Water Bowl Dangers

[Charlie]

I thought I would post this as there was a discussion a while back about how often we wash our dog bowls. This is also about what material a water bowl is made of. xx

Dog news: Killer dog bowl warning after DEADLY bugs discovered in scientific study

 

[Cath]

Thanks for let us know Helen

 

[kateincornwall]

Thanks Helen . It might also be worth mentioning that its worth applying caution before letting your dogs drink from communal water bowls , like the ones sometimes offered outside cafes . It may be seen as being over cautious, but these bowls are often not washed out or refreshed , wonderful germ spreaders ! xx

 

[SteffiS]

I use those heavy ceramic bowls and wash them at least once a day. Ripple won't drink from communal bowls unless the water is refreshed, but then of course he's quite happy to drink from muddy puddles .

 

[Snowy]

E Coli, used to be my favourite of the rods.

For those that stick the dog bowl in the dishwasher, it's best not to use the "eco" wash as it might not be hot enough to kill the bacteria.
Even thought E Coli dies immediately at 70 celsius, a full-length wash at 60 celsius should be enough to kill it off.

 

[Boogie]

I put water and food bowls in the dishwasher every other day.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Thanks Helen . It might also be worth mentioning that its worth applying caution before letting your dogs drink from communal water bowls , like the ones sometimes offered outside cafes . It may be seen as being over cautious, but these bowls are often not washed out or refreshed , wonderful germ spreaders ! xx

I never let mine use them either

 

[Selina27]

Cass has stainless steel water bowls, prefers to drink from stream and lake while we are out, then I change water in her bowls when we get back which she happily drinks.
She doesn't seem to like to drink from "communal bowls" , quite often they are not fresh anyway, big no no for her.

 

[Stacia]

I have a heavy ceramic bowl and thought that would be the best - wrong! Rourke hardly drinks any water except when we are out and Sue gives her Greyhound frequent drinks, Rourke thinks it is 'magic water' and drinks it with body wriggling and big tail wags!

 

[Jacqui-S]

Lilly won't drink from communal bowls - muddy puddles are her preference.
I use stainless steel.
I am a clarty mare and only stick them in the dishwasher once a week. A rinse out before each meal only. They are always down on her feeding mat.

I am a bit of a believer in not over-sanitising our lives. Anti-Dettox, anti-Antibacterial washing up liquid. That;s me. (I do try to keep a cleanish house, honest). I am picky at closing the loo seat before flushing though.

 

[Lisa]

Ummm....will you all disown me when I tell you that in approximately 30 years of dog ownership I can count on one hand and have fingers left over the number of times I’ve washed my dogs bowls?

 

[M.F.]

I’m with @Lisa — I might give the food bowl a cursory rinse between meals under the garden tap. But if you see how Snowie licks up all the dog urine off the pavement, and the morsels he finds to eat out on walks...

 

[snowbunny]

I guess the concern is more about us humans than the dogs? Dogs’ guts being what they are, I’m guessing the bigger danger is that we might get something nasty from handling the bowls to fill or wash.

I have three big heavy ceramic Mason Cash water bowls. They get washed at least once a day, as they always end up full of bits of dirt, leaves etc, which I guess the dogs have in their mouths from the walks and get flushed out as they drink.
I have to fill them at least twice a day, we go through a lot of water!

 

[Lisa]

I guess the concern is more about us humans than the dogs? Dogs’ guts being what they are, I’m guessing the bigger danger is that we might get something nasty from handling the bowls to fill or wash.

I suppose....I will admit that it seems like a bit of overkill to me.

 

[Selina27]

will you all disown me when I tell you that in approximately 30 years of dog ownership I can count on one hand and have fingers left over the number of times I’ve washed my dogs bowls?

Nope, I won't!

 

[Selina27]

I am a bit of a believer in not over-sanitising our lives.

Me too

 

[edzbird]

I wash our ceramic water bowls when they start to look grimey. They get rinsed more often. Another supporter for not over-sanitising our lives, but I will screech "Bog seat!! Put it DOWN!! Faecal coliforms!" - it's really just because I prefer the seat to be down rather than see a gaping toilet, and men (maybe just my OH), notoriously bad at closing the lid.

 

[snowbunny]

Haha, I'm another one that's fairly relaxed and hates to over-sanitise everything. My sister is the opposite, but I guess as a paramedic and nurse, it's fair enough that she wants to be as clean as possible. I don't even want to think about all the things she has to touch in a day!

Toilet, though - yes. That has to go down before flushing. J is very good about this, too, I have to say.

 

[Cath]

I will screech "Bog seat!! Put it DOWN!! Faecal coliforms!" - it's really just because I prefer the seat to be down rather than see a gaping toilet, and men (maybe just my OH), notoriously bad at closing the lid.

 

[HAH]

First Google of the day = faecal coliforms. Every day’s a school day!