We want the best for Fido. Dogs are our best friends, our most loyal friends and of course, we want the best for them. We drink distilled water because that is, without a doubt, the best water a human can drink. But what about our furry friends with the wet nose? Is Distilled Water the best water they can drink?
Yes and No. And by the way, for a more exhaustive explanation, look at our article Distilled Water for Dogs. First, let’s talk about the bad stuff. Your dog’s diet is not as complete and diverse as the diet from a human. In fact, it can’t be. We all know what happens when we give a dog human food, also known as table food. The dog’s digestive system doesn’t process it very well, usually you can tell by your dog’s behavior (sickly, lethargic), by his stool (diarrhea), vomit, and in extreme cases death. If you give your dog nothing but distilled water, day in and day out, all day, every day, it’s likely to cause your dog some problems.
Now let’s talk about the good stuff. Pure water actually helps cleanse the body, not just of humans, but of some pets as well, including dogs. It may even help prevent infections in the urinary system of the dog. So, definitely distilled water is good for dogs as long as it’s given in moderation. A couple of time as week of distilled water should be OK for most dogs.
The other days of the week, you can still give your dog distilled water but you’ll have to add minerals, which is pretty simple. Distilled water with minerals is way better than any other kind of water because it kills two birds in one shot. One the one hand you have clean water that has been stripped of all the bad stuff: contaminants, chemicals, impurities, etc, etc. All components that over time may make you and your pet sick. On the other hand, by adding minerals to water you now have water that’s clean and pure and it only contains the good nutrients, the minerals, which are essential for everyone.
Now most healthy humans get all of their minerals and nutrients from food so, you don’t have to add minerals if you don’t want to for your own consumption, but for your dog and other pets, you’ll have to add it most of the times. You can add minerals to your own water if you prefer the taste, if you want the extra minerals (hey, it makes you healthier!), or if you workout a lot and need to replace your “fake” sports drinks with your own re-hydrating water; you can even add some citruses and make your own flavored super healthy sports drink.
Speaking of working out, if you have a very active dog, a dog you take for long walks or who runs around the yard frequently, adding minerals to his distilled water will help him re-hydrate quickly as well, it will work wonders for the health of your pet.
