Have you ever put any thought into which sort of drinking water you need to provide to your dog or cat? It is among the most crucial nutrients after all, and, like us, our pets drink water each and every day of their lives.
If you haven’t, we’ll examine the different drinking water resources, including their possible health consequences, in this post.
The Best Water for Dogs to Drink
As a general rule, the ideal water for dogs to intake is water that you would consume yourself. If your tap water is healthy and clean and, for that reason, good enough for you, the same possibly goes for your dog (and for the cat, of course).
Likewise, if your tap water isn’t safe but poses a health hazard, do not give it to your little furry. Most dogs could definitely eat a pile of dirt, not get sick, but better safe than sorry.
On a side note: Your dog might not be drinking sufficient amounts of water because of taste reasons. Some faucet waters are high in chlorine content that creates an off-putting flavor and odor by way of instance.
Can Dogs Drink Tap Water?
Can dogs drink tap water? Yes, they could. However, every tap water is different, so it is dependent upon where you live. By way of instance, there could be substances like pesticides or herbicides on your water or compounds like chromium 6. The era of the water system you’re connected to, and your house’s plumbing is also essential. Homes built before 1986 frequently have a lead problem because of pipes or solder containing the neurotoxin. Then there are variables like algae blooms in spring/summer if you get your water from a nearby lake.
You should also focus on water hardness, leading to dogs’ urinary problems (learn more).
Bottom line: If you wish to play it safe, have your tap water tested or assess the annual water quality report for your utility.
Can Dogs Drink Well Water?
There’s a whole arsenal of contaminants that could make water unsuitable for drinking, for dogs and humans. Again, if you would like to play it safe, have your water tested.
And just like tap water, well water could be high in minerals that, as we mentioned, has been connected with urinary problems in dogs.
Hard Water
Both well and tap water (and other waters) can contain high levels of hardness minerals, usually magnesium and calcium. In theory, if your dog drinks hard water over an extended period, conditions like urinary tract or bladder infections, crystalluria, cystitis, urinary obstruction, and stone formation may result.
The good news is that it is simple to test for hard water. Kits are available online and at your neighborhood hardware store, among several other places.
Also, research suggests that problems generally only happen with extremely hard water. Water with regular hardness levels is not likely to cause issues. Why is it that female puppies suffer from prostate problems more frequently than male dogs.
Soft Water
A traditional water softener exchanges hardness in water, magnesium, and calcium ions, with sodium (occasionally potassium) ions making the water soft. How much sodium will be added based on how hard the water is in the first location.
Although the level is usually relatively low and not a huge deal, the sodium concentration can be too high to be believed healthy for dogs to drink — mainly if your veterinarian has prescribed a low-sodium diet. That’s often true for particular breeds, older canines, and those with kidney or cardiovascular ailments. Moreover, some pets just don’t like the somewhat sour flavor of softened water.
The exemptions to the rule are water softeners not based on ion exchange to make hard water soft. These so-called water conditioners work salt-free and, for that reason, do not increase sodium levels.
Filtered Water For Dogs
Doing your own filtering or purchasing filtered water, you can rest assured that what your dog drinks day by day is really safe.
In terms of the finest filtration system, there are reverse osmosis and distillation that offer nearly pure H2O. RO and distilled water may be great to treat urinary problems but might not be suited to healthy dogs in the long term.
Carbon filtration eliminates most chemicals, some heavy metals, and bad odors and tastes. Then you will find specialized filter media like trigger alumina for more persistent stuff — believe fluoride and arsenic. And finally, UV light therapy kills waterborne pathogens.
Which way is best for you depends on the state of your water and on your preferences: Do you need filtered water anyplace in your house or just at one faucet? Would you rather have a filter pitcher over and under the sink system? How about a tap filter? And are you really on a budget?
If you need to go the filtered water route, find out what is on your water first. Then find the best filter for the job.
Can Dogs Drink Distilled Water? How About Reverse Osmosis Water?
The benefit of distilled in addition to RO water is that it is almost pure H2O. No germs, no chlorine, no lead, no pesticides — you name it! So this is great. Although, at the same time, both kinds of water lack naturally occurring, healthful minerals. This may result in low electrolyte blood levels on your dog and lead to over-hydration or water toxicity, among other ailments. We also read a report about puppies developing heart problems due to potassium deficiency, presumably because they were given distilled water exclusively.
It might also be that your dog just doesn’t like the flat taste of RO/distilled water, preventing proper hydration.
On the other side, highly pure water can help treat urinary problems such as infections, stones, and crystals.
Bottom line: Some veterinarians do not recommend it distilled respectively reverse osmosis water for dogs, many others do.
The question really is, does your pet get all the salts and minerals it needs from its food? In that case, distilled/RO water may be just fine. And there’s definitely no need to worry about giving small amounts here and there.
One may also ask, why do you need to serve your puppy distilled/RO water? If there’s a particular contaminant that you are concerned about, maybe there’s a better way to get it removed.
Unless your vet has told you to use distilled/RO water, steer clear of it, in our humble opinion. If you insist on using it, think about remineralization. This will let you bypass all of the potentially harmful contaminants and ensure that your dog gets all the minerals and salts it needs.
Bottled Water For Dogs
Humans, dogs, cats — drinking bottled water is obviously a waste of money. Most are just tap water anyway, and there isn’t any guarantee it is any better in terms of quality. In addition to that, it produces a good deal of plastic waste.
The only reason for us to purchase bottled water is if you’re on the go and do not have any choice.
Mineral Water For Dogs
As the name indicates, mineral water is high in minerals. The mineral content may be too high really and thus cause urinary issues.
Can Dogs Drink Carbonated Water?
Giving dogs carbonated water may result in gastric upset. If given too much, the dog’s stomach might flip, a.k.a. life-threatening bloat. Bloating is mainly a problem with dogs that can not burp properly and bigger breeds generally. Other responses that pet owners reported are nausea and vomiting.
It’s not like your dog just farts a couple of times, and no real harm will be done. Don’t let your dog consume carbonated water!
Can Dogs Drink Vitamin Water or Smart Water?
Yes, they can. Smart water is spring water infused with electrolytes. And although dogs do not want the additional dose of salts and minerals following physical activity as much as we do, if a dog suffers from diarrhea or has been vomiting, electrolyte drinks can recover what was lost and help avoid dehydration.
By the way, an option to Smart Water is unflavored Pedialyte. Do not use flavored Gatorade or Pedialyte because it comprises artificial sugars.
As far as vitamin water is involved, some vets say it can improve your dog’s health, but others say it’s unessential.
Sea Water, Stagnant Waters, Ponds, Lakes, Puddles, Pools, Toilet Water
- Most dogs do not care about the "freshness" of water. In fact, they generally enjoy drinking from puddles, ponds, and god knows what. But, stagnant waters that lack flow are prone to harbor large quantities of waterborne pathogens, leading to severe ailments like leptospirosis or giardia. Infections may also come from water in places highly frequented by dogs to contain their own stool, infections that may be severe and even cause hospitalization.
- Another threat is puddled on or close to streets and parking lots since they may contain antifreeze. The compound can cause irreversible kidney failure. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, lethargy, and finally, coma.
- Additionally, ponds and lakes can see algae blooms in summer/spring releasing toxic substances into the water whenever the algae begin to wither. Intaking such toxins can damage your dog's liver, kidneys, and other organs.
- Pool water can be toxic if your dog drinks large quantities over a long period, resulting in dehydration due to high chlorine content. The severe symptom is an upset gut. A couple of mouthfuls every now and then shouldn't pose a problem, however.
- How about toilet water? It probably contains cleaner residues such as bleach and other chemicals -- not the safest option as the most crucial drinking water source. Regular intake can lead to irritation of the intestines and nausea.
- Seawater is very high in salt content. If you would like to protect your four-legged friend from dehydration and diarrhea, do not let him drink it.
In general, most dogs can drink water from questionable sources with no ill effect, so don’t fret too much. Just make sure you watch for sickness symptoms, and if you feel like there’s something wrong, consult with a vet immediately.
The Best Water for Cats to Drink
Like dogs, the best drinking water for cats is water, which would be healthy for you.
This way, kittens on a wet-food diet get the bulk of their daily water intake through ingestion. In this case, you do not have to worry about the water problem as much.
However, do not forget that cats possess a weak sense of thirst. And chronic underhydration can lead to health problems, particularly with the urinary tract. To put it differently, you need to be sure that your cat drinks enough water, even though not a lot is necessary. A fountain can help you attain that. Like dogs, certain cats like drinking from a flowing water resource. Some cats like to drink directly from the tap. And generally, cats always like to drink water that tastes fresh.
Can Cats Drink Tap Water?
Cats can consume tap water if the quality is up to standards. You can find out more about tap water quality problems over.
In a nutshell:
Consider getting your water tested or check your municipality’s water quality report. Your cat might also not like the water if it is high in chlorine. Above that, we read a forum message in which a cat owner reported that his two cats kept getting sick because of tap water being treated with chlorine for disinfection. And last, you need to pay attention to water hardness, which may lead to urinary issues.
Well, Water/Hard Water -- Is It Safe?
It is interesting to remember that cats are more prone to developing urinary issues than dogs when given hard water.
Soft Water
Most cats can sustain themselves on saltwater (seawater), so giving them soft water is not likely to cause problems under ordinary conditions. However, it might be the case your feline doesn’t like the taste much.
Can Cats Drink distilled water?
As for dogs, distilled water should just be the principal water supply for the cat when recommended by your veterinarian, for example, in the case of urinary crystals. Mineral intake becomes limited, effectively preventing bladder stones from forming.
Other than that, you probably need to stay away from distilled water.
Can Cats Drink Bottled Water?
Can cats drink bottled water? It is a waste of money. However, they could.
Sparkling Water
Sparkling water is a large no-no. Too much-carbonated water may result in hiccups and stomach bloat.
Can Cats Drink Salt Water?
Most cats can sustain themselves in saltwater. Some, however, drink a lot of it and suffer from elevated blood sugar levels.
Pool Water
When you believe that cats can survive on salt water, pool water shouldn’t pose a problem; unless there’s more in it than chlorine alone.
