How often you should wash your pet’s food and water bowl
No one likes dirty dishes – not even our pets – but, chances are they’re eating and drinking out of them every day. According to the Centre for Veterinary Medicine at the US Food and Drug Administration, you should be washing Fido’s food bowl after every meal. Yep, every meal – even dry food.
Because their mouths and tongues come into direct contact with the bowl or dish, they’re constantly spreading it with microbes and bacteria, which can grow and cause contamination. “What kind of bacteria grow in the bowls depends on factors like the environment, exposure and oral hygiene of the animal, but possible examples include Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacteria and, less frequently, Salmonella and Pseudomonas,” the FDA warns.
And it’s not just pets who should be worried – if Rex gets infected, you could, too. Likewise, their water bowl should be washed every couple of days – slightly less frequently than their food bowl as it experiences less direct contact with your pet’s mouth.
So, there you have it! Tell us in the comments below, how often do you clean out your pet’s bowls? Do you think you’ll wash them more frequently from now on?