Dogs are human’s best friends, and when you have a dog in your home, you always take care of him as your family member. Not so many years ago, the topic was popular in debates. Can Dogs drink Tap water or not?
You may always ensure that they get complete nutrition and food to get the best grooming in your neighborhood. While it is about hydrating your best friend, it is a big question how are you treating him? Is it tap water or filtered water? Let’s look at the issue closely. To start, first, we must understand why proper hydration is essential for your dog.
Importance of Hydration for Dogs:
For dogs, water is as essential as it is necessary for the human body. Like human beings, dogs’ bodies also contain 75% of water. It helps to function correctly and keep them away from many health problems like:
- It regulates the body temperature of dogs, especially when they are running and playing around.
- Water lubricates their joints; helps prevent any joint problem, and can play fetch and come with more speed.
- Keeps their body elastic for good cuddles.
- It keeps their body parts like eyes, mouth, nose, and lungs moisturized so that they can lick you as always.
- Helps to maintain their nervous and lung systems.
- It helps to improve their digestion systems through hydrolysis.
- Water helps to dissolve and transport nutrients to the body cells quickly.
That eventually means, like human beings, proper hydration for dogs is also a necessity, and typical tap water can prove to be hazardous for them. Many reasons support that tap water is not the right choice for your best animal friend.
How is tap water not for dogs?
Tap water is not suitable for human health because it is contaminated with many hazardous chemicals and bacteria like lead and arsenic. These chemicals are never good for human health and not for dogs. These chemicals and components make tap water imperfect for dogs.
Fluoride:
Water that contains a high level of fluoride is not fit for health, and it can seriously damage kidneys. In dogs, it can cause diarrhea, restlessness, weak muscles, seizures, and much more, according to few studies that suggest that there can be a link between cancer in dogs and fluoride that is found in hard water. Buy these facts have yet to be confirmed. Most importantly, the water contains a shallow level of fluoride, and it is not much toxic. The fluoride found in dog food and toothpaste is a more alarming factor.
Chlorine:
Chlorine is widely used in water supplies to clean the water, which can be harmful to health. It depends on many factors like dose, duration of time when they drank that water, and many other things for dogs. The chlorine is pt in water according to human consumption level, not suitable for small animals. Typically the dose of chlorine in water is safe for both humans and animals. Still, sometimes it rises to a dangerous level when disinfection products that contain chlorine are used to purify water than chlorine itself. Moreover, it is not proven harmful until now, but it is better to avoid getting affected.
Lead:
Lead is hazardous for health, and in dogs, it can cause severe stomach issues like vomiting and diarrhea. If your dog is continuously drinking contaminated water, it will cause long-term health issues like seizures, fatigue, poor appetite, anxiety, blindness, and acute changes in behavior.
E. coli:
It is not as harmful as lead, but it can affect your dog’s health. It may cause a loss in appetite, low body temperature, depression, low body temperature, increase heart rate, weakness, stomach issues, and lethargy in your best animal friend.
Giardia:
It is a parasite found in water due to fecal wastes, soil, and other substances transmitted in drinking water. It can cause stomach problems in both dogs and humans.
Hard water:
So if you are getting hard water in your municipal supply that can be good or bad for your dog’s health. The hard water contains magnesium and calcium, which cause bladder and urinary infections in dogs. But if it is mild hard water, it can be useful as your dog need calcium and magnesium for growth.
How alarming is this situation?
First of all, do not panic; not all tap waters are so much contaminated. You can take a sample of water and send it to the laboratory for testing. The water supply companies try their best to prevent any contamination and harmful components.
Which water is best for your dog?
Now one thing is tap water cannot be your first choice for a dog. Bottled water is not affordable, and it depends on which plant the bottled water is supplied from and packed. Here is how you can solve the hydration problem for your dog.
Pet water fountain:
It is a water bowl with a fountain in its center it supplies the flowing water. The continuously flowing water encourages your pet to drink more of it, and also, flowing water is cleaner.
Invest in a filter system:
You should invest in filter systems for your dog and family. Filtered tap water means you may not have to rely on bottled water companies or municipal supply water to meet regulations. You will contend that water is safe – but remember to choose the filtration plant that removes particular contaminations.
Clean water Bowl:
Sometimes dogs get sick, and we think water is the problem, but the bowl of water is creating issues. Make sure that the bowl is clean and there are no signs of filth in it. The dog bowl can get contaminated with bacteria rapidly, so if possible, sterilize the bowl. If possible, use steel water containers than plastic.
Conclusion:
Chose the best way possible to provide your dog better and clean water according to your budget and resources. Keep them hydrated will ensure their happiness, fast growth, and extended company.
