While it’s normal for Frenchies to drink plenty of water during summertime, you may be a bit concerned if you notice your little gremlin drinks it excessively throughout the year. That’s why we wanted to relieve the reasons why does your French bulldog drink so much water.
The reason for your Frenchie’s excessive drinking of water
We all know that Frenchies are prone to dehydration in hot weather conditions. Their brachycephalic skulls make them incapable to regulate their body temperatures, so that’s why they quickly lose body fluids. If symptoms of heatstroke are not noticed on time, your Frenchie can easily dehydrate.
However, if you noticed that your pooch started to drink plenty of water, even in winter months, it’s definitely the time to be concerned. A dog owner should become worried if his Frenchie drinks an entire bowl every time the water is offered. It goes without saying that every dog should have access to a water bowl, but when the excessive water drinking is followed by frequent urinating, these are the reasons to consider.
The medical name for excessive water drinking is called Polydipsia. Generally, water intake can also be affected by your Frenchie’s diet. Therefore, if you feed your batpig with wet food, then you can expect that he will drink less water. Dry kibble food, spicy or salty treats, and human food leftovers may be one of the reasons for your French bulldog’s exceedingly water drinking.
Polydipsia, along with the increased volume of urination (polyuria), can be caused by the following occurrences:
- liver disease
- diabetes Mellitus
- diabetes insipidus
- high calcium or low potassium (abnormal electrolytes)
- Adrenal hormone disease
- Psychogenic polydipsia
- corticosteroid therapy
Perform blood and urine tests
To determine that your Frenchie suffers from any of these conditions, I suggest you see your vet and to do blood and urine tests. If there are any concerns about any of these issues, your vet will perform additional tests.
There are also studies that claim that French bulldogs who suffer from separation anxiety may start to drink a lot of water. The dog’s body produces the hormone Cortisol when copes with a stressful situation. The same happens in human bodies. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates a wide range of vital processes throughout the body. The dog’s metabolism and his immune system much depend on the production of this hormone. It also has a very important role in helping the dog’s body respond to stress.
As a result, a Frenchie’s body longs for corticosteroids that will help him to solve issues such as itchiness, irritated skin, and allergies. And, that’s the time when an increased desire to drink water may occur.
How much water should my French bulldog drink?
According to the vets’ opinions, the usual amount of water that a dog should be allowed to drink is 20-70 ml per kg. In summer months, this amount can be increased to 100 ml per kg. To make sure your Frenchie gets enough liquids during the day, I recommend you to observe his behavior. Heavy breathing, lethargy, dry nose, and red gums are the most common signs of dehydration.
Choose the right Dog water bowl
Since Frenchies are prone to fast eating and drinking, my advice is to choose an appropriate dog water bowl. The following one has a float that will rise when the water is added to the bowl. Your pet will drink water slowly through the hole in the middle and will not spill it around the bowl.
