how much water is enough

Question
I sometimes take care of a 14 yr old toy poodle (7 lbs) who has a loose trachea, and he coughs and wheezes a lot.  The owner told me that now they just give him a few drops of water once in the morning, and again at night - and now he doesn't cough as much.  They think that having a water bowl for him to free-drink causes him to drink too much making him cough.  I don't think it's right to withhold water, so I want to make sure.  How much water is enough?


Answer
Hello Vi,
I am not a Vet, so this is just my opinion, but I would say a dog needs more water than just a few drops of water throughout the day.  I would call a Vet just to be sure.  

You might suggest to your friends that they use a raised water bowl so that the dogs head doesn't have to bend down to drink, or a water bottle that he can lick from, rather than withholding water.  

I hope this helps you and sorry it took so long,

Kim