I recently visited a dog whose water was given to him in a plastic waste paper bin – they wanted the depth because he made such a mess when drinking. I used to use a deep plastic plant pot for my five dogs until I read somewhere about chemicals from the plastic leaching into the water. I now use a stainless steel bucket and suggested these clients do the same.
What about galvanized buckets? Farmers routinely use galvanized buckets and watering troughs for horses and livestock. We should ensure that the metal remains intact as this impairs the zinc coating and may release harmful toxins.
Probably ceramic bowls are the safest of all for our dogs’ drinking water to be left in.
Susan Weinstein has written recently in the Whole Dog Journal about the dangers of vinyl (PVC) in dog toys. This is quite scary. To quote:
‘Over the past few years, public concern has increased about the safety of vinyl products, particularly in items made for kids. This concern has focused on the presence of certain additives used almost exclusively in vinyl. In response, nine major governments from around the world and many more municipalities have now banned or advised against the use of these additives in children’s toys, and sometimes also in childcare items’.
Here are some common puppy toys made of a soft, chewy vinyl, ‘but the additives used to soften vinyl can pose health risks to developing puppies, especially under the influence of pressure (chewing), liquid (saliva), and warmth. Toys like these should not be given to puppies’.
PVC contains chlorine which under certain conditions creates dioxins which can cause cancers, reproductive and developmental problems, and immune system damage.
It seems the safest choice of chew toys for dogs is rubber – toys such as Kongs.
