What happens if you don't clean your dog's water bowl?
Jordane Beer
2025-07-03 19:36:14
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If you don't clean your dog's water bowl, pet bowls are the third most contaminated item in the household and are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, such as Salmonella and E. coli that can make you and your pets ill. Ideally, after every use, it is recommended that bowls are washed and cleaned immediately after your pet has finished eating to avoid bacteria growth. If your pet’s bowls are left outside, they should be cleaned twice a day, due to the increased risk of contamination from insects and plant debris. Studies have shown that pet bowls are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, such as Salmonella and E. coli that can make you and your pets ill. To keep you and your pet safe and avoid illness, we encourage you to wash your pet’s bowls regularly.
Sallie Waelchi
2025-06-23 18:04:05
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Failing to regularly wash your dog's food bowl could pose health risks not only to your pet but also to you.
The research, carried out by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), explored the feeding habits of dog owners and evaluated the impact of FDA's hygiene protocols on contamination in dog food dishes.
According to the FDA, this lack of cleanliness poses significant health risks to pets and pet owners as it creates a breeding ground for harmful bacteria like salmonella and listeria.
Both these bacteria can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever, stomach cramps or pain, and nausea in humans, with more severe symptoms in pregnant women, children, adults over 65, and those with weakened immune systems.
Exposure to contaminated dog food can have implications for canine and human health.
For example, there have been multiple outbreaks of both humans and dogs becoming ill after exposure to dog food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria.
These risks may be amplified in households with children and/or immunocompromised individuals, which were over a third of respondents' households.
Proper storage also prevents your pet from getting into his own food and eating too much or getting into your cat's special diet food.
Overeating or eating food that is meant for another pet can lead to health problems, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, or more severe conditions.
If you feel inside the bowl and it's slippery, that's most likely biofilm, a thin layer of bacteria that have been able to grow since the last cleaning.
Read also
- Are public dog water bowls safe?
- Can dogs spread harmful germs from communal water bowls?
- How often should you clean a dog's water bowl?
- How do I keep my outside dog water bowl clean?
- Is it safe for dogs to share a water bowl?
- Are public water fountains safe?
- Is it OK for dogs to share water bowls?
- Can a dirty water bowl make a dog sick?
- Should I leave my dogs water bowl out all day?