ASKDQ: My Golden Retriever is eight years old and has started drinking a lot more water than usual and needing to go outside through the night. She’s eating well and seems happy enough. What could be causing this?

A: We’re glad you’ve noticed this, because increased thirst and urination, what vets refer to as PU/PD (polyuria and polydipsia), is one of those symptoms that always deserves investigation, even when the dog seems otherwise bright and cheerful. In a dog of your girl’s age, there are several conditions that can cause exactly this pattern, and the important news is that most of them are very manageable when caught in good time.

Among the more common culprits in an older dog are diabetes mellitus, Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism), kidney disease, and certain infections, such as a uterine infection (pyometra) in unspayed females. Some medications, if she’s on any, can also cause increased drinking as a side effect.

None of this is meant to alarm you, as we say, many of these conditions respond very well to treatment, but this is genuinely not something to wait out. A vet appointment with a urine sample and some blood work will likely give your vet a very clear picture quite quickly. Please do get her seen promptly, and definitely describe the nighttime disruption too, as the frequency and timing of urination can be a useful diagnostic clue.