Generally, you should wash your dog’s food and water bowls after every use. While this may seem excessive, you wouldn’t eat off a dirty plate, even if it was used just once. A 2011 study conducted by NSF International found pet bowls to be the number 4 germiest place in the home. Pathogens found in dog bowls include mold, yeast, E.coli, salmonella and Serratia A Marcescens (it is the pink stuff that forms a ring around the water bowl).
Washing your dog’s bowls with hot, soapy water, using the same dish detergent that you use on your own dishes will work perfectly. If your dog’s bowls are stainless steel, you can clean them in the same manner but avoid harsh chemicals and antibacterial products to prevent rusting. Running them through a cycle in the dishwasher is also an excellent way to keep your dog’s food and water bowls clean. Always remember to use a sponge or cloth separate from the human cleaning cloths and run the dog’s bowls separate from the human dishes to avoid the spread of disease. Your dog’s digestive system is well equipped to handle pathogens. Bacteria like salmonella rarely survive the highly acidic environment of a dog’s stomach, and the dog’s short digestive system allows bacteria to pass through without adequate time to overpopulate. So, if you forget to wash your dog’s bowl after every meal, it is unlikely they will be affected. Regardless, your dog can still be affected by microbes found in their bowls, especially if they are ill or in their senior years. Some dogs develop acne on their chin because of unclean bowls. Bacteria can cause infections in the ear as well as the urinary tract.
Types of Bowls
Plastic bowls are the hardest to keep clean. They can accumulate tiny cuts and scratches allowing bacteria to grow. If you use them, clean them frequently and replace often. Ceramic and stainless steel are the best cause they are non-porous and easy to sanitize. If properly cared for they can last the lifetime of your pet. If your ceramic bowl develops a crack, replace immediately. Always have a spare pair of bowls in back-up to use as needed.
Importance of Food Mats
Dog placemats aren’t just decorative – they’re beneficial when it comes to cleanliness. Most dogs eat their food and drink water without giving a second thought to good manners. Unless they are dainty eaters that never drop a morsel or a drop of water outside of their bowls, you’ll want to provide food mats for your dog. Food mats catch whatever spills over the edge of the bowls in addition to any drool or slobber. Some food mats have a raised edge to assure that the food never touches the floor. This prevents your dog from eating directly off the floor and ingesting harsh chemical residue that are in floor cleaning products. You will want to give the food mat a good hand washing or wipe daily to avoid bacteria growth.
Each time that you clean your dog’s dish, take a moment to look it over carefully for signs of wear and tear including scratches, groves, or deep bite marks. These spots are often difficult to clean and can quickly turn into a breeding ground for bacteria. If you notice that your dog’s dish is starting to show its age, it’s time to look at getting a replacement.
How To Sanitize Your Dog’s Bowl
A 2006 study showed that even after a rigorous hand wash with soap or a trip through the dishwasher, 67% or more bacteria (salmonella) remained. Fortunately, sanitizing your dog’s bowl is a quick and simple process…
After washing your dog’s bowl to remove any caked-on food and other grime, follow these steps:
- Add ½ cup regular bleach to a gallon of water.
- Let the dog bowl sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove and rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
- Leave it to air dry.
This simple treatment will kill parvo, a leading killer of puppies under six months old (older dogs are not immune either).
Many vets agree that you should wash your dog’s bowl daily…Simple rules to remember…..
- Dog bowl with dry food – If you feed with kibble, your dog’s bowl should be washed daily, after the final meal of the day.
- Dog bowl with wet food – If you feed with canned food or raw meat, your dog’s bowl should be washed and sanitized after every meal.
- Dog bowl with water – Your dog’s water bowl should be washed once per day.
Dog mat – If you use a mat to protect your floor or carpet from spills, then that too should be cleaned daily.
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