It’s a beautiful summer day, and you’re out at the park, having a great time with your dog.
Suddenly, you realize you forgot to put a bottle of fresh water in your backpack, which means you both only have a sparkling variation you brought for yourself.
So, is it ok to just give your favorite pet a little bit of bubbles or should you try to find a place where you can buy some clean water?
Today’s article is all about that, so let’s find all you need to know about dogs and sparkling beverages together!
Table of Contents
So, Can Dogs Drink Sparkling Water?
Dogs can drink sparkling water but it should only be offered when no other water source is available. The carbonation that causes the bubbles in sparkling water can lead to stomach upset if routinely given to dogs.
It’s not a necessary nor recommended part of a dog’s regular diet, so there’s no particular reason why you should add it.
Still, if you really want to freshen your dog’s beverage choice, you can do it – but, as mentioned, in small amounts.
Sparkling water doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients that can immediately harm your pet or cause any issues if you, for instance, don’t have any other drink you could give to your dog. After all, it’s just water with bubbles.
What Happens If a Dog Drinks Sparkling Water?
Just because your dog CAN ingest something without feeling an instant pain or going through immediate health issues, the question still remains IF you should give it to them.
There is not much information on this since not much research covers this particular area.
Your dog may not have a reaction after drinking sparkling water, true. Still, there’s a rare chance there might be too much gas buildup because of it.
Sparkling water may lead to bloat, which can be a concern especially when it comes to bigger dogs.
Will Sparkling Water Kill a Dog?
As we’ve already mentioned, bloating can cause serious troubles when it comes to certain types of dogs.
As a matter of fact, it can even be a life-threatening issue that can predominantly harm large and giant dogs.
These are mostly labeled as physically deep-chested dogs.
Bloat is an enlargement of the dog’s stomach. After it gets bigger, the stomach starts to subsequently rotate on its axis – this particular condition is sometimes described as a twisted stomach.
The problem happens in a couple of stages. First of all, as the term says itself, the dog’s stomach becomes abnormally big.
It distends with liquid, food, or/and gas. Some believe that dry food can slow digestion and stomach emptying which increases the chances of bloating.
After the stomach distends beyond a critical point, it starts rotating on its axis.
Since the stomach is twisted, the exit point that leads into the small intestine becomes blocked.
That blockage causes even more fluid and gas to accumulate. The stomach is already distended beyond normal causing the stomach’s blood supply to be cut off.
This particular disease can progress pretty quickly and, if it ever happens, you need to get veterinary help as soon as possible.
Not only is a bloating condition extremely painful, but a dog that’s struggling with this problem can die if it doesn’t receive emergency care as soon as possible.
Can Dogs Drink Flavored Sparkling Water?
Dogs really don’t need any added sodium or sugar in any drink they consume.
Some sparkling drinks like diet sodas have certain elements such as xylitol. American Animal Hospital Association implies xylitol can lead to liver disease, interrupt the blood’s ability to clot as well as lower your dog’s blood sugar level.
Research shows you can find this element in some versions of sugar-free peanut butter and similar other foods.
The more flavors the drink has, the worse for your dog since none of those artificial colorings and flavors are healthy or recommended for your pet to consume.
Can Dogs Have Alka Seltzer Water?
Alka Seltzer appeared in the pharmaceutical world in 1931.
Ever since its beginnings, it promised to help with various symptoms such as headaches, fevers, different types of pain, or an upset stomach.
It was never intended to be used for animals – this pain reliever was specifically invented for humans.
Knowing this, dogs shouldn’t be treated with human medications, especially since there are special ones made for animals that you can get from a vet.
Of course, you can also go with natural remedies to help your beloved pet fight its issues.
However, some people tend to treat certain conditions of their animals by giving them medications made for humans.
Despite the fact some manage to solve the problem that way, Alka Seltzer is really not one of those tablets that can come as a safe solution to treat your dog’s health problems.
It contains acetaminophen in plenty of different varieties. This particular ingredient can cause serious issues with your dog’s liver as well as its stomach lining.
Dogs don’t have bodies equipped for such medications, which is why they can’t handle the dosage a typical Alka Seltzer tablet has, since it’s adjusted to the needs of the normal human body.
This medication also has citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.
These elements can truly harm their stomach lining as well as be toxic. Of course, to cause some serious trouble, your dog would have to consume a bigger portion of such ingredients, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
There are many dog-friendly and natural medications that are specifically intended to help your beloved pet and ease potential issues, which is why there’s really no need to give it something intended for yourself.
So, why Is Fresh Water The Best Choice After All?
Clean and fresh un-carbonated water is definitely the best choice when it comes to finding the best way to keep your pet hydrated.
It’s their natural choice that helps with digestion, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, and flushes out waste products from your pet’s body.
As already said, dogs really don’t need any added sodium or sugar, and, since it can do more harm than good to their bodies, sparkling beverages are certainly more fun to us than they are to them.
The recommended amount of water you should give your pet is around one ounce per pound of its body weight per day.
To make sure your dog is properly hydrated, prepare a bowl of water wherever it spends most of its time.
Make the water one of the essentials whenever you go to the dog park, both for yourself and your favorite pet. Taking care of your dog is a great way to remember things we often forget about our bodies too!
Some Final Words
Even though it may sound fun to share some of your favorite beverages with your dog, remember water should be its primary way of hydration.
Just regular, clean, maybe even filtered water (if you live in the area where tap water is not safe) is simply always preferred over the carbonated one.
Serving it to your pet on a regular basis is the best treat you can provide it with.
However, if you still decide to go with sparkling variation, keep it in small amounts. It probably won’t do any harm if it’s just an occasional treat.