Your furry friends are a key part of your life, and it makes sense that you want to give them things that are healthy and safe for them. However, how much thought have you put into the water that they are drinking every day? Is it safe to give your dog or cat water straight from the tap? Does hard water affect your pets? Here are the facts every pet owner should know about the safety of tap water, hard water and soft water for animals.
Does Hard Water Affect Your Pets?
Most experts believe that there is no major risk in giving dogs and cats hard water. While hard water does have elevated levels of minerals like magnesium, iron and calcium, there might not be any health impacts as a result of consuming higher levels than usual. One of the ways that hard water affects your pets can be in their urinary health. One 2016 study found a link between pets with urinary issues and parts of the United States known for having very hard water. If your pet is already prone to urinary issues, this means it might be worthwhile to invest in filtration and water testing to correct hardness.
While hard water might not always lead to poor health, many veterinarians caution dog and cat owners against giving their pets untreated tap water. The chemicals added into the water during the treatment process and other contaminants that it might pick up on the way to your home are not always safe for our pets to consume.
Some of the other problems that hard water can lead to include:
- Film left behind on skin and hair after taking a shower
- Eczema, rashes or dermatitis
- Spots on glasses and silverware, including items coming right out of the dishwasher
- Mineral stains on clothes when they come out of the washing machine
- Clothes that are wearing out faster due to the harsh water
- Lower water pressure in the home
- Bathtubs with soap scum and film
What Can Be Done About Hard Water?
A water softener is a tool that can get rid of hard minerals in your water and replace them with sodium ions. We will carefully determine the right water softener for your home based on the level of hardness. In most cases, it does not take very much correction to reverse hard water. Softened water can sometimes taste different than untreated water, and if your pet is on a low-sodium diet you might also need an additional solution to help not only reverse the hardness but also to remove chemicals and contaminants from the water. How can you prevent poor water quality and not have hard water affect your pets? Working with Atlantic Blue Water Center can connect you with great filtration solutions like a reverse osmosis drinking water system, as well as water testing.
How Can You Fix Your Home’s Water?
First, you should start by having your water tested to know about any issues with it. Our full service laboratory can test your water sample to determine if there are chemicals, bacteria, contaminants or other issues present. During your water test, you can also receive information about how hard your water is.
The quality of the water in your home has a direct impact on the health and safety of everyone in your home. If you do not want to let hard water affect your pets, Atlantic Blue Water Center can complete water testing and make sure the water is totally clean. Once we complete the testing and give you information on anything present within your water supply, you can choose the best way to help remedy any issues.
Atlantic Blue Water Services has a full range of treatment options that can help homes of all sizes and with many different needs. Your filtration solution or treatment will be carefully customized to meet your exact needs. Whether you have an existing filtration system that is not getting everything out or you have never invested in a water filtration solution before, we can help you. Our technicians and experts know how to keep you, your family and your pets safe. How can we help you?
Worried About Having Hard Water Affect Your Pets? We Can Help
Atlantic Blue Water Center is here to help homeowners, home sellers, home buyers and business owners in need of a quality water test. If you have a cat or dog and are concerned about the contents of your water, we can complete a wide range of water tests and help you find the right water quality solution for your home. Finding the right water filtration solution does not need to be hard with help from us. Call us today to schedule your water testing at (410) 751-9200.