Always allow your dog or cat free access to clean water. A guideline is that a healthy animal normally consumes  50-70 ml of fluid per kg body weight per day. 

Here is a calculation example for healthy animals:

A dog weighing 20 kg needs 1000-1400 ml or 1-1.4 litre of water per day.

A cat weighing 4 kg needs 200-280 ml of water per day.

If your animal vomits or has diarrhoea, the need for fluid increases, this may be supplemented with a fluid replacement that, in addition to water, contains important salts that the body needs.

Fluid replacement for animals can be bought without a prescription from a petshop or veterinary surgery, but you can also make your own, please see our recipe below. Remember to be careful if you give your animal liquid with a syringe to prevent inhalation into the airways.

If animals are at risk of becoming dehydrated  intravenous fluids may be needed. This risk will depend on may factors including fluid loss, age, body weight and other concurrent diseases. If in doubt you should see your vet to check for signs or risk  of dehydration.

It is important to contact you veterinary surgeon if your pet has stopped drinking for more than 24 hours, sooner if it is very old or very young..

Recipe for homemade fluid replacement:

1. Boil 1 litre of water and add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1-2 tablespoons of dextrose or honey.

2. Leave to cool and keep in the fridge.

3. Provide fluid replacement instead of or in addition to drinking water.