Is it OK for a dog to drink stream water?

Question

We certainly wouldn't do it.... too many germs, we'd have to boil it or chlorinate it first. Why would or wouldn't it be good for a dog?

Sometimes I take my dog on a walk and we forget to bring water and he ends up drinking out of a stream. right now in summer the water is not flowing that fast and the water is shallow but he likes to run through it and lap it up

Answer 1

Actually this is very complicated, since you put in some points associated with immunology and bacteriology (my background) and I do have some time to respond. There is a problem with reductionism here.

First, humans more than other animals tend to be immune compromised in the western world. When people travel to other countries, they may become ill from the water or from consuming what normally serves as cultural 'street food' (like their equivalent of hot dog stands) for the natives. Some travelers are not affected like this when they travel and tend to be rather robust in health.

There are different reasons for this. Many people in westernized countries eat 'well' but the nutritional content of their food is diminished. (see McCully source below)

It is now quite common for people of westernized countries to have irritable bowel, and various other gastro-intestinal problems. Very few regularly consume probiotics in a natural form. Probiotics used to be very important because if one couldn't refrigerate food, it would be preserved by drying (which isn't sterile) or by lactofermentation (lactic acid producing bacteria compete with opportunistic or pathological varieties of micro-organisms and preserve the foods).

In countries where cultural foods are still common, lactic acid ferment foods, such as fish sauce, kim chee, yogurts (not the pasturized processed kind), and other natural ferments are consumed every day. In some of these countries, the water may be less than optimal, yet they do not get sick because their normal flora tends to be robust.

Why this is all relevant. ...

The dog does not spend a lot of time eating clean things from jars and packages, and going ew ewwey ewwwww when told that their kefir is filled with bacteria and living colonies of beneficial yeast. :) They normally do not consume food that has been immediately cooked and prepared - the stuff in the kibble bags is not sterile (although it is far from ideal - see McCully reference). Their normal flora tends to be stronger and more vigorous, as they are usually consuming dirt when cleaning themselves and can often bury something that is raw and consume it days later without harm. (the microbiology of cooked food and raw food is different - cooked food spoils faster because it is more damaged and doesn't support LAB as well)

Anyway, that is where the difference is primarily between the human health as it is now, and how our dogs are. And we can't really explain that difference by saying there are more germs or whatever.

Now as to the particulars of a stream, not all steams are equal. Some may have a large amount of contamination of some type, from chemical to protozoal, or other such -- particularly if the chosen spot is relatively stagnant and a long way from its source. So knowing a bit about the stream itself can help guide decision making. A larger, faster moving stream with a lot of varied flora along the banks will tend to aerate better and may be healthier to imbibe than a very thin, slow moving one with sparse vegetation or limited diversity around it.

I have several kinds of critters and also familiar with the lifestyles and dogs of livestock producers. I've traveled to different places around the world (not born American). Generally the farming types don't get the same amount of trouble with pesky allergies and other immune compromise as do the urban types who regularly wisk down their floors with disinfectants and normally eat canned foods and sterile stuff with extended shelf life. As well, our 'farm' dogs do regularly consume various type of animal scat - from goats, horses, poultry, consume bugs and some rodents with some regularity. :p

...ask a simple question :)

Answer 2

Well, my dog doesn't because we don't live near a stream, but I would check alot of the water first before drinking it! You never know if there's a dead animal floating in the stream just on the other side! Especially don't drink it if there's pond scum and stuff! I don't mean to worry you, but I would only let my dog drink it if he was dehydrating, and we had no other water..... Hope I helped!

~Nicole ;-)

Answer 3

They CAN pick up giardia from drinking stream water. That said, I think they must have a stronger stomach than humans and can ward off disease better. Just make sure the stream water is fairly clean and does not look like it has oil or other pollutants in it.

Answer 4

Not a good idea, especially in the summer when the stream flows are down, and especially in an urban or suburban area. No telling where the runoff comes from--streets, factories, junkyards, etc.

Answer 5

My dog also drinks from the toilet. Besides, people used to only drink spring/creek water or water from a well - it won't hurt a thing! IN fact, I'm not so sure that the cholorinated water is good for them anyway!

Answer 6

I wouldn't think so, unless you knew absolutely for sure the stream was safe. It could have bacteria in it that could make a dog sick.

Answer 7

My dogs play with me in the woods, and frink stream water all the time..

Answer 8

that water is fine, probily cleaner then your house water, as it flows over the rocks and such it is being cleaned. Pond water is not so good because it sit's

Answer 9

If dog can drink from the toilet so i think it is ok so yea it is ok.!.!.!

Answer 10

my dog drinks toilet water and he's okay