Hydration Through Food: A Vital Step in Pet Wellness

After oxygen, water is the most vital element for our pets. Yet many dogs and cats live in a constant state of mild dehydration because most commercial diets simply don’t provide enough moisture. While their wild diets would naturally contain 60–80% water, today’s kibble averages only 7–10%. That gap forces their bodies to work harder—often pulling water from vital organs like the liver, kidneys, and skin—just to digest their meals.

Why Intracellular Moisture Matters

• Hydration is foundational — After oxygen, water is the most essential element for our pets, comprising nearly 60% of their bodies. It supports everything from digestion and nutrient absorption to joint health and cellular function.

• Natural diets are moisture-rich — In the wild, cats (obligate carnivores) and dogs (facultative carnivores) get most of their hydration from prey, which is naturally 70–80% water. Even when dogs supplement their diet with plant-based foods like apples or berries, they’re still feeding from foods that are 60–70% water.

The Kibble Conundrum

Most commercially available kibble contains only about 7–10% moisture—less than one-tenth of the water content you’d find in fresh meat. This discrepancy has serious repercussions. With their naturally low thirst drive, pets often can’t—or won’t—drink enough to compensate. To properly digest four cups of dry kibble, a dog would need to drink up to a gallon of water. For cats, it’s equally challenging if not more: they’d need over one cup of water per 10 pounds of body weight, just to break down the food. 

That means pets digesting kibble end up dehydrating themselves—literally pulling water from their own tissues like their liver, kidneys, and even their skin—just to process that dry food.

Boosting Hydration, Naturally

In our podcast with Flo from Crude Carnivore, we shared several effective strategies during our episode to help pet owners prevent dehydration and promote intracellular moisture:

1. Fresh or minimally processed food
   Incorporating raw or gently cooked meals helps hydrate from the first bite—just as nature intended.

2. Bone broth as a hydration hero
   Bone broth is both nutrient-dense and moisture-rich. Pour it over kibble, freeze it into ice cubes, or whisk it into meals for flavor and hydration.

3. Raw goat milk
   A nutritious and palatable hydration booster—especially great for pets who may be hesitant to drink plain water.

4. Water-rich toppers
   Adding a little water or broth to dry food can go a long way. Not only does it make meals more enticing, it also helps those cells stay hydrated and healthy.

Why It Matters to Your Pet

Ensuring your pet stays hydrated through moisture-rich food isn’t just about preventing thirst—it’s about supporting:

• Optimal digestion and nutrient absorption

• Healthy skin and coat

• Proper kidney and urinary function

• Overall cell health and vitality

As Flo so insightfully puts it: “Hydrate at the cellular level.” When you hydrate through food, you support your pet in the ways nature designed.

Want more tips?
Listen to the full episode of The Fangs & Fur Podcast — “Add Moisture to Your Pet’s Food with Flo from Crude Carnivore” — for even deeper insight into hydration, diet, and wellness.