Is Bottled Water Safe for Dogs?

Food and water are two of life’s fundamental necessities. They are required for the day-to-day functioning of every biological organism, and a shortage of the two harms normal bodily functions. Since we understand how important food and water are, we also understand how imperative it is to have food and drinks which are clean and healthy to consume. 

Our pets are our babies, and we want nothing but the best for them. This includes what they eat and what they drink; only the best and healthiest food and water will suffice for them. However, not everything your pet sinks its teeth into is good for them. An incorrect or impure diet can cause a host of problems further down the line, which is why it is important to be mindful of them from day one. An adult dog’s body is comprised of roughly 70%-80% water, making it one of the essential elements of life. 

Is Tap Water Good for my Dog?

As the name might denote, tap water is water from the tap, reaching it after a treatment procedure at a water treatment plant. Hard contaminants in tap water are far too minute to see and odourless, which makes it difficult to spot them. Tap water contains hundreds of contaminants, and regulatory authorities require such contaminants to be below a certain amount so that they are not harmful to the drinker.  

Remember, that comparing health benefits across tap and bottled water is difficult. On their own, neither kind is any more or less healthy for your pooch; if your tap water is clean, then it’s safe for your dog and just as healthy as bottled water. However, since the quality and cleanliness of tap water varies from country to country and even state to state, the tap water where you live may or may not be for consumption. 

A good rule of thumb in this situation is your preference. If you wouldn’t drink tap water, chances are your pet should not be drinking it either. Once again, this completely depends on where you live in the world, and if your part of the country has access to clean tap water. 

Why is Unchecked Tap Water Unsafe?

Tap water is cost-efficient, but the contaminants present in it make it less than a favourable solution. We’d like to reiterate that the contamination levels in tap water change from country to country; if you live in America, the tap water may be perfectly safe to serve to your pet, but if you live elsewhere where tap water is not filtered and treated, then it might not be a good idea to serve to your pooch.

Unfiltered tap water can contain harmful contaminants, such as chemicals, pesticides, residual metals, viruses, bacteria, parasites, and protozoans, which can pose serious issues further down the line. Certain minerals can also lead to the formation of crystals in their organs, like their kidneys, and can present themselves if your pet is a senior.  

Ingesting such contaminants once by taking a sip of tap water may not be harmful, but over time, they can cause various health problems. Problems in reproduction, neurological issues, and gastrointestinal illnesses can all be caused by long-term consumption of the contaminants present in unfiltered/untreated tap water, making it a less-than-viable option for your pet’s hydration needs. 

What Alternatives are Available?

Bottled water is often cited as a suitable replacement for hard, harsh, and often contaminated tap water. This is because bottled water uses a filtration process, like reverse osmosis, to make sure sanitation and quality are up to par. Bottled water can be used as an alternative to tap water if you happen to reside in an area where the tap water is unreliable. 

However, bottled water is not without its drawbacks. For one, it is rather costly, especially when compared with tap water, or using your filtration system. It also creates a lot of waste, since those plastic bottles can pile up quickly. The bottom line is, while it is safe for your dog to consume bottled water, it’s probably easier to invest in a water filtration system, as the bottles can be heavy on both your wallet and the environment. 

To conclude, If your supply of tap water is unreliable, or if bottled water is too wasteful, we’d recommend getting a filtration system, so you have access to filtered water. Filtered water goes through a filter (filters can be reverse osmosis, faucet mounted, countertop, etc.) to remove foreign contaminants and impurities, so you get clean water, on demand. A good filtration system can turn your ordinary, hard tap water into safe and healthy drinking water, providing you and your pet with an uninterrupted supply of fresh water. On top of that, they are an inexpensive way of making sure you always have fresh water on tap.