Our pets are precious treasures. We even consider them family. In fact, 67 percent of American households who have at least one pet feel the same way. They bring fun and joy to our lives, provide us with emotional support, and in return, we give them food, shelter, love, and security.
As pet owners, we focus so heavily on making sure our pets have the best and most nutritious food, the safest toys, and the most comfortable environments. Still, we often neglect a crucial part of their overall health: having clean drinking water.
Most pets drink out of water dishes, which contains stagnant water. They explore, eat, and play, and then come back to their bowls for a drink. And in their return, they contaminate their water source. It only takes about two days for bacteria to start breeding in standing water, and without a thorough cleaning, your pet can be exposed to potentially harmful bacteria.
However, there are things you can do to make your water safer for your pet. But first, we have to discuss why having clean water is so important.
Why Do Pets Need Clean Water?
Like with humans, water is essential to the overall health of all mammals. It makes up 55 to 75 percent of their body mass. We’re both water-cooled engines, meaning we use water to cool off. Humans sweat to cool off, dogs pant, and cats lick their fur, and their tongues deposit water down to their skin. Water also helps lubricate your pet’s joints and muscles, cleanses and detoxifies their entire bodies. On a cellular level, it creates a cushion between each individual cell, helps transport oxygen to all throughout their bodies, and boosts their immune system to fight infections.
As you can see, water has a lot of benefits in the lives of our pets. It’s easy to understand why having the purest, contaminant-free water is necessary for them to drink. Here are a few ways you can make water safer for your pet.
Test Your Water Quality
Not all water is created equally. The most effective way to make water safer for your pet is to check your water supply. Most owners give their pets tap water, which is the same water we drink and use for everyday chores. The thing is, your tap water might not be as safe as you think. A good rule of thumb to abide by is that if your water isn’t safe or doesn’t look clean enough for you to drink, it is unsafe for your pet.
Testing your water quality is an excellent way to be fully informed about the possible contaminants, toxins, and bacteria that may be lurking in your water. It also helps you avoid contaminants that can make you and your beloved pet sick. The most common contaminants found in your pet’s water include:
E. coli: Most strains are harmless, but dangerous ones are found in public water systems. When infected, pets can have symptoms like lack of appetite, diarrhea, depression, and low body temperature.
Magnesium and calcium: Often found in hard tap water. In extreme hard water cases, pets can have urinary health issues like tract infections, incontinence, and cystitis.
Giardia: A single-cell parasite that latches onto the lining of intestines. It is transmitted through fecal waste in water, food, soil, and other services. It causes diarrhea, among other discomforts.
Lead: When ingested in high doses, it can cause stomach pain, vomiting, fatigue, seizures, and blindness.
If you’re looking for a high-quality water test, The Science of Water offers a free water test that’s simple to use and provides a detailed breakdown of what’s in your water and just how much.
Ensure a Clean Water Bowl
Sometimes the issue isn’t the water your pet’s drinking, but the water bowl itself. To prevent your pet’s bowl from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria and contaminants, we recommend thoroughly and regularly cleaning their bowls at least twice a week. If possible, change their water twice a day to ensure that it stays fresh and limits contamination. Another tactic you can use is to change the water dish used in your household. It’s long been a concern that plastic containers leech toxins into our water, so switching to stainless steel or ceramic bowls is said to be the safest option for your pets.
Invest in a Whole House Filtration System
When people don’t think their tap water is safe, they quickly turn to bottled water to hydrate their pets, which can have its own list of contaminants and toxins and bad for the environment. However, we have a better solution: switch to a whole house filtration system. After having your water tested and learning about the various toxins that inhabit it, the natural choice for making sure your water is safer for your pet.
Whole house filtration systems like the ones used by Puronics use reverse osmosis to filter water. Said to be the most effective way of removing toxins and contaminants, reverse osmosis works by filtering water through a semi-permeable mesh. Clean water particles are small enough to pass through, but contaminants aren’t, leaving them trapped in the filter.
What makes a whole house filtration system so beneficial is that it supplies you and your pets with clean, odorless, and great-tasting water that you can drink and use for everyday chores like washing dishes or doing laundry.
Install a Water Fountain
Another way to avoid your pet drinking stagnant water is to install a water fountain. Having circulating water available to your pets will intrigue them and encourage them to drink more water. The fountain also reduces the chance of bacteria and contaminants breeding in your water, as most of the bowls have a drain system included. It’s important to note, though, that even though water fountains typically come with a charcoal filter pack, you still have to conduct daily water tests and clean the system to prevent bacteria development inside the pump.
The Science of Water
Ensuring that your water is safe for your pet to drink can add extra time to your daily operations, but it also adds potential years back to your furry friend’s life. And that makes it all the more worth it. Let our team at the Science of Water help you get the best water you and your pet have ever tasted in your home.
If you’re interested in our service or want to take a free water test, contact us at (352) 745-7070 for the Gainesville area, or at (904) 580-0000 for the Jacksonville area!