Water
Pug Dog Water Requirements & Issues
Overview
While every good owner puts a lot of thought into what they offer to their Pug for main meals and healthy snacks, water is often overlooked. It’s really easy to simply fill up a bowl and leave it for a puppy or dog to drink at will. However, there are quite a few water-related care elements that play a big role in your Pug’s overall health.
Very similar to humans, canines are made mostly of water. Overall, a dog’s body is approximately 60% water. The brain and skin of a dog is 70% water (this is true for you as well), blood is a whopping 82% and the lungs are 90%. So as you can imagine, making sure that your Pug drinks enough clean H2O is very important.
In this section, we are going to discuss:
- How much water a Pug needs to drink each day to stay healthy
- Surprising signs that a Pug is not drinking enough
- Helpful tips to make sure that your Pug stays hydrated
- What it means if a Pug has decreased or increased thirst
- Why unfiltered tap water can cause a slew of health issues
Let's dive in.
Surprising Signs of Dehydration
Dogs can be slightly dehydrated without owners being aware; they lack the obvious signs of an emergency situation, yet it can have quite an impact. Just a 1 to 3% decrease in normal body water can result in:
- Trouble focusing - A Pug may not come when called, may have trouble learning a new trick, etc.
- Moodiness – Studies have shown that all mammals (human and canine alike) can have changes to their mood if they are lacking just a bit of H2O. This can manifest as being irritable, depressed or having a lack of enthusiasm to run around or play as normal.
- Muscle and joint discomfort – Without enough water to properly lubricate the body, a Pug may have sore muscles and joints. This is especially relevant for older, senior Pug dogs
and may result in the dog having more trouble rising from a down position and/or having problems getting a good night sleep.
Common Symptoms of Serious Dehydration:
If a Pug was left home alone and his water bowl spilled over or if he was taken out in warm weather and not given water, a lack of adequate drinking water could quickly turn into serious issues. In regard to not drinking enough and/or losing water more quickly than it can be replaced, the signs include:
- Sunken in eyes
- Weakness
- Excessive drooling – This may be watery, however slobber may also be very thick
and drop down in gobs.
- Heavy panting – This will become increasingly worse without intervention; a dog will often stick his tongue out further and further as his struggles progress.
- Red gums – The color will get progressively darker if not treated; dogs in the dangerous stage of heat stress may have purple gums
- Increased body temperature above 103 F (39 C)
- Rapid heartbeat
- Kidney failure
- Shutdown of organs
- Eventual death
How to Encourage a Pug To Drink More
Since H2O is so important to a Pug’s health and even just a small drop in fluid levels can take a toll on both physical and mental abilities, owners who have Pugs that refuse to drink are rightfully concerned.
Luckily there are some easy ways to make sure your Pug is drinking enough:
1) Never assume that your Pug knows how much water he needs.
It will be up to you to oversee this. Keep the guidelines in mind (see above). If your Pug is still a puppy
and has not yet reached his/her adult weight, remember to keep adjusting daily amounts as he grows. If you have a goal each day of how much your Pug should drink, measure it. It is far easier to meet the goal this way than just ‘eye balling’ it.
2) Always keep water fresh and clean.
Water that is not changed out during the day can become filled with slimy particles of food and can even have a top layer film of saliva that makes it very unappealing to dogs. In addition, room temperature water is often ignored over nice, cool water. Clean the bowl daily with hot water and soap and refill it as needed (pouring out old water, not just topping it off).
3) Bring water with you, even for your daily neighborhood walks. While dogs generally take a drink after getting back from an exercise session, it's best to bring water along for the walk and offer a break at the halfway point of a short walk or every 20 minutes or so during longer outings. This will help your Pug cool down, get their breath under control and refill on fluids.
To make this easy, you may want to use a canine travel water container like the H2O4K9 Dog Water Bottle and Travel Bowl
in which the lid serves as a bowl; this is made of stainless steel and holds 9.5 ounces.
in which the lid serves as a bowl; this is made of stainless steel and holds 9.5 ounces. 4) Switch out the water bowl for a fountain.
Canine water fountains can be a great help with Pugs that are not overly interested in their water bowl because they are attracted to the sound and sight of the flowing water.
5) Offer water-packed foods for
healthy snacks. If it’s time for your Pug to have a treat between meals and you’re concerned that he’s not drinking enough, offer something that has a high water content. Certain fruits are healthy and safe for dogs to eat, are low in calories, and the natural sugar (fructose) is absorbed slowly due to the fiber content and therefore will not spike insulin or cause a 'sugar high'.
Some good choices include watermelon (92% water, .6 grams of fiber & 46 calories per cup), strawberries (92% water, 2.9 grams of fiber & 46 calories per cup) and raspberries (87 % water, 4 grams of fiber and 33 calories per half cup). These can be given fresh or frozen, alone or mixed into food, and most Pugs love the taste of these fruits. A quick little tip is that if you place some small pieces of fruit in your
Pug’s water bowl, most likely he will drink up lots of H2O will trying to lap up the tasty treats and this keep him even more hydrated.
Why You Should Not Let Your Pug Drink Straight Tap Water
What to Know:
The majority of tap water in the United States, and many other countries, is deplorable. Whether it comes from surface water (lakes, reservoirs, etc.) or groundwater (public wells), what comes out of the kitchen tap is downright shocking.
Tap water can contain as many as 60,000 chemical compounds of which only 91 are regulated via the Safe Drinking Water Act. Some of the compounds commonly found in tap water include:
- Prescription drugs - Filtering systems cannot catch the fine particles of many drugs that are expelled in people's urine including birth control meds, beta blockers, anti-anxiety meds, and even Viagra.
- Arsenic – This has been classified as a cancer causing agent yet is allowed to be in tap water. While the amount is regulated, several major cities in the US have failed to keep it at ‘safe’ levels.
- Fluoride – This is exceedingly toxic to canines and is one of the main reasons why human toothpaste is dangerous to use when brushing your Pug’s teeth. This chemical that was once used as rat poison has been shown to cause both brain and kidney damage.
- Chlorine – This is added to water to kill bacteria however it has been clinically proven to cause serious cell damage, leading to tumors.
- Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids – These two by-products of chlorine are thought to cause cancer and reproductive problems.
- Factory runoff, pesticides and even rocket fuel – These and many other compounds are allowed to be in tap water and only deemed safe if drank by healthy humans over 6 years old and this is based on simply one 8 oz. serving and not years of ingestion.
What to Do:
There are a couple of effective choices to make sure that your Pug is drinking clean, safe water:
1) Connect a filtering device to your kitchen sink
- This type of device typically attaches to the faucet from under the sink and has replaceable filter cartridges. This can be installed by a plumbing professional or homeowners with DIY skills.
2) Use a filtering water pitcher
- This is an easy portable method that allows you to by-pass the hassle of having anything installed. You can choose from a wide variety of sizes, depending on if it's just you and your Pug or a larger family. A recommended one is the Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher
; you just fill this with tap water and as you pour the water out, it removes all chemicals and toxins, leaving pure, fresh H2O.
; you just fill this with tap water and as you pour the water out, it removes all chemicals and toxins, leaving pure, fresh H2O.3) Bottled spring water
– A full grown Pug of 20 pounds should drink approximately 3 cups per day. A gallon contains 16 cups and therefore would last about 5 days
Changes in Thirst
When a puppy or dog is suddenly not drinking as much as normal or has a noticeable increase in thirst, the most common reason is a health issue. This type of change should not be overlooked. Some
common health issues
that cause increased thirst (polydipsia ) or decreased thirst (adipsia) include but are not limited to:
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Cushing’s disease
- Hormonal imbalance
- Excessive low protein diet
- Parasitic diseases
- Oral or dental pain
- Poisoning
* If a dog were to completely refuse water and ingest no fluids at all, this could be fatal in as little as 3 days.
* If a Pug is drinking a bit of water but not as much as he needs, this can eventually lead to severe dehydration and corresponding organ failure in as little as a week (this will vary depending on the puppy or dog’s activity level, how hot it is out, etc.).
* Drinking much more than normal may be due to being excessively hot and since this breed can have trouble breathing in hot, humid temperatures, steps should be taken to cool the dog down (stop activity, bring him into the shade or a cool house, place cool wet towels on his body, etc.). However, increased thirst that does not relate to the weather or activity and occurs for more than 3 days in a row is your sign that a vet visit for a complete examination is needed.
Summary
Water is such an essential part of a dog’s overall health that it’s important to make sure that your Pug is drinking enough. When properly hydrated. a dog will have good energy levels, even mood, fewer aches and pains, and will be able to focus better than if he was missing even 1 to 3% of proper fluid level.
Bring any changes in thirst to the attention of your Pug’s veterinarian and please do consider how toxic tap water can be for our pets.
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