The question of how much water your pet should drink is one of the most common questions asked at a veterinarian's consultation. And this is an important aspect that affects the pet's general condition. Experts from a veterinary clinic spoke about the norms of water consumption for cats and dogs, informs Ukr.Media.
The minimum amount of water your pet needs per hour is 2 ml per kilogram of weight. For example, for an animal weighing 10 kg, the optimal daily fluid intake is 480 ml. This is approximately the same amount of fluid that the body should excrete through urine, breathing, and other natural processes. Pets that eat dry food need to be given more water than those that eat wet food.
Experts have noted that if a cat's diet is based only on wet food, it may neglect to drink water, which can seriously affect its health. Insufficient fluid intake can lead to excessive urine concentration, which in turn can provoke the development of urolithiasis, the appearance of crystals and uroliths. To prevent such problems, it is important to monitor the water intake of your four-legged friends. In case of insufficient intake, this can be corrected by adding wet food to the diet or encouraging the animal to drink more. For example, special drinking fountains are well suited for cats.
If your pet drinks more than 100-140 ml of water per kilogram of body weight per day, this may indicate the presence of polydipsia – increased fluid intake, which requires veterinary intervention. Increased drinking can be a sign of certain diseases, so it is important to seek help from a specialist.
