As Told By a Vet: The Best Dog Bowls for your Dog

Stainless Steel

Largely considered the number one type of surface on which to feed your dog from by the ‘experts’. The reasons? Apart from its durability and lightweight structure, it is the material that is least likely to harbor pathogens that can make your dog sick. 

This is because, unlike it’s ceramic and plastic counterparts, it is very difficult to scratch (unless you’re using steel wool to clean it – don’t do that!) has no sneaky porous holes, cracks or crevices for food or bugs to get stuck in. Additionally, they are super easy to clean and sanitize. Typically, they are all dishwasher safe (know that you may be purchasing an inferior product if it is not listed as dishwasher safe!) and can withstand boiling water temperatures – heats that most harmful bacteria and other pathogens will not survive at.

However, they are not without fault. Stainless steel bowls have on occasion been found to contain low levels of radiation such as in 2012 when a large number of these bowls were recalled from particular Petco stores for this very reason. In an effort to circumnavigate this, make sure you are purchasing a high quality product that is sourced and manufactured in the USA. As radiation often occurs as a result of recycling scrap metal to make it more affordable.

Silicone

These bowls are the newest material to hit the dog bowl market. And, with very few negative implications to their design (as of right now), they are also some of the most popular. The fascination and excitement around these bowls, stem from their unique durability and flexibility as a direct result of their construction, making them ideal for throwing in your dogs bag or your backpack when hiking, running, going to the dog park or even on overnight trips or plane/car travel etc. Many have a collapsable design for this reason.

As mentioned, so far there hasn’t been any negative implications linked to the use of silicone bowls. However, as they are the newest products available studies are likely still being completed. Stay tuned.

Plastic

Most experts (think veterinarians, veterinary technicians/nurses, dog trainers etc) agree that plastic is perhaps the worst option available when it comes to feeding and watering your furry friends. This is because of the chemicals that may be contained within the materials when they are produced. These chemicals can leach into your dog’s food/water and cause a multitude of health issues as a direct result of these toxic substances your dog is inadvertently consuming.

Additionally, plastic is easily scratched/damaged and these grooves and scratches make a perfect environment for old food particles to become trapped, resulting in the overgrowth of bacteria and other contaminants to which your dog is now being exposed to. This often leads to skin irritation, inflammation and/or infection around the chin and muzzle. As well as the consumption of these pathogens by your dog can lead to other issues in the future. 

Answer: Don’t use plastic.

Ceramic

A step up from plastic, but still has its pitfalls. Ceramic bowls used to be ‘coated’  (and some still are) with a lead-containing glaze. Lead is a very toxic heavy metal and ingestion of this substance over time will lead to multiple health issues for your dog. Prior to purchase, you should see a clear indication somewhere on the bowl, as to whether it was coated with a lead-containing glaze. If you don’t see this, don’t purchase it!

Additionally, if the glaze is ever cracked then the bowel is rendered essentially useless, as the glaze was the protective outer layer to the porous ceramic underneath. And, you don’t want to use a porous substance repetitively to feed your dog. The reason behind this is it will harbor microscopic food particles, leading to bacterial and other pathogen overgrowths. This is impossible to clean out, as there is no way to ensure you have cleaned every tiny porous space in your dog’s bowl no matter how hard you try.

Answer – Steer clear, even if the designs are cute.

Aluminum

Not commonly used in dog bowl construction and this is because the aluminum can leach from the bowl and into the food being consumed by your pup. Large amounts of aluminum can result in many negative health consequences and it is strongly recommended to avoid these bowls. Even if it says on the box that it has been anodized (treated) by an electrolytic process to make it safer.

Answer – Avoid at all costs.