Dogs often drink out of a toilet, and cats often like to drink from a dripping faucet, but when they are showing these behaviors all the time, and when it leads to urinating in the house, that’s when we usually get a call. Some of the statements we get are, “My cat’s peeing in the house. It must be because she’s mad at me” or “Bowzer is so thirsty all the time. What do you think it is?”.

Excessive thirst, termed polydypsia in medical terms, is usually combined with excessive urination, or polyuria. What goes in must come out, right? Dogs and cats normally take in about 20-40 millilters per pound of body weight per day, or 3 cups per day for a 20 pound dog, and 1.5-2 cups for a 10 pound cat. This includes any water they take in with their food, such as canned food. Anything more than that, under normal environmental conditions is considered polydypsia. These are early signs of several diseases including kidney failure or infection, diabetes, pyometra (a uterine infection), liver disease, and high blood calcium levels, among others.

Determining the cause of the increased thirst and urination requires further testing such as bloodwork, urinalysis, x-rays, specialized blood tests or even an MRI in really difficult cases. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, your individual pet, and your veterinarian. Treatment may include intravenous fluid therapy, insulin, or even surgery. Discuss treatment details with your veterinarian if your pet is diagnosed with any of these conditions. In the meantime, watch for these symptoms:

• Drinking large amounts of water

• Frequent urination (and/or really large clumps in the litter box!)

• Changes in appetite

• Changes in behavior

• Lethargy/weakness

• Vomiting or diarrhea

So if you notice that Rex can’t pull himself away from his water bowl, or that Shadow’s litter box seems flooded with urine, give us a call right away!

Till next time, Dr. Steve, www.ashburnanimals.com

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