Olivia_Hoover | Editor | E-mail
You’d never drink from a glass that hasn’t been cleaned in two weeks, or a mug that’s been sitting on the counter for a month – actually I don’t know your life, you do, but I an act I know your dog deserves better! Little did I realize I cut corners with my cub’s water bowl cleaner, and now I’m going to share the low-and-dirty news with you, so we don’t make the same mistake (because between you and me there is a real simple way to improve your pup’s quality of life.)
Serratia marcescens has been known to cause infections and even pneumonia. And even if you don’t see the dreaded pink stuff, that doesn’t mean your dog’s water bowl is safe from ick. Yeast, mold, and coliform bacteria (which include salmonella and E. coli) have been found in dog dishes according to an NSF study. And it all goes to TRIPLE for our food bowls. Fat in food is a breeding ground for bacteria.
This is one of the cute bacteria
No, I don’t think your dog will get BSE, Ebola, or SARS, but all of us (especially puppies!) could benefit from being more careful with our dog’s hygiene. The most common form of cleaning, and one that I’m embarrassed to say I do often before I do some research, is a hot water rinse. I thought of a good scrub of hot water, with a non-soap sponge (Was it stupid of me to think my dog was tasting soap in his water, when I clean my dishes with soap but never complain about smells after taste? Yes, yes it was…) were appropriate.
Well, I was very wrong. According to a study published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal, hot water rinsing is so ineffective it’s like doing nothing at all.
I’m sorry, Ziggy!
My fault. It will never happen again. NSF International says:
Pet dishes should be washed daily, either in a disinfectant dishwasher or washed by hand in hot soapy water, then rinsed. If hand washing, put dishes in a 1:50 bleach rinse (one capful of bleach in one gallon of water) and soak for 10 minutes once a week. Rinse well and allow to air dry.
Soon you’ll have even clean dog bowls you can eat from (which might be a good rule of thumb thumb dew claw!)
Also, be sure not to use an abrasive sponge when cleaning. Remember, we try to avoid scratches and grooves. Baking soda is also a great cleaning agent. And if you have the means, just throw those dishes in the dishwasher! The level of cleanliness would make up for the times our dogs sloppily drank from the other kind of bowl…
Oh boy…one thing at a time…
H/t via Patty Whack Dogs Featured image via Whiskers and Leo
