6 Benefits of Water for Your Dog or Cat

“Water is the most essential element in life, because without it you cannot make coffee.” -Karen Salmansohn

Even though coffee is an essential part of many peoples morning routine, water is what our bodies really need to survive. Water is one of the most important parts of your diet and has many benefits for your health.

Benefits of Water Include:

• Carries and moves nutrients into & out of cells of the body
• Aids in digestion of food & absorb nutrients.
• Serves to cool the body down & works to maintain normal body temperature.
• Lubricates & cushions joints & helps movement.
• Spinal cord & internal tissues are cushioned by moisture.
• Helps aid in waste to be removed from the body through urination & bowel moments.

If drinking water has all these benefits and is essential for people to survive, why would it be any different for your pet?  Keeping your pet hydrated all year round is extremely important, especially during the summer months or during times of increased exercise. Water is essential to keep your pets’ organs functioning at their best.

 

How much water should your pet have?

The general rule of thumb for how much water a dog should drink is about ½ to 1 oz (about 1/8 cup) of water for every pound of body weight. Based off the general rule a 20lb dog should drink about 20oz of water per day. This will vary from one dog to the next. Please consult with your veterinarian if your pet has any health conditions that may affect their water intake. Senior dogs may also need additional water. For puppies, a good option is to offer them about ½ cup every two hours while they are potty training and to stop offering water an hour or two before bedtime.

We all know cats can be finicky eaters when it comes to their food choices but what about your cat’s water intake? On average a cat should have 3.5oz to 4.5ozs of water per pound of body weight. So, a 10lb cat will require about 9oz of water per day. Cats in the wild get majority of their water through the meat they eat but indoor cats eating kibble will not be getting the water they need from their food.

Now that you have an idea how much water your pet should drink a day, how to we ensure they are getting that amount?

Here are a few tips to make sure your pet is staying hydrated:

• Provide fresh water each day.
• Keep the water bowl clean.
• Try moving the water bowl to a new location.
• Add ice cubes to the water or make pupsicles during the summer months.
• Try mixing food with water.
• Contact your vet for further recommendations.

Mixing water with your pets food is a sneaky way to get your dog or cat to drink more water. Grandma Lucy’s Freeze-Dried food is a great solution. Freeze dried food has the water removed making it shelf stable, and easy to prepare. Just add equal amounts of water, mix, and serve. If your pet gets 1 cup of food, just mix it with 1 cup of water, you can add up to to twice the amount of water depending on the consistency your pet prefers. This give you the peace of mind knowing your pet is getting at least one full cup of water with every meal.