Your Pet May Not Be Getting Enough Water

Your pet needs to drink one ounce of water per pound of body weight each day – especially during the scorching summer months.

According to pet product maker PetSafe, pets are at risk of dehydration, heat stroke or sunburn at this time of year. It is especially important that your pet has plenty of fresh clean water to drink

PetSafe points out that, unlike human bodies, which are made up of 55-60 percent water, a pet’s body is made up of 80 percent water. Therefore, dehydration is an even bigger danger for pets than it is for humans.

The company recommends using a pet fountain to encourage pets to drink more – especially on hot days. The fountain offers pets filtered, oxygenated water.

This is important, since pets (especially cats) are a lot more turned off by stagnant, stinky water than people think. Just why do you think dogs are so fond of drinking out of toilets? We may see them as gross, unsanitary water sources, but to a dog a toilet represents water that’s changed out several times a day.

Pet fountains also feature water that is moving, which is a sign of freshness and oxygenation that animals are instinctively drawn toward.

Of course, PetSafe sells pet fountains – but so do a lot of other brands, including Catit/Dogit, Pets Stop, Pioneer Pet, K&H, NatureSPA and others.

They sell for as little as $20, and go up to $50 or more. Some even come with built in UV sterilization, for the ultimate in freshness.

Even if you don’t invest in a pet fountain, you could do your pet a huge favor this summer: make plenty of drinking water available, and change the water frequently to keep it fresh. Your loved pets will thank you.