Much like humans, pets need adequate daily water intake too. They need water to be available all the time, and not just when they’re thirsty.
Water is necessary for the body to function properly, and the owner’s responsibility is to ensure that their pets stay hydrated. For pets to remain healthy and to prevent medical problems, drinking enough water is a must.
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Through several methods that even a canine rehabilitation specialist will support, owners can help their pets get the water they need.
Here are 5 ways to encourage your fur-babies to hydrate more.
1. Consider Contacting a Canine Rehabilitation Specialist
If your pet still refuses to drink enough water and it affects their health, it may be time to reach out to a canine rehabilitation specialist. As trained professionals, they can develop plans to address the pet’s needs effectively. They’re certified in the field, so they can accurately check and treat the pet.
2. Place water bowls everywhere
To encourage your pet to drink more water, place more than one water bowl in the house. Having water bowls in different rooms will encourage the pet to stay hydrated. Doing this ensures that they don’t have to go too far to get a drink. Any canine rehabilitation specialist would tell owners to provide fresh water every day and wash the bows daily too.
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Remember to keep checking the water if they’re clean, especially the one outside. There may be leaves, dust, or debris that got mixed in the water, which wouldn’t be good for the pet. Seeing dirty water would discourage them, so keep everything clean. In placing water bowls everywhere, the pet would get more accustomed to the idea that water is easily accessible.
3. Consider feeding your pets wet food
Some pets struggle in drinking enough water, but you can work around this. Try adding water to your pet’s food, because dry food is only about 10% moisture. Canned food is relatively better, but pets still need more water than that. Water can be added to pet food, whether it’s kibble, canned, cooked, or raw, so there’s no need to worry.
A canine rehabilitation specialist would advise soaking the kibble in water and leaving it in the fridge first to let the water be absorbed. In doing this method, your pets will be more hydrated. Some people believe that crunchy kibble would clean the pet’s teeth, but this isn’t true. Refrain from believing myths about pet care from unreliable sources. It’s better to feed your pets with wet food, so they get more water in their bodies.
4. Add flavor to water
Pets can be picky with their water, and they have the right to be. Sometimes, water just doesn’t taste right to them, and they don’t like certain tastes. To address this, you can make flavored water for pets. Distilled, filtered, bottled, and tap water all taste differently. Let your pet test these to see if there’s something they’d prefer. If changing up the water doesn’t work, there are still some tricks you can have up your sleeve.
Some pet owners make ice cubes of tuna juice or broth to put it in the water bowl. Pet lovers always discuss whether tuna water is safe for them or not? It gives flavor over time, so the pet isn’t immediately overwhelmed. Others simply choose to add a teaspoon of chicken or beef broth. Regardless, a canine rehabilitation specialist would recommend that you keep a separate bowl of ordinary water as well. Thus, if your pet doesn’t like flavored water, they can still wash off the taste.
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5. Test different bowls
In the same way that humans like certain dishes, pets have their preferences, too. Aside from bowls, offer water in a plate or saucer. Bowls come in different kinds: stainless steel, ceramic, glass, or plastic. Having a variety keeps things new, so the pet doesn’t feel like anything is such a routine. If the pet has a favorite, gradually shift to using that one most of the time.
You can also try altering the size of the water bowl to see which ones your pets prefer. Perhaps they like the material, but the size is either too small or too big. Have the patience to let your pet try different bowls. Consider the fact that they need time to test the bowl, so don’t switch things up too quickly.
