he wont drink

[misdee]

ralph has never been a big drinker.

how do i get more fluids into him? i'm lucky ifhe drinks half a bowl a day.

Our dog rarely drinks water from his bowl.

However, the 'barrel pond' on the patio he sups out of happily (as do the birds)

Streams, muddy puddles - anything but straight tapwater!

He also loves leftover tea (milk, no sugar )

The other way to get more fluids in is to feed really wet food - when he had a tummy bug I made chicken and rice with really overcooked rice so it absorbed loads of the chicken stock.

Some dogs seem to love drinking running water, i.e. slurping it as you're pouring it into the bowl - but show no interest in the same water just sitting in the bowl!

Do you feed dry kibble? You can put a bit of water in with that, I've done this occasionally though usually just give it dry (with water in a separate bowl) as I think it's better for their teeth.

he is on a raw diet, no rice etc.

he loves a cuppa, (splash of milk, one mug black tea, 3 mugs cold water wich we gave him when he was ill and needed more fluids.) is that ok? just really worried about him in this heat.

Surely, unless he is ill, if he is thirsty he will drink. with a raw diet there is probably quite a lot of moisture in his food.

My dog was ill recently and the vet told us to give him a doggy dioralyte solution - pint water, 2 tablespoons sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Alfie loved it and would drink it even though he was in considerable pain.

Alf isn't usually a big drinker but we still feed his dry food wet with lots of added water and he has veggies as well so I don't worry usually.