
After a long day of playing fetch and running around the woods, you pour water into your pooch's bowl and watch them lap it up. But have you ever stopped to think exactly how they manage to get the water from the bowl into their mouth? The science behind a dog drinking is actually surprisinglyย complex and interesting! It is alsoย quite sloppy, as anyone who had to mop up around their dog's water dish will tell you.Discovery News explained that
new research from the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics described what makes pooches inherently sloppy when it comes to lapping up water. According to study author Sunny Jung, M.D., dogs drink liquids differently than cats due to how they withdraw their tongues from the surface.Canines create a greater amount of acceleration when they drink, which Jung estimated was roughly five times more than gravity. This movement creates water columns that feed up into their mouths. In addition, dogs create a ladle-like shape with their tongue tips that become filled with water, but requires pooches to open their mouths wider to drink liquids. The maneuver contributes to more splashing.Jung and his colleagues noted that heavier dogs tend to drink water with a larger area of the tongue, which causes them to make even bigger messes than small-sized pooches, such as Shih Tzus.
Keeping your dog hydrated and healthyWhile summer is the most important time of the year to focus on your canine's hydration, Fido can still experience the side effects of dehydration during the winter. Water isn't just for keeping their mouths moist and bellies full - it's necessary for nourishing their bodies.The amount of water canines need depends on their activity levels, size and age. According to Cesar's Way, an average dog requires
between 8.5 to 17 ounces of water per day for every 10 pounds they weigh. For example, a 50-pound pooch needs roughly 42 to 84 ounces of liquids.Water is critical to
keeping your dog hydrated and healthy, as it helps flush toxins from their body. Without it, the harmful substances could accumulate and cause serious damage to vital organs, such as the heart or kidneys. Once they're absorbed, your furry friend could get very sick and require immediate medical assistance. In addition, water helps regulate body temperature, which is important throughout all of the seasons.To boost your canine's health, sign up for
PetPlus and gain access to thousands of discounted supplements and medications without breaking the bank.