If you have recently started to add alkaline water to your daily drinking regimen, I can understand that.
You would be like millions of others that expect to get some health benefits from doing that and there is no real evidence supporting that this practice can be detrimental to your health.
But there is one aspect to drinking alkaline water that you may have not thought about much.
That’s if it’s good for your dog to drink alkaline water if you share the same water source with your four-legged friend.
The answer to this question is yes in most cases but I will also point out in this article a few notable exceptions.
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What is Alkaline Water?
Water, like all liquids, can have a test performed on it to determine whether is falls into an acidic or alkaline range. This is called a pH test.
Once you test your home’s water for it’s pH, you will get a number that falls on the above pH scale. That number will tell you if your home water’s pH is acidic, neutral, or alkaline.
Neutral pH of water is considered to be 7. Anything lower than that and your water is said to be acidic and any pH number higher than 7 means you have alkaline leaning water.
Alkaline water is water that is considered to be 7.5 to 10 in pH because any higher pH number than that, you would not want to ingest into your body because it would be harmful.
As you search for your favorite alkaline water brand, you will find that most fall between 8 to 9.5 in pH.
You may also hear Alkaline water referred to as ionized water because of the minerals and salts that are added into it to raise its alkalinity level.
Alkaline water is become popular to drink because of the health benefits that it may give you which include:
- It may lower acid reflux in the body
- Some say it provides for better antioxidant activity (helps fight cancer)
- It can help your body’s pH balance
- Drinking it may help give you surplus energy
- It’s thought to increase metabolism (promotes weight loss)
- May provide better nutrient absorption
Natural Alkaline Water Vs Artificial Alkaline Water
There are two types of alkaline water. Those that come from natural underground sources and water that has been purified and processed to become more alkaline.
Natural Alkaline Water
As was mentioned, alkaline water is also called ionized water. It can become naturally ionized as water passes down through mineral beds in the ground on the way to the underground aquifers that it’s sourced from.
An example of a natural alkaline water that you can buy online or in the store is Icelandic Glacial. It has a natural alkalinity of 8.4 and comes in several different flavor choices.
One think that you will notice when shopping for alkaline water is that natural alkaline water usually has a lower pH than artificial alkaline water.
Artificial Alkaline Water
Artificial alkaline water is alkaline leaning water that was made that way by man-made processes. This includes adding minerals to it to support ionization that tends to make water more alkaline.
You will also probably notice that alkaline water that’s artificially created usually has a higher pH than naturally sourced alkaline water.
A good example of artificial alkaline water is a brand called Essentia. It has a pH level of 9.5 or higher, is super pure due to microfiltration, and has been infused with electrolytes.
Another good example of man made alkaline water is creating high pH water by purchasing one of the best alkaline water machines on the market.
Is Alkaline Water Safe for Dogs?
I will keep this short and simple. I have read nothing that suggests giving your dog alkaline water to drink may harm them. You will read about a few notable exceptions to that next.
It also makes sense that your dog would reap some of the same health benefits that you would if what was thought to come from drinking alkaline water is true.
So, if you decide to give your dog alkaline water, just monitor them closely for any ill effects as you first introduce high pH water into their diet.
Should Dogs Drink Alkaline Water?
As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, there are some situations where you would be discouraged to give your dog alkaline water.
Here is what those are:
- 30 minutes before and after meals – This is because alkaline water will lower the acidity level in your dog’s stomach. That will make it harder for your pet to digest its food and can lead to gas, cramps, bloating and other problems.
- Do not use it when giving your dog its meds – once again this has to do with lowering the acidity in your dog’s stomach. This will decrease the absorption rate of the medicine that you are giving your dog.
- Do not give alkaline water to puppies or dogs that are nursing their puppies – this is thought to be more precautionary than anything else.
Summing Up Giving Dogs Alkaline Water
So, is it ok to give your dog alkaline water? It seems that it would be safe to do so in most instances.
But some of the thought process as to whether to give your dog alkaline water or not follows the same thought process as to whether you should drink alkaline water or not.
That includes there is not much research that confirms drinking alkaline water offers all the health benefits that it’s supposed to.
To be fair, there really is no evidence that any harm has come to a person or their pet because of following an alkaline water regimen either.
My advice to you is if you decide to add alkaline water into your dog’s diet, that you do so slowly.
As you gradually increase the amount of alkaline water that your dog drinks, stop giving it to them if you start to see it is having an adverse impact on them.
You may also want to consult with your dog’s veterinarian before giving your dog alkaline water.
