When was the last time you cleaned your pet’s food or water bowl? If you can’t remember
or if it has been a few days, that is too long. Just as we would expect to eat off or drink out of clean dishes, we should expect the same for our four-legged family members. Here are a few tips on how and why you should keep your pet’s food bowl clean.
1. Clean Often
After every meal you should clean your pet’s bowl with soap and water, just as you would your own dishes. Depending on whether or not your dog’s bowl is dishwasher safe, it should be run through the dishwasher at least once a week for a good cleaning. Cleaning the bowls often help to eliminate the build-up of harmful bacteria.
2. Choose A Good Material
There are a handful of different materials pet bowls are made from and it is important to choose the appropriate material for what you are feeding. If feeding raw or wet food, opt for stainless steel. It harbours less bacteria then other common bowl materials. Plastic or melamine are suitable for dry food. Be sure to look for BPA free! It has been shown that stainless steel harbours less bacteria than other materials, which is ideal for dogs who are fed wet or raw food.
3. Monitor Water Consumption
As a pet owner, it is important to be cognizant of how much water your pet is consuming. The best way to do this is by dumping out old water every morning, cleaning the water bowl with soap and water and refilling it. This way you can tell if your cat or dog is drinking more or less water than normal. If you notice a significant increase or decrease in your pet’s water consumption, you should contact your vet because this can be a sign of a few different health problems.
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