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Dog doesn't drink much and burps.

Species: Dog
Breed: Boxer Mix
Age: 2-5 years
We recently adopted our boxer mix from a vet and she appears to be in very good health. However, she doesn't seem to drink much water. She weights 42lbs some days she drinks as little as 1.5cups of water but other days she can drink around 2.5cups. Whenever she drinks she almost always burps and can spit up a small amount of water at times. I have been measuring her water ever since I noticed her water intake seemed less than normal. I also give her water in her food when I notice her water intake has been low for a day. He gets 1cup of food 2x a day so I can usually get 1c of water mixed in with her food. However I also need to feed her in smaller amounts because she burps a lot when I mix the two so I do about 1/3c of each and spread out the feeding by 20min so I don't upset her stomach.

Please let me know what you think about the amount of water she is drinking, her burping, and my putting water in her food.

THank you for your help.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi and thanks for an interesting question.

It is rare that I get concerned about a dog not drinking enough water. What you have described is likely ok. The only times I get concerned about a decreased amount of water intake is if it is combined with a lack of appetite and lethargy.

Does she get any canned food as well? If so, this will be adding to her water intake. There is no problem with adding water to her food if you would like to do this.

There is a good chance that the burping is normal. I have seen some dogs that just burp a lot. Some dogs will burp excessively because of a food allergy, however if you are mostly noticing the burping after drinking water this is likely not the case.

It seems unlikely that there is a structural problem with the stomach such as a foreign object or a tumor as we would expect to see vomiting of food if this were the case.

It may be worthwhile to try her on some Pepcid (famotidine) at a dose of 1 mg per pound to see if this makes a difference. If so, then this means that there may be a stomach issue present. If this is the case then a vet visit is a good idea.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.