WATER
                                                       
Water is one of the most important nutrients that your Chihuahua needs.
Without proper water intake your Chihuahua will die. A newborn Chihuahua is made
up of 84% water and an adult Chihuahua is made up of 60% water. A Chihuahua
can lose all of its fat and half of its protein and still live but if the Chihuahua looses
only 10% of its water it will cause serious illnesses leading to the possible
death of your Chihuahua.
An adult Chihuahua will need at least 2 mls of fresh clean water for every pound that
it weighs every day for the dogs entire life if it is to remain healthy and stay alive.
How much water is this? Not much.
Example: a 6 lb Chihuahua X 2 mls = 12 mls
So this 6 lb. Chihuahua would need less than 1 TBS of fresh clean water every
day. (15mls=1TBS).
It is important to note that this is the very minimum that your Chihuahua will need in
order to stay alive. Please be sure to have plenty of fresh water available for your
Chihuahua at all times. Change the water and wash their bowl daily.
The recommended amount of water for a Chihuahua weighing less than 20 lbs.
is:  30 ml of water per pound
So using the same example above of a  6 lb. Chihuahua
6 lbs X 30 mls = 180mls or 12 TBS
So this Chihuahua would need less than 1 cup or 16 TBS of fresh clean
water every day.  (16TBS=1CUP)
Here is a website that has a calculator for you to use:
Just plug in how much your Chihuahua weighs and it will do the math for you.

Water Calculator

           Chihuahuas can obtain water from two sources:
1. Water that is consumed by the Chihuahua whether it comes from drinking or
eating. Dry food contains around 8% - 10 % water and canned food contains
around 15% - 74% water.
2. Water can come from metabolic processes that occur when the Chihuahua
changes protein into amino acids. This will meet about 10% of the Chihuahua’s
daily water requirement.
                                Also remember this:
Water loss comes from breathing, salivating, and urinating. This is an ongoing water
loss and if it is combined with exercise and stress a Chihuahua can become
dehydrated very easily.
      Please keep plenty of fresh water available at all times.








       1.  Canine Nutrition & Breed Specific Diets: The Best Diet for a
                Chihuahua, By William D. Cusick (1997)

      2.  The Collins Guide to Dog Nutrition, By Donald R. Collin, DVM (1989)

      3.  http://www.mycockerspaniel.com/h2o.htm

       4.  http://www.the-hunting-dog.com/dog-nutrition.html

       5.  http://instoresnow.walmart.com/pets-center-article_ektid40232.aspx

       6.  http://www.merckvetmanual.com/

       7.  http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/vth/sa/clin/cp_handouts/Nutrition_Adult_Dog.pdf          
      ARTICLE RESOURCES FOR WATER