Dogs, Cats and humans do not drink enough water. A seventy pound dog should drink eight cups of water per day. That is a lot of water! A lot of pet owners do not like their dogs to drink a lot of water; because then they have to go outside more. Litter boxes need to be cleaned more often. Even though your dogs bowl may be empty, how much of the water ends up on the floor? The process of dogs and cats lapping up water is not efficient, or natural. That is why cats and dogs are naturally designed to receive their water from the moisture in their food.
At Whats In The Bowl we recommend feeding all food with added water. Add a cup or more of water to kibble, can or raw food. It will help your pet receive the appropriate amount of water, and if your dog or cat eats to fast, it may even slow them down and lower the risk of bloat.
If your dog or cat doesn’t want to drink more water try goat milk or fermented turkey or fish stock. These are great prebiotics and probiotics to aid your pets digestion and absorption of nutrients. For more ideas on how to keep your pet hydrated, stop by What’s In The Bowl Pet Shop!
Drink Up!
Sean Jones, MS, MBA