Can Sparkling Water Kill a Dog? [Advice]

Is Sparkling Water Lethal if Consumed by Dogs?

As ridiculous as it sounds sparkling water technically could kill a dog. Although the chances of this happening are extremely unlikely. Bloating in dogs can be potentially fatal likewise dogs can be poisoned by sweeteners such as Xylitol. It’s worth noting these are extreme cases and the probability of this happening is very low. 

Sparkling water or carbonated water is a well-known thirst-quenching drink with a global market size valued at around 30 billion dollars. It’s certainly a popular fizzy drink and as humans, we tend to want to share things we enjoy personally with friends, family, and sometimes our pets. Maybe you want to treat your dog or maybe even in a bizarre situation you only have sparkling water available to give to your dogs. So can dogs drink sparkling water? The truth is yes dogs can drink sparkling water buts it’s not advisable. It certainly should not be a long-term replacement for freshwater. In small amounts sparkling water is relatively harmless.

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The truth is dogs don’t particularly like sparkling water either and much prefer freshwater. If you look on youtube there are many videos of dogs reacting badly to drinking it. There isn’t really a valid reason to justify giving your dog any carbonated drink. There are only negatives with zero positives other than to hydrate your dog in a desperate situation.

It might seem like a nice gesture but of course, we have to make the distinction between humans and dogs. Just because we enjoy something doesn’t mean we should give it to our pets and doesn’t mean they will enjoy it too.  We’ve all been guilty of it but we need to use some common sense here.  There are also some potential side effects of giving your dog sparkling/carbonated water. Although exaggerated by many these should be taken seriously. 

Negative Side-Effects of Giving Dogs Sparkling Water

Bloating

If you have ever drunk fizzy/sparkling/carbonated water you probably know already it tends to be very gassy and can make you feel very bloated not to mention the belches that come with it sometimes. It has a similar reaction when dogs consume carbonated water drinks. Bloating in dogs can actually lead to some serious health issues. Bloating in dogs can cause the following symptoms:

• Vomiting and Diarrhea –
• Upset Stomach and Digestive issues
• Swelling and discomfort
• Gas buildup

In the most serious of bloating cases, damage can be caused to a dog’s stomach, which can have serious health implications. All the more reason to not give carbonated drinks to your dogs. Vmccny.com has a great article about bloat in dogs which goes into more depth if you are concerned it’s worth a read.

Sweeteners 

Sparkling water usually does not contain sugar or sweeteners that’s why they are considered healthy for the most part, however, some brands of sparkling water contain harmful ingredients. Some carbonated drinks can contain Xylitol. Xylitol especially is considered harmful for smaller animals such as cats and dogs. There are actually a few confirmed cases of animals that have been poisoned due to sweeteners. Xylitol can cause seizures and even liver failure in dogs so make sure to avoid it at all costs! 

These are very extreme cases and few far and few between I wouldn’t be overly concerned if your dog drinks a small amount of sparkling water but just keep in mind there are potential health concerns if you are unlucky enough to share a brand that has some potentially toxic elements for dogs.

Conclusion – Should Dogs Drink Sparkling Water?

If you are adamant about giving your dog some sparkling water you can but make sure it’s only a small amount and do so knowing that there are potential health risks to your pet by doing so. I believe that if you care about pets you should do what’s right for them giving them unnecessary food or drinks for your own personal entertainment or you are under the impression that dogs enjoy drinking specific things more than others you should rethink the way you care about your pets.

Personally, I find this kind of behavior irresponsible there really is no justification for potentially harming your dog. Maybe I’m overprotective but it’s better safe than sorry especially when it comes to the health of a loved pet.