How does distilled water affect dogs? Hydrating your hound from the tap often means they’ll be getting chlorine and perhaps other undesirable minerals. No wonder you are considering alternatives!
Distilled water is condensed through a process called Distillation. It’s heated to a point where all the trace elements are removed. But what about the healthy minerals that our dogs need?
We’ll address the distilled water question but one thing is sure, dogs should never be without access to water. Dehydration is dangerous for pets, so always have fresh water available.
Can I Give My Dog Distilled Water? Answer: Yes, in moderation
It’s often suggested to use distilled water to relieve small dogs, such as Maltese, from having runny tear ducts.
But typically it’s not great and choosing bottled spring water instead of distilled water is a much healthier choice for your pet. If you don’t want to give your dog tap water too often then you can occasionally use the distilled variety.
All the trace mineral content of distilled water is destroyed during the distillation process and it would be safe to give your dog one to two times a week at the most, the rest of the week offer tap or bottled spring water.
Distilled Water Problem
There have been reports of potassium deficiency and heart problems related to dogs that are only given distilled water. This is because the removed minerals render the water completely devoid of nutrients.
Water actually plays an important role in the development of strong muscles. If you only have the choice of giving your dog distilled water, ask a vet what supplements you can give your dog to ensure they’re getting proper intake of minerals. This way they’ll stay healthy and strong.
While no harm will likely occur in dogs given distilled water a couple of times a week, providing it on a daily basis is not a good option.
Thirst Quenching or Not
Have you ever drunk boiled water? It’s dry and often makes you thirsty. Therefore, distilled water is not even a good thirst quencher. The same holds true for dogs. Some people note that their dogs drink more when offered distilled water, even messing in the house due to the large quantities of water they were consuming because the dog couldn’t quench its thirst.
Remember that dehydration is a common but serious problem for dogs. If your dog is constantly thirsty, you are doing more damage than good. You’ll have a dog that constantly needs to urinate due to the large volumes of water it will be drinking.
Some Better Alternatives
Ideally tap water is fine. Yes it contains chlorine and all the minerals you believe are bad, but it will quench your dog’s thirst without fail.
If you live in an area where you cannot drink the tap water, choose bottled spring water for your dog. Spring water still has minerals and traces of chlorine but nowhere near the quantity of tap water. Your dog can drink as much spring water as it needs without any adverse effects.
Bottled spring water may cost you in the long run, but you can rest assured that your dog will not suffer with heart problems or potassium deficiencies when drinking this type of water.
How to Choose
On average, a dog will drink about two bowls of water on any given day. This is due to heat or their exercise routine. Fresh water should always be readily available for them so they can drink when they need it.
Deciding on whether to fill that bowl with tap or spring water is your choice. Most areas the tap water is fine for drinking and you can leave that out for your dog without concern. But if you’re worried about the quality of the tap water in your area, pop down to the store and buy some bottled spring water.
You can even alternate between spring and tap water to ensure your dog is getting all the minerals it needs every time it drinks from the bowl.