How long can a dog go without water during the day?

How long can a dog go without water? 

Hydration is incredibly important to your pets, just like it is to you and I. Stating the obvious huh? However, many ignore it when out on long walks. A supply of fresh clean water should always be available to your pets. This is easily achievable in nice towns as many shops and restaurants leave a bowl of water outside for people with pets, but what about when you are on a hike or not in such an area?  

What about cats?

They need hydration too and a picture speaks a thousand words so here you go. 

If your dog is refusing to drink then you need to know how long can a dog go without water during the day. It depends on what the activities of your dog are that day. The more active they are, the more in need of water they will be. If they are sitting around at home, they could get by for up to 8 hours without water however I would not recommend this, and 72 hours is the approximate survival period but this could cause irreversible damage. 

Water makes more than 70% of their overall bodyweight, therefore they need to maintain this with regular hydration every day. Try to follow the rule ‘one ounce of water per pound of bodyweight’ so in our case with young Francis our ‘French Bulldog’ he needs at least 28 oz of water per day for his 28 pounds of body weight.

Preventing dehydration in dogs

Dehydration can make you feel miserable, if you have ever been on holiday somewhere warm and suffered some severe dehydration, you can feel like you are on deaths door. It is just as bad for pets, only in some cases they cannot tell you their symptoms of dehydration and how they are feeling unless you are very good at reading the signals, barks and taps from them.

What are the warning signs of dehydration?

After 24 hours you will start to see the affects of dehydration in dogs. They will experience a reduction in energy. They will pant heavier in an attempt to try and cool down, their behaviour will change and mobility will be affected. Diarrhoea and vomiting are serious signs and you should seek medical attention. As time goes on, they will get worse and in the worst case scenario will die. Hydration is not just important it is vital! 

Water needs to last for 24 hours especially if you are out on an adventure with them and it is even more important if it’s a warm day. Moisture-rich food is small amounts also helps with hydration. Dry foods such as kibble can increase dehydration. 

The RSPCSA in the UK see an average of one call every two hours if not more within the summer months about a dog being left in a car. Car temperature levels can significantly rise, and it is something all pet owners should be aware of.

Moving on to methods of how to keep your pets hydrated, you can take a collapsible bowl with you, you can take a dog bottle which only releases water when your pet licks (all of which we sell) and there are many other products available to help with a quick search of Google for ‘dog bottle’.