Excessive consumption of water and urination in my male lab

**Runswith2labs** · 07-13-2011, 07:56 PM

This is my first time posting and it's the above situation with my 17 month old male lab that is becoming a challenge. I've looked on line and read about Polydypsia and Polyuria. The only thing that seems to match is the excessive drinking and urinating. This isn't really a change in behavior for Scout. He eats meals and drinks water with great gusto...kind of like a vacuum! He eats a lot of other things too...i.e. socks, cedar shake shingles off the side of the house, asphalt shingles from the shed roof. He chewed through the cable outside 4 times. I think that you get the picture. He is both lovable and maddening. We limit his water intake after 7 PM and monitor the quantity that he drinks during the day. If left to himself, he would drink the bowl dry. I suspect that this more behavioral but I am taking him to the vet tomorrow to investigate and make sure that there is not something more serious going on. He is a happy sweet pup in all ways. Does anyone have a thought or a similar experience to share with me. Thanks for any insights that you may have.

**CindersMyGirl** · 07-13-2011, 07:58 PM

I would have them check his sugar levels, diabetes comes to mind with excessive thirst and urination. Good luck.

**Runswith2labs** · 07-13-2011, 08:06 PM

Thanks I know that's one of the symptoms for diabetes. Hoping that's not the case but we'll see tomorrow.

**CindersMyGirl** · 07-13-2011, 08:10 PM

If it were just excessive urination I would think UTI.

**BigBrownDog** · 07-13-2011, 09:30 PM

If he is ravenously thirsty and excessively urinating (like you can't get through the night without an accident) then you may have a dog with diabetes. My chocolate Lab was diagnosed at 18 months with those symptoms. 3.5+ years later he is doing fine with daily insulin injections.

If you get that diagnosis - don't panic - it is managable.