Take 5 for your Pet's Health

   How often do you wash your dishes? Most likely the answer is after every meal. Can you imagine having to eat all of your meals out of one dish that hardly ever got washed? It sounds gross and certainly not something that we would enjoy. Now ask yourself when was the last time that you washed your pet’s food and water bowls out with soap and hot water. If it is longer than yesterday, please stop reading this, take five minutes and go wash them. I’ll wait for you. Thanks, they’ll appreciate it. Okay, let’s talk about why it is so important to clean your pet’s bowls.

   We refresh their drinking water throughout the day whenever we see that it is low or yucky with dog slime. We’re usually in a hurry so we pour out the water in the sink and refill the bowl straight from the tap. Before you realize it, it is time to change their water or feed them again. It’s the same routine day after day. Oops, you forgot to wash out their bowls…again. They are staring at you and eagerly awaiting their bowls to be set down. It won’t hurt to wash them later. You’ll remember, right? Maybe not and before you know it, they have been eating and drinking out of bowls that haven’t been washed in a week. 
  Does it really matter to your dog if the bowl is a little yucky around the edges? After all, this is the same dog that you’ve caught drinking out of the toilet and eating disgusting things in the yard. The truth is that even if they don’t seem to care; you should. According to the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) ranking, our dog’s bowls are the fourth dirtiest spot in our home.  Not only can it make for a dirty area, but 45% of pet bowls harbor E. coli, Salmonella, and Yeast/Mold.  

   Our dogs are adorable, but some of them have rather nasty habits. If they happen to lick their feet or more private parts before drinking, those germs are transferred to the water. They eat their food and then drink some water. You’ve probably seen bits of food floating around in the dish after they quench their thirsts. This can cause a slimy residue to begin forming. 

How to Clean Your Dog’s Bowls

·       Wash them by hand with hot water and a mild detergent. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry.

·       Check to see if the bowls are dishwasher safe. If you use plastic bowls, be sure to put them on the top rack so they don’t melt.

·      Homemade cleanser works well. Mix Baking soda, warm water, and salt in equal parts to form a paste.  

·       Scrub the bowls in a circular motion, washing both the inside and outside.

 The NSF recommends soaking the bowls for 10 minutes with one part bleach and warm water. *Follow this with a complete washing and rinsing.

We hope that you join us for the worldwide Pet Parade blog hop hosted by Dash Kitten and co-hosts Basil & the B Team and me! You can share a wordless or wordy post or tweet to be shared on social media. All DOGS, CATS and any other pet blog is welcome. If you want eyes on your post, don’t let the Parade pass you by!

Please stop by Basil and the B Team blog and share some good thoughts with our co-host, Cathrine. She had an accident and is quite banged up. She is going to be immobile for at least the next ten days.

💖 Feel better soon, Cathrine! 💖

Center>

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.