Why is my Golden Retriever always thirsty?

If your Golden Retriever is always thirsty, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.

In this post, I will show you a number of reasons why your Golden Retriever might always be thirsty and what you should do.

So, why is my Golden Retriever always thirsty? Possible causes can include illness, medication, the foods that it eats, heat and being very active. If you are unsure of why your Golden Retriever drinks a lot the best option would be to take it to a vet.

There are multiple reasons why it might be doing it and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are a number of things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason.

Why your Golden Retriever is always thirsty

Below, I will show you a number of possible reasons why your Golden Retriever has been being thirsty all the time and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.

Illness

The cause could be that it has an illness. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill such as throwing up or being fatigued. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Medication

It could also be the case that medication has also been causing it to be thirsty. This would be more likely if it started drinking a lot after starting the medication and if becoming thirstier is a known side-effect. In this case, it would help to talk with your vet about it.

Heat

If your Golden Retriever started drinking a lot at around the same time that the weather became hotter then it could be that it’s due to the heat. This would be more likely if it has also been out in the sun a lot and if it has been panting excessively. If it has also been vomiting then it could actually be the case that it has heatstroke and it would be necessary to take it to a vet.

In this case, it would help to give it lots of access to water, shaded areas, a cool room and to walk it in the morning or evening when the sunlight is not as strong.

It’s highly active

The reason why your Golden Retriever drinks a lot could be that it is, naturally, highly active. This would be more likely if it gets lots of exercise and if it tends to drink a lot after getting exercise. Golden Retrievers are a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise daily so this is unlikely to be an issue.

The food that it is eating

It could be the case that it is always thirsty because of its diet. Dry foods and foods that are high in sodium will tend to make your dog drink more (source). This means that it would likely help to reduce how much access your Golden Retriever has to foods that are high in sodium. It would also help to consult with your vet to see whether or not high sodium foods or other aspects of its diet could be the cause.

It would also help to make sure that the diet you are giving your Golden Retriever is appropriate. You can look at this page on pets.webmd to see what you should and should not be feeding your Golden Retriever.

Things to consider

Below are some things you can consider when trying to understand why it has been drinking a lot.

If it has suddenly started to drink more than usual

If it has not always been drinking so much, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it since it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.

If your Golden Retriever has always drunk a lot of water then it would be more likely that it is actually drinking a normal amount especially if it is highly active and the vet has not found any issues.

Whereas, if it has started drinking a lot suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to things such as illness, hot weather, medication or a change in its diet. It would help to consider what changed at around the same time that it started drinking more.

The timing of when it tends to drink more

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to drink more. If there is, it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.

If your Golden Retriever does drink more at certain times it would be more likely to be due to things such as an issue with its diet or being active. It would help to consider what happens just before it starts drinking a lot. If it drinks shortly after eating then it could be due to too much sodium.

Whereas, if your Golden Retriever drinks a lot at random times then it would be more likely that it is actually drinking a normal amount, it is ill or that it is due to medication.

When you should be concerned

In the list below are some examples of when your Golden Retriever drinking a lot would be a situation where you should take it to a vet:

• It is started behaving differently suddenly
• It has been acting fatigued
• It has been showing signs of illness
• It has started drinking a lot suddenly without any apparent cause

What can you do about your Golden Retriever drinking a lot?

Below are some things you can do about your Golden Retriever drinking a lot.

Take it to a vet

If you are unsure of why your Golden Retriever has been doing it, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Golden Retriever and to confirm or rule out medical causes.

Give it access to cool and shaded areas

It would also help to give it access to cool and shaded areas throughout the day so that it is able to stay cool when it is hot outside. You can also walk it in the morning or evening so that it can avoid being out in the sun when it is at its strongest.

Allow it to continue to have access to water

It is important that you allow your Golden Retriever to continue to have access to water. Instead of reducing its access to water, take measures to deal with the cause if it is something that you can deal with such as an issue with its diet.