Diabetes mellitus
Insufficient insulin causes glucose to spill into urine, pulling water with it. Dogs drink excessively to compensate for fluid loss and often lose weight despite eating more.
Dog Symptom
My Dog Is Drinking Excessively — Online Vet Help
Polydipsia often signals diabetes, kidney disease, or Cushing's. Get a same-day assessment and a clear diagnostic plan before complications develop.
Licensed Vets
$65 Flat Fee
Same-Day Rx
24/7 Access
Moderate urgency — consult a vet within 24–48 hours
When increased thirst is a red flag
Expert online help when your dog is drinking excessively
Licensed vet reviews water intake, urination, and weight changes
Same-day diagnostic plan for diabetes, kidney, and endocrine disease
Medication guidance when metabolic disease is diagnosed
$65 flat fee — thorough consultation included
Coordination with local lab for blood and urine testing
Long-term disease management support
Hot weather and exercise increase thirst normally. Drinking excessively around the clock, having accidents indoors, and losing weight despite a good appetite point to diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, Cushing's disease, or pyometra in unspayed females.
TelaVets veterinarians quantify your dog's water consumption, review urination habits and body condition on video, and recommend CBC, chemistry panel, urinalysis, and ACTH stimulation testing as indicated.
Signs to watch for when your dog is excessive drinking
- Drinking from multiple bowls or toilet
- Frequent urination or accidents indoors
- Weight loss despite increased appetite
- Pot-bellied appearance
- Lethargy or weakness
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Cloudy eyes (diabetic cataracts)
- Unspayed female with vaginal discharge (pyometra)
Common causes of excessive drinking in dogs
- Diabetes mellitus
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism)
- Pyometra (infected uterus)
- Liver disease
- Hypercalcemia
- Steroid medication side effects
- Psychogenic polydipsia
Why is my dog excessive drinking?
Increased thirst is one of the earliest detectable signs of several serious conditions. Early bloodwork dramatically improves treatment outcomes.
Kidney disease
Damaged kidneys cannot concentrate urine, leading to large volumes of dilute urine and compensatory increased water intake.
Endocrine disorders
Cushing's disease elevates cortisol, increasing thirst and urination. Pyometra in unspayed females is a life-threatening infection causing polydipsia and lethargy.
How our vets assess this online
Our vets cannot run bloodwork via video, but they create a targeted diagnostic plan and interpret results once your local lab completes testing.
- Estimated daily water intake quantified
- Urination frequency and volume discussed
- Weight, appetite, and energy level assessed
- Medication history (especially steroids) reviewed
- Recommendation for CBC, chemistry, urinalysis, and ACTH stim test
Treatments we may recommend
Most causes of polydipsia are manageable with medication and diet. Our vets guide you through diagnosis and long-term management step by step.
Insulin therapy guidance for newly diagnosed diabetes
Prescription kidney support diets for CKD
Trilostane or mitotane protocol for Cushing's disease
Emergency spay referral for pyometra
Fluid therapy plan for dehydration
Medication adjustment if steroids are the cause
Ongoing monitoring schedule for chronic disease
All medications are prescribed only when clinically appropriate by a licensed veterinarian and dispensed through our FDA-compliant pharmacy.
Monitoring your dog's hydration habits
Schedule annual bloodwork for dogs over 7 years
Spay female dogs to eliminate pyometra risk
Maintain healthy weight to reduce diabetes risk
Use steroids only as prescribed by a veterinarian
Monitor water intake as part of routine home health checks
Why pet parents choose TelaVets
Licensed DVMs Only
Every consultation is with a licensed Doctor of Veterinary Medicine — not a chatbot or technician.
$65 Flat Fee
One transparent price covers your full video consultation and treatment plan. No facility fees or surprise charges.
Same-Day Appointments
Most pet parents are connected with a vet within 1–3 hours of booking, 7 days a week.
Next-Day Prescriptions
When medication is appropriate, prescriptions are issued same-day and delivered to your door next business day.
Stress-Free Home Visits
Your pet is assessed in their calm home environment, which often makes symptoms easier to evaluate on video.
Secure & Private
Encrypted video calls and HIPAA-compliant records keep your pet's health information protected.
How TelaVets works
Book your consultation
Pick a same-day or upcoming slot — appointments available 7 days a week.
Connect with a licensed vet
Your vet assesses your pet via secure video, asks detailed questions, and reviews their history.
Get your treatment plan
Receive a diagnosis, personalised care plan, and same-day prescriptions delivered next-day.
What Our Pet Parents Say
Join thousands of happy pet parents who trust TelaVets for their furry family members care
"Fantastic service! My dog gets extremely anxious at the vet, so having a virtual appointment from home was a game-changer. The vet was kind and helpful, and getting his medication delivered the next day made the whole process stress-free and more affordable than going to the clinic."
DL
David Long
Verified Pet Parent
"The vet I spoke with Dr. Ricksaw was very knowledgeable and nice. He took the time to go through all of my options and ideas with me. Reassured me that all we were doing for my dog's anxiety was good and gave me a couple of new ideas as well."
CH
Courtney Hughes
Verified Pet Parent
"I would definitely use them again. I'm cat sitting for 2 weeks and needed to see a vet. I was so worried about the kitten. I used Televets the cat got his prescription and all is good. Excellent service!"
M
Maria
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr Corey was amazing, helpful, compassionate and well versed. I would highly recommend using this. It is so much easier than trying to get a 3 legged cat into a carrier, take him to a doctor's office and stress him out, love it!!!"
JG
Jackie Gardner
Verified Pet Parent
"I had a TelaVets Zoom appointment and couldn't be more impressed. They spent a lot of time with me, walking through every option to help my cat recover from her skin issues. I've also reached out about getting her medication through Chewy.com, and they've been extremely helpful every step of the way."
LD
Lara Durand
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. Moppin is a dedicated professional who truly cares about his furry patients and their humans, too! It's such a relief that Dr. Cole took the time to listen and address my concerns thoughtfully. Thank you for taking care of our cats 🐈"
WW
Wanida Walker
Verified Pet Parent
"This service was amazing! My dog ran out of his medication before we were able to get in with a new vet and they were able to help get him a short term supply quickly. I would definitely use them again!"
AT
Amanda Tobias
Verified Pet Parent
"Knowledgeable, professional caring provider! Needed urgent Vet care on a weekend and TeleVet kept me from having to miss a day of work, as well as half the price of local weekend options. Thank you!"
JH
Jana Humble
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. McGinnis was very knowledgeable and listened to my cat's issues. She addressed the problem and may have come up with an answer after 5 years of trying with local vet practices."
MK
Marilyn Kerr
Verified Pet Parent
"Fantastic service! My dog gets extremely anxious at the vet, so having a virtual appointment from home was a game-changer. The vet was kind and helpful, and getting his medication delivered the next day made the whole process stress-free and more affordable than going to the clinic."
DL
David Long
Verified Pet Parent
"The vet I spoke with Dr. Ricksaw was very knowledgeable and nice. He took the time to go through all of my options and ideas with me. Reassured me that all we were doing for my dog's anxiety was good and gave me a couple of new ideas as well."
CH
Courtney Hughes
Verified Pet Parent
"I would definitely use them again. I'm cat sitting for 2 weeks and needed to see a vet. I was so worried about the kitten. I used Televets the cat got his prescription and all is good. Excellent service!"
M
Maria
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr Corey was amazing, helpful, compassionate and well versed. I would highly recommend using this. It is so much easier than trying to get a 3 legged cat into a carrier, take him to a doctor's office and stress him out, love it!!!"
JG
Jackie Gardner
Verified Pet Parent
"I had a TelaVets Zoom appointment and couldn't be more impressed. They spent a lot of time with me, walking through every option to help my cat recover from her skin issues. I've also reached out about getting her medication through Chewy.com, and they've been extremely helpful every step of the way."
LD
Lara Durand
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. Moppin is a dedicated professional who truly cares about his furry patients and their humans, too! It's such a relief that Dr. Cole took the time to listen and address my concerns thoughtfully. Thank you for taking care of our cats 🐈"
WW
Wanida Walker
Verified Pet Parent
"This service was amazing! My dog ran out of his medication before we were able to get in with a new vet and they were able to help get him a short term supply quickly. I would definitely use them again!"
AT
Amanda Tobias
Verified Pet Parent
"Knowledgeable, professional caring provider! Needed urgent Vet care on a weekend and TeleVet kept me from having to miss a day of work, as well as half the price of local weekend options. Thank you!"
JH
Jana Humble
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. McGinnis was very knowledgeable and listened to my cat's issues. She addressed the problem and may have come up with an answer after 5 years of trying with local vet practices."
MK
Marilyn Kerr
Verified Pet Parent
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Frequently asked questions about excessive drinking in dogs
excessive drinking in dogs can have many causes. Our licensed vets use your pet's history, symptom pattern, and a visual assessment via video to narrow down the most likely cause and recommend appropriate treatment.
If your dog's excessive drinking has lasted more than 24–48 hours, is severe, or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms (lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting), book a consultation immediately.
Yes. Our vets can assess your dog's symptoms via secure video, ask detailed diagnostic questions, and prescribe appropriate treatment — all without a clinic visit.
If medication is clinically appropriate, our licensed vets can issue prescriptions same-day with next-day delivery to your home.
Mild excessive drinking often isn't an emergency, but if your dog shows severe distress, difficulty breathing, collapse, or other alarming signs, seek emergency in-person care immediately. When in doubt, book a consultation — our vets will help you assess the urgency.
Get expert help for your dog's excessive drinking today
Same-day appointments — $65 flat fee — licensed vets