Food & Water Bowls

How much water should a healthy dog drink?

  • Best Food & Water Bowls

  • Cleaning Bowls

  • How Much Water?

  • Water Safety & Filters

  • Dehydration

“statistics suggest that the plastic bowl material maintains the highest bacterial count after 14 days. Several medically important bacteria were identified from the bowls, including MRSA and Salmonella, with the majority of species being identified from the ceramic bowl. This could suggest that harmful bacteria may be able to develop biofilms more successfully on ceramic materials.”
— Microbiological Assessment of Canine Drinking Water and the Impact of Bowl Construction Material

I believe the best choice for food and water bowls is stainless steel. “It revealed that dangerous bacteria was more likely to thrive in plastic and ceramic bowls than those made from stainless steel.” [5] Plastic, stoneware or ceramic bowls can scratch and the crevices can harbor bacteria. Foreign-made ceramics can contain high levels of lead that can leach, and plastic, and aluminum bowls can also leach and contaminate bowls. [1] Stainless steel will also harbor bacteria and needs to be cleaned at least once a week. (See below)  The sticky film in the bowl is biofilm (bacteria or fungi) and needs to be cleaned regularly. [8] Glass is easy to clean but there is always the chance of it breaking.

“It turns out that plastic dog bowls can cause a nasal dermatitis aptly called Plastic Dish Nasal Dermatitis. It is a loss of pigment on the nose and possibly around the mouth due to the chemical p-benzylhydroquinone which is in many plastics.” [4]

“PLASTIC DISH NASAL DERMATITIS This is a localized form of depigmentation that affects the nose and lips. It is caused by eating out of plastic and rubber dishes that contain the chemical p-benzylhydroquinone. This chemical is absorbed through the skin and inhibits the synthesis of melanin, the substance that produces dark pigment in the skin. The involved skin may also become irritated and inflamed.” [7]

But just selecting stainless steel bowls is not a guarantee of quality as we learned years ago when Petco recalled (imported) stainless steel bowls containing small quantities of radioactive cobalt-60. So consider our TOP CHOICES that are USA made human grade stainless steel as shown below.

Petco Recalls Radiation-Tainted Pet Food Bowls

FDA ALERT: Ceramicware Due to Excessive Lead and/or Cadmium “Continued surveillance of imported ceramicware intended for food use is warranted. Emphasis should be placed on those items designed to hold liquid foods.”

Top Choices

These three companies make quality human grade bowls made in the USA. All are listed to be free from lead, mercury, cadmium. WeatherTech bowls are NSF Certified and are the lowest price of the brands.

BASIS PET - MADE IN THE USA

BASIS PET - MADE IN THE USA

WeatherTech Pet Bowls 8oz - 96 oz Made in the USA - NSF Certified

WeatherTech Pet Bowls 8oz - 96 oz Made in the USA - NSF Certified

AMERICAT COMPANY CAT BOWLS 5.75 INCHES WIDE X .5 INCHES DEEP. HOLDS UP TO 16 OUNCES

AMERICAT COMPANY CAT BOWLS 5.75 INCHES WIDE X .5 INCHES DEEP. HOLDS UP TO 16 OUNCES

WeatherTech https://www.weathertech.com/products/pet-accessories/

Imported stainless steel is not a top choice but I believe it is a far better option than plastic or ceramic.

IMPORTED - LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION (NOT TOP CHOICE)

IMPORTED - LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION (NOT TOP CHOICE)

Duralex 2.5 Quart Clear Glass Bowl

Duralex 2.5 Quart Clear Glass Bowl

Cleaning dog bowls

Wash the food and water bowls regularly to remove the biofilm from saliva that can harbor salmonella in the bowls. [2]

“If you have a pet in your home, you probably need to know that pet dishes were found to be the fourth germiest place in the homes analyzed.”

“To Clean: Pet dishes should be washed daily, either in a sanitizing dishwasher or scrubbed by hand with hot soapy water, then rinsed. If handwashing, place the dishes in a bleach solution of half a tablespoon of household bleach (typically 5-8 percent active ingredients) in one gallon of water and soak for about 10 minutes once per week. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry.” [6]

How Much Water?

Total water intake will be influenced by drinking, the amount and moisture content of the food, temperature, physiologic state, and physical activity.

Canned, fresh, or raw foods on average contain between 65-80% moisture (water), and dry food about 9%.

Estimates of the amount of water varies.

How Much Water Should Your Dog Be Drinking? by Dr. Karen Shaw Becker

A good general guideline is that a healthy dog should drink between ½ and 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. So a healthy 65-pound Labrador Retriever should be drinking between about 33 and 65 ounces, or about ¼ to ½ gallon of water daily.

  1. If your dog is eating a moisture-rich, species-appropriate diet, she’s getting some of her water needs met with each meal, so she may not drink as much from her water bowl. But if she’s eating primarily dry dog food (which I don’t recommend), she may actually need more than the average daily intake to compensate for the lack of moisture in her diet.

  2. Puppies need to drink small amounts of water every couple of hours and should be closely monitored and encouraged to drink.

  3. After a period of hard play or exercise, use caution when your dog rehydrates. If he immediately laps up the contents of his water bowl, rest him for a bit before you refill his bowl. If your dog is very active, it’s a good idea to have water with you when he exercises so that you can give him frequent short water breaks to keep him hydrated.

    https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/05/07/dog-water-consumption.aspx

Water Safety

Filters & Water Treatment Systems

CUSTOMIZED FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR YOUR WATER

CUSTOMIZED FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR YOUR WATER

Home Water Treatment System Selection

Frequently Asked Questions

CDC Choosing Home Water Filters & Other Water Treatment Systems

NSF Standards for Water Treatment Systems

“Keep in mind that certification to an NSF/ANSI standard or protocol does not mean that a filter, purifier or treatment system will reduce all possible contaminants. It’s important to verify that the filter, purifier or treatment system is certified to the applicable standard for the reduction of the contaminants of most concern to you or your family. Review our step-by-step guide on selecting home water treatment systems for more information.” http://www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/water-quality/water-filters-testing-treatment/standards-water-treatment-systems

Water containing less than 500 ppm (Parts Per Million) TDS (total dissolved solids) is considered acceptable for human drinking water and is recommended for dogs and cats. Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th Edition

Why I Don’t Recommend Alkaline Water for Dogs and Cats

EWG Filter Guide: https://www.ewg.org/.../water-filter-step-by-step-guide.php

Tap Water Database: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/search-results.php...

https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/bottled-water-resources.php

Dehydration / Overheating (Get Medical Help)

  • Heavy panting

  • Tongue and mucous membranes bright red

  • Saliva is thick and tenacious

  • Vomits

  • Dry mount

  • Sticky gums

What to do if Dehydration or Overheating

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