[Dog_Obsessed]

I have seen several places and heard form some people that it is a good idea to mix water with Lily’s food, especially since Bichons are prone to bladder crystals. However, I have also heard that mixing water with dry food can be a risk factor for GDV/Bloat, especially if the food contains citric acid. Small dogs do not usually get bloat, so do you think this is safe to do? Thanks!

[Hater and Molly’s Mom]

I read that too about the citric acid. I always add water to my beagles kibble. She’s not a big water drinker. Not to mention she gobbles her food down and it does slow her down a bit. Molly is 27 pounds and im not sure that a dog that size can bloat?

[theBCnut]

Literally, for every story about what causes bloat, they have tested to try to cause bloat using that method. They have not been able to cause bloat. They have concluded that bloat is multifactorial. In other words, no one thing causes bloat. Multiple things have to happen together for bloat to happen. So if you have a bloat prone dog, you should probably take precautions against some of the commonly held beliefs about what causes it, but if your dog isn’t bloat prone, don’t worry about any single supposed cause.

[Dog_Obsessed]

From what I’ve seen it is really important for a dog to have water, and if a dog doesn’t drink much that is a reason to add water to their food. Lily drinks quite a bit, so I’m not as worried about that. As for bloat, from what I’ve heard and dog CAN bloat, it is just that it is extremely uncommon for smaller dogs. I think it would be unlikely for a 27 pound dog to bloat, though not impossible. I’ve heard that mixing with wet food can help prevent bloat.

EDIT: Just saw BCnut’s reply, thanks! I freaked out about bloat for one of my fosters, she was “dry vomiting” because of kennel cough, and that is one of the main symptoms of bloat. She was 12 pounds though, so bloat seemed unlikely. Once she was diagnosed with kennel cough I relaxed. Oh yeah, and there was that whole “ice water causes bloat!” thing on the internet. Luckily by the time I saw it it had been disproven.

• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Dog_Obsessed.
• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Dog_Obsessed.
• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[InkedMarie]

Imo a fog with crystals should be fed a wet food, not dry. Adding water is fine but it’s not enough.

[weezerweeks]

My yorkie had crystals and I switched him to a canned,freezedried diet and he’s been crystal clear. I also think high carbs contribute to this.

[Gloria K]

I’ve been reading the comments on this particular subject and want to add my two cents worth. For those of you who don’t know, I just adopted Mickey, a rescue shelter dog, one-year-old terrier mix, 11 pounds. This dog drinks no water whatsoever EVER! I could not imagine how this dog was surviving without water and yet urinating at least two or three times a day. I went so far as to measure the water that I gave him, 1 cup into his water bowl, waited 24 hours then poured it back into the measuring cup – still one cup. Yesterday I looked outside while making my bed and there was Mickey drinking out of my koi pond. THAT’s were he’s getting his water from. I have an excellent filter and a UV light so the pond is crystal clear, no algae, however I’m concerned as to whether this could hurt him or not. I may have to cordon off the pond until he learns not to drink out of it. What do you think- could this have hurt him? And how can you tell when a dog has crystals in his urine?

[Dog_Obsessed]

Just to clarify, Lily does not actually have urine crystals as far as I know, (she had a standard urine test in August.) but DogFoodie said her breed is prone to them.

[theBCnut]

Don’t worry about a healthy dog drinking out of the pond. It’s just fine. It may be another matter if it were stagnant water, but a healthy pond is fine.

[Author]

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