# Canned food enough for hydration?!?



## Zesti_V (Aug 7, 2019)

So my food battle with Jessie continues- she just hates kibble, lol. For now she's on 100% canned food again and will be for at least the next month so I have a better chance of her eating and staying on schedule for an upcoming move. I am surprised though- she doesn't seem to need _any_ additional water this time of year (FL cooler weather) eating 100% canned, unless we do a super long walk or she runs a lot outside. Last time she was on 100% canned it was in the hot and humid summer, and she always took a good drink after our walks. The canned food is already 78% moisture, and that seems enough to keep her hydrated and on her normal elimination schedule. This morning I did a test and added a little water to her breakfast. Sure enough, she needed an extra potty break mid morning. One time she had an upset stomach I fed her Science Diet sensitive canned food that was 86% moisture by volume and she peed enough that I took her to the vet to make sure she didn't have a kidney/liver/blood sugar/bladder problem, lol. Everything was normal.

I know most of you don't feed canned food, but I'm curious if anyone with smaller dogs has noticed anything similar?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Not so much the same situation, but certainly when I switched from dry kibble to home cooked with fresh chicken and pasta water consumption went way down.


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

Zesti_V said:


> So my food battle with Jessie continues- she just hates kibble, lol. For now she's on 100% canned food again and will be for at least the next month so I have a better chance of her eating and staying on schedule for an upcoming move. I am surprised though- she doesn't seem to need _any_ additional water this time of year (FL cooler weather) eating 100% canned, unless we do a super long walk or she runs a lot outside. Last time she was on 100% canned it was in the hot and humid summer, and she always took a good drink after our walks. The canned food is already 78% moisture, and that seems enough to keep her hydrated and on her normal elimination schedule. This morning I did a test and added a little water to her breakfast. Sure enough, she needed an extra potty break mid morning. One time she had an upset stomach I fed her Science Diet sensitive canned food that was 86% moisture by volume and she peed enough that I took her to the vet to make sure she didn't have a kidney/liver/blood sugar/bladder problem, lol. Everything was normal.
> 
> I know most of you don't feed canned food, but I'm curious if anyone with smaller dogs has noticed anything similar?


When I rehydrate freeze-dried raw premade dog food my dogs don't need any extra water,
With Ziwi peak they drink as usual, kibble they drink the most & it lasts longer in their tummy


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I used to moisten Peggy's kibble with a bit of water. Still wasn't nearly as moist as wet food. 

Since stopping, she drinks WAY more. She's even started drinking out of the toilets. And she drinks for a long time.

I'm going to go back to moistening her kibble.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

Misha's fed like 90% fresh raw and 10% air dried. He doesn't drink much. Generally I only see him drink after he's been outside exercising a lot. If it's a hot day he'll drink more. If we go to a training class and he gets a lot of the air dried treats, he gets much more thirsty and I have to bring water for him. Some dogs don't drink at all if they're fed 100% fresh raw food.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

That is so fascinating. Actually really gets me thinking about how humans should be eating vs. how we typically eat.


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## TERIN (Mar 27, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> That is so fascinating. Actually really gets me thinking about how humans should be eating vs. how we typically eat.


Thinking about what exactly, more fresh fruit & veg?


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## Dogs4Life (May 27, 2018)

My Jasper has always been a water guzzler. Some of this is due to the fact that he will lay in comfortable places and remain there even when he gets too hot. I've tried adding water to his kibble, but then just recently switched to canned food for good. Some canned food has broth added for moisture, but I chose a brand and flavor that uses just water. His consumption of water after eating has decreased since I have done this. Also, he is having a much easier time digesting his food and he seems to have a decease in reflux. I can't say if this has led to him peeing more or less outside...he goes out every 5-6 hours no matter what, and definitely goes more than my other dog who eats dry food.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

TERIN said:


> Thinking about what exactly, more fresh fruit & veg?


How so many of the processed foods that are American diet staples are devoid of moisture and how much we have to drink to make up for that.

And how maybe we tend to overeat at least partially due to this lack of food moisture/volume.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> How so many of the processed foods that are American diet staples are devoid of moisture and how much we have to drink to make up for that.
> 
> And how maybe we tend to overeat at least partially due to this lack of food moisture/volume.


Interesting idea. There are plenty of mammals that don't drink at all. We have kept desert pocket mice (our last died at the age of ~6) and they only eat seeds and don't drink anything. They actually manage to create water when they metabolize the fats in seeds. Quite interesting. A lot of predators just get moisture from their prey. But they tend to have methods of urination that reduce liquid waste. I don't know what urine output would be optimal for humans. I know cats, especially males, tend to have issues with urinary stones because they don't drink much and dry food diets tend to cause chronic dehydration. A good reason to always feed male cats a decent amount of wet food.

On a personal note, I have to confess that I don't drink water. This fact has puzzled my friends for many years. I do drink liquids, but I don't care for the taste of water. I had one professor in college that always told me I'd get kidney stones from it. So far I'm 28 and doing fine. My friends always tease me about it though!


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