Do you give your dog filtered drinking water? Many pet parents are concerned about the quality of water their dogs are drinking. It’s important to provide your family, including your pets, with the highest quality water you can afford. Water that is free from pharmaceuticals, pesticides, fluoride and metals is vital for optimal health.
In the wild, animals use their natural olfactory sense to discern which water is best for them to drink. They naturally avoid water that is tainted with chemicals. In our homes, our domesticated pets don’t have the choice to leave bad water for good water. They pretty much have to drink what we put down or go dehydrated.
Reverse osmosis systems are a great way to get impurities out of your drinking water. But it’s important to know that while removing toxins, these systems also remove most minerals.
Minerals can be replenished to your dog’s water by adding a tiny pinch of Himalayan pink salt or unrefined sea salt. Both contain trace amounts of all of nature’s minerals. Seaweed such as kelp and dulse, provide many minerals including iodine. Fruits and vegetables are high in boron. Organ meats provide iron and potassium. Raw meaty bones offer many minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and many others all in balance as nature intended.
Dogs’ urine and saliva are slightly acidic which helps them digest meat. When their pH becomes too alkaline, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and crystals can begin to develop. pH is an indicator of internal organ function, more specifically, it’s an indicator of how the kidneys are functioning.
Normal pH for dog urine is 6 – 7, with 6 – 6.5 being more ideal. You can monitor your dog’s urine and saliva pH at home with pH strips. They are an inexpensive way to keep an eye on how your dog’s kidneys are functioning. If you are giving your dog alkaline water, it’s important to monitor his pH levels regularly and stop giving it if his pH goes above 7.
There are many opinions on alkaline water, distilled water, hydrogen-enriched water and reverse osmosis water. When it comes right down to it, the important thing is that you are providing plenty of fresh clean water. Wash the bowl regularly, and if possible, change the water twice a day to keep it nice and fresh.
