Diabetes insipidus causes extreme polydipsia and polyuria in affected dogs. Differentiating central from nephrogenic forms guides appropriate treatment.
Dogs with DI experience constant thirst and urinary urgency that disrupts sleep, causes house training failures and creates anxiety when water access is restricted. Dehydration risk is significant if water is withheld without diagnosis. Water deprivation testing must be conducted carefully under veterinary supervision with body weight monitoring to prevent dangerous dehydration. Once diagnosed, desmopressin provides effective control of central DI, restoring normal water balance and dramatically improving quality of life.