Veterinarians warn pet owners about dangers of letting dogs use public water bowls

BOSTON — Whether taking our four-legged friends on a stroll or to the dog park, pets, just like people, get thirsty and often go looking for the first available bowl of water to quench their thirst.

“They’re dogs. They are going to do what they are going to do,” said dog owner Paul Jackowski.

But those seemingly harmless public water bowls, while enticing to our pets, are often more dangerous than they look, experts say.

“There are several infectious or communicable diseases that dogs can get when they drink out of communal water bowls,” said Lori Teller, professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Nationwide, veterinarians are warning pet owners about the dangers of letting dogs use public water bowls, often found in parks or shops welcoming of dogs.

If not cleaned regularly or if water is left standing for extended periods, veterinarians say those stagnant water bowls can start to retain environmental contaminants.

Mold, toxins and parasites can be found in those bowls, and carrying diseases such as salmonella, leptospirosis, and kennel cough.

“They’re not the cleanest. They’re really not. And they just kind of, you know, they throw them to the side, or there is mud,” said dog owner Tiara Mike.

It’s an issue that Mike said proved deadly for her pet after a visit to the dog park last summer.

“They assumed it was from eating or drinking after other dogs,” Mike said.

But veterinarians say depriving your pets of water can be even more harmful.

“If it’s really hot, and your dog is suffering or in danger of becoming overheated, then the risk of drinking out of the water bowl is going to become a lot less than the risk of your dog getting heat stroke or heat exhaustion or severe dehydration,” Teller said.

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