Dogs are at risk of developing serious health issues because many pet owners are overlooking the state of one essential item connected with their beloved animal — the doggie bowl.
Research by the Food and Drug Administration recently reported that just a fifth of dog owners clean their dog's dish once a week — while some (18 per cent) only wash it out once every three months — if at all.
An article in The Mirror stated that as with all pets, their belongings and their environment need to be kept clean in order to prevent diseases from spreading, yet one item that is often forgotten about is their pooch's food bowl. The research said that this "poses significant health risks to pets and pet owners" as it creates an environment where harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and listeria, can thrive.
Both salmonella and listeria in humans is known to cause diarrhoea, fever, stomach cramps and nausea, with symptoms more severe in pregnant women, children, adults aged over 65, and people with weakened immune systems. But Dr Sean McCormack, head vet at tails.com, says this can also apply to the canine and feline members of the family.
Reminding pet owners to wash their dog's food bowls after every use to keep illnesses at bay, he said: "We wouldn't eat repeatedly from the same plate with leftover food remains, nor should our pets. Residual food can lead to bacterial growth over time, and some of those bacteria are potentially harmful not only to our pets but also ourselves.
"Our pets also don't tend to have the best oral hygiene unless we are brushing their teeth daily, so allowing food and water bowls to go days without washing can make for some pretty unpleasant and unsanitary surfaces for them to eat and drink from."
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Dr McCormack recommended cleaning pet bowls and utensils "every day to be on the safe side". He added: "Washing them with hot, soapy water and a scrubbing brush daily is a good idea."
But he also warned owners to keep pet dishes and those used by humans separate. "It's probably a good idea to separate pet washing utensils from our own, again due to the risk of cross contamination of bacteria. Our pets may cope with it just fine, but it could cause illness in humans.
"This is particularly important if you have young, old, immunocompromised or pregnant people in your household. This is another reconsideration whether you wash your pets dishes in the family dishwasher or separately.
"Some people seem not to mind mixing them, but we all have our own hygiene 'icks' — and if you want to be totally safe, I'd recommend washing pet food and water bowls separately."
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