Tracking Fluid Intake with Hospet

Tracking your pet’s fluid intake — whether it’s water, broth, or syringe-fed fluids — can help you catch early signs of dehydration, monitor appetite, and support chronic conditions like kidney disease. This article walks you through how to:

Measure how much fluid your pet is drinking
Track leftovers (if applicable)
Estimate syringe-fed or assisted hydration amounts
Choose a method that fits your routine

💧 Step 1: Understand What Counts as Fluid Intake

Fluid intake includes more than just what your pet drinks from a water bowl. You can include:

Water (from bowls, fountains, or bottles)
Broth or flavored liquids offered to encourage drinking
Syringe-fed fluids given by mouth
Subcutaneous fluids (if tracking, though not “oral intake”)

Hospet focuses primarily on what your pet voluntarily or orally consumes, but you can note assisted hydration in your annotations or event tracking if needed.

🧪 Step 2: How to Measure Fluid Intake

You can measure fluid intake in milliliters (ml), cups, or ounces — whatever feels most natural to you. Here’s how to measure consistently:

For Bowl or Bottle Drinking:

Use a measuring cup or syringe to fill the water bowl.
After a set period (e.g., 12 or 24 hours), measure the leftover water.
Subtract to calculate how much was consumed.
- Example: You offer 500ml, and 150ml remains → your pet drank 350ml

Tip: If you use the same bowl every day, you can also mark levels on the inside with a waterproof marker to speed up estimating.

For Syringe-Feeding:

Note the volume in milliliters given per session.
Multiply by the number of sessions in a day.
- Example: 10ml per feeding × 3 feedings = 30ml total

📉 Step 3: Track Leftovers (Optional)

You may not always catch how much your pet drank — especially with shared bowls or multiple pets. In those cases, rough estimates are perfectly okay.

Choose the amount of leftover based on your desired method.

Exact measurements are more accurate, but require more time and effort.

Rough estimates are quicker, and thus easier to do consistently, but are not as accurate.

Example:

“Bowl nearly empty” (rough estimate)
“Drank about ½ of 250ml” (semi-precise)
“Consumed exactly 180ml” (precise)

Pick what works for your routine and stick with it. Over time, even rough trends can be revealing.

🔄 Step 4: Consider Trends, Not Just Totals

Daily totals matter, but tracking trends over time is what really helps. Look for:

Sudden drops in intake
Increases that may signal medical issues (e.g., excessive thirst)
Decreased interest in water alongside changes in food intake

If you notice a pattern, note it in your Annotations or Daily Ratings to keep it in context.

📝 Final Tips

Be realistic: It’s better to track fluid every day roughly than skip tracking because you’re aiming for perfection.
Use consistent containers: Same bowl, same syringe = easier to spot changes.
Mark assisted hydration separately: If you’re giving subcutaneous fluids, note them in Events or as a custom tag for clarity.