Should My Dog Drink Filtered Water?

Most pet parents fill their dog’s water bowl every morning straight from the faucet without giving it a second thought. But that might need to change. Read on to find out why tap water might not be as safe as you think – for your or your furry friend.

Protect Fido from Contaminants in Tap Water

It’s probably easier than you’d think for your tap water to get contaminated, therefore also making it easy for your canine companion to get contaminants, and even parasites, in their system. A lot of water runs through rusty pipes before coming through the tap and into your pup’s water bowl, making it already contaminated and not safe ingestion. If on the way to your faucet, any copper ends up getting in the water, it could potentially cause copper storage hepatopathy in your canine, which leads to damage in their liver (not to mention potentially kidney disease for you). With filtered water, those contaminants are removed – providing you with clean water that’s safe for everyone in your home to drink.

Did You Say Parasites?

Yes, parasites can sometimes find a way through your own kitchen faucet. One of these parasites is a single-celled organism called Giardia and lives in the mucous lining of the intestines. In both humans and canines, the parasite can cause diarrhea, nausea, weight loss, and fatigue. And for lil’ puppies, the symptoms can sometimes even be life-threatening.

What Do the Experts Have to Say?

When it comes to the quality of water your pooch should be consuming, many of the experts say (most likely including your pup’s veterinarian) that you should be giving them the same quality of water that you drink, or should be drinking. Harmful bacteria and contaminants don’t discriminate between pups and people.

Faucet filtration systems have become more and more popular, that they aren’t too hard to find anymore – especially for a reasonable price. So, if nothing is holding you back, it might be high time to switch to filtered water for both you and your canine’s sake.