes well for her.
Sept. 30, 2020
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toy poodle
Lucy
7 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Drinking Water Excessively
my dog has always been on the bigger side, she was potty trained when she was around 6 months-4 years old, she is about 7 and she has been peeing in the house more often and peeing blood a lot!! we got her out on medication but it just keeps coming back. she drinks a ton of water and we will let her out to use the bathroom very often but right when she comes back in she will just pee all over the carpet again. She pants a lot even when she has been laying down for a long time, she’s always whining for no reason and doesn’t listen to anything we say anymore.
Shihpoo
Lucky
10 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Thirst
Urinating In House
Recently(in last 5 days) - my dog Lucky has been drinking lots of water especially at night that we take him outside and then go to bed. Then to wake up in the morning to find he has urinated in the same spot. He drinks lots of water, but we look to take him outside prior to going to bed.
