Forum Discussion

Happytraveler's avatar
Jul 19, 2017

Smart Water for Dogs?

We started drinking water with electrolytes because of leg cramps and it seems to work for us. I was wondering is this water harmful to dogs. I usually give her tap water, but when we go out I give her bottled water. I was wondering if Smart Water is bad for a dog. Really no problem buying both kinds of waters.
  • Electrolytes is a fancy name for salt. I can't imagine it would hurt the dogs, but I doubt they would benefit from it.
  • I would do it for my dogs but having to fill the toilet all the time for them to get a drink would be that hard part!
  • jake2250 wrote:
    I would do it for my dogs but having to fill the toilet all the time for them to get a drink would be that hard part!
    :B
  • Unless heart or kidney disease is present, probably not an issue. If your dog has heart or kidney issue, consult your vet.

    Since dogs don't sweat and lose electrolytes from sweating, I'm not sure electrolyte levels are regular problems absent some metabolic issue. We often use electrolyte solutions for replenishment after bouts of vomiting or diarrhea.
  • I would do it for my dogs but having to fill the toilet all the time for them to get a drink would be that hard part!

    Know what you mean, once had a dog that would sit for hours waiting for someone to flush the toilet and then he would take a drink . Guess he only liked really cold water!
  • I would read the labels very carefully before giving to a pet.

    I found many of these new waters on the market have added sugar substitutes in them to make them more palatable.

    Xylitol comes to my mind first of what to make sure is NOT on the label.
  • dturm wrote:
    Unless heart or kidney disease is present, probably not an issue. If your dog has heart or kidney issue, consult your vet.

    Since dogs don't sweat and lose electrolytes from sweating, I'm not sure electrolyte levels are regular problems absent some metabolic issue. We often use electrolyte solutions for replenishment after bouts of vomiting or diarrhea.


    Thanks for the reply. I just didn't want to rock the boat with Katie because she's had good results with her blood test.
    So far my husband no chronic leg cramps at night for 10 days by drinking water with electrolytes, LOL.
  • General dehydration can cause leg cramps. Just drinking the amount of water you should be getting daily along with extra if you are sweating should stop the cramps. It did for me . I didn't realize how many long hours I was working in the garden, sweating and not drinking until I started having the leg cramps. Searched the internet for possible causes and realized that was probably true. Started making sure I drank more water and problem solved.
  • Happytraveler wrote:
    dturm wrote:
    Unless heart or kidney disease is present, probably not an issue. If your dog has heart or kidney issue, consult your vet.

    Since dogs don't sweat and lose electrolytes from sweating, I'm not sure electrolyte levels are regular problems absent some metabolic issue. We often use electrolyte solutions for replenishment after bouts of vomiting or diarrhea.


    Thanks for the reply. I just didn't want to rock the boat with Katie because she's had good results with her blood test.
    So far my husband no chronic leg cramps at night for 10 days by drinking water with electrolytes, LOL.

    I know it works for leg cramps...I could drink a gallon of water an hour and still have leg cramps.
    Smartwater works very well for me more than likely because of the added potassium and magnesium, whatever it is, it works.
    I've never given it to my dogs though.

    Sher
  • I'm not the expert, but in my opinion, if it is doesn't hurt somehow people, why it should hurt pets? For example, I have a goldendoodle and before I took it I read a lot of information about the breed to know how to take care about especially this kind of dogs. Nowhere were written that water with electrolytes can be dangerous for them. So, in my opinion, it's okay for dogs, if you still have doubts, you can find some websites with more information. For example this one https://petpls.com/do-goldendoodles-shed/, here i learned how to get rid of the hair everywhere.