Filtered Water for Dogs: Is it Necessary?

by admin · March 10, 2022

Filtered Water for Dogs

by Paul Stanley

Most people know that it’s important to keep your dog hydrated, but they often overlook the importance of water quality.

Dogs can’t taste or smell many contaminants in their food and water. This leaves them susceptible to diseases like giardia and cryptosporidium. Many owners choose to filter water for dogs with a product like the Brita Faucet Filter, which removes chlorine and 96% of lead from tap water.

The bottom line is your dog benefits from filtered water for all the same reasons you do.

The importance of keeping your dog hydrated

Hydration for dogs is often understated, but it’s an essential part of keeping them healthy. When dogs don’t drink enough and get dehydrated, it can cause major health problems. Not only that, but hydration is important for their physical and mental wellbeing.

Dehydrated dogs will be more lethargic and less active than their hydrated counterparts. This can lead to a number of other negative consequences such as depression, aggression, and loss of appetite. In more serious cases, they can also suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.

One of the most common causes of dehydration in canines is poor water quality.

Dog, cat, or human: We all need good quality H2O

Just like humans, dogs need to drink plenty of water every day to maintain good health and hydration.

Vets recommend that a dog should drink around one ounce of water per pound of body weight, each day. For more active pups or for those living in warmer climates, the amount of water should be increased.

Keeping your dog hydrated is integral to health, and filtered water does this safely.

How to choose the best water filter for your dog’s needs

The good news is if you’re already using a water filter at home, feel free to give the same filtered water to your dog too.

Just bear in mind that some kinds of water filtration may have negative effects on your dog’s health. For example, some water filters can strip out many important minerals that your dog needs to stay healthy.

Here are some of the most common types of water filters, and what they remove:

Reverse Osmosis – Removes 99% of all contaminants, but also removes minerals and some beneficial bacteria
Carbon Filtration – Removes chlorine taste and odor, but doesn’t filter metals or bacteria
UVF (UltraViolet Light) – Kills microbes in the water, but doesn’t remove metal or chemicals
Distillation removes everything including minerals. This can be reversed with remineralization filters.
Water softening removes minerals, but these can be added back through remineralization filters.
Reverse Osmosis is generally considered to be one of the best forms of filtration for both dogs and humans. Before you buy, check out some independent reviews (eg. those from homewaterresearch.com) and do a water quality test.

No matter what kind of filter you choose, make sure it’s from a reputable brand and that you chat with your vet before making any changes.

Water Filter Products Specifically for Dogs

There is a wide range of filtered water fountains and similar products on Amazon. Each has various features for you to consider for your dog.

For example, some of these filtered pet water fountains only dispense water when the dog puts his paw on a button, which is great mental stimulation and turns drinking into a game.