elderly dog

Question
My yellow lab is 13+ years old.   He is slowing down considerably, but I have noticed lately that he drinks at least twice as much water as he used to when he was younger and stronger.  Is this unusual, or is this a symptom I should be concerned about?

Answer
Your dog is doing well to have made it to 13 +. Water consumption is usually elevated due to age but the main concern about it is that the kidneys may be having some issues.

My dog is an English Pointer cross and she is also 13. She drinks far more water than she used to but seems spry in every other way. She still runs as if she was 6 yrs old.

I had her kidney function checked a while ago and it was normal, but at this age their kidneys have lost a bit of working surface. Age takes its toll on the organs and the kidneys seem to be one of the first in dogs and cats.

If he were my dog I would take him in for some senior blood work just to get an idea of where he stands at this point. He might have a sugar issue too, like late onset diabetes, but that isn't quite as common as the kidneys slowing down tend to be.

Otherwise, keep doing what you are! It's working.:-)