Even if you don’t immediately know what biofilm is, you have surely already seen it. It is that slimy layer that can be observed on the water bowl – and even on your own water bottle – or if it is not visible, it is definitely detectable if you run your finger along the surface.

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Although bio things usually benefit organisms, this bio unfortunately does not. Biofilm in the dog’s bowl is a leading cause of stomach problems, diarrhoea and bad breath. In the following, we will talk about what this substance actually is and how it can be eliminated.

The formation of biofilm is unavoidable even in the cleanest household, which is why the dog’s bowl must be washed every day / Photo: welovedogz.hu

What is biofilm?

Biofilm is a community of microorganisms – typically bacteria, but also fungi, algae and other microbes – enclosed in a thin, sticky, slimy structure. This sticky film helps the microbes attach to a surface, and also protects them from antibiotics, attacks by the immune system, harsh environmental effects, and other external threats.

Biofilm can form not only in the water bowl – it practically occurs anywhere where bacteria are present and moisture, nutrients and the proper conditions are given. Such places include pipelines, drains, heat sources or even the human body. Biofilm is often brown in colour, but it may also appear grey, green, red, pink or even in all the colours of the rainbow, depending on what kind of bacteria, algae or fungi compose it.

In the water bowl, it easily forms, since the dog contaminates the water with their saliva and food residues while drinking. Moreover, even in the cleanest environment, there are viruses, fungi and bacteria in the air, which can also end up in the bowl.

Does biofilm cause trouble?

As we already hinted at in the introduction – yes. But we would like to confirm this again. Numerous bacteria that cause serious infections – such as Campylobacter, E. coli, and Salmonella – are able to survive in the biofilm that forms in the water bowl. These pathogens, as well as other microbes that cause stomach problems, urinary tract infections, and gum diseases, can also settle in the biofilm and pose a danger to the dog’s health, so the matter must be taken seriously.

How can the formation of biofilm be prevented in the dog’s bowl?

Actually, very simply – but you will need your determination, because you must wash your pet’s bowls every day – 24 hours is exactly enough time for biofilm to form. Especially if the environment is also warm. And this, as we know, is typical in winter due to heating, and in summer due to the high ambient temperature characteristic of the season. Washing should be done with hot, soapy water, or the dishes can even be put into the dishwasher, if the material and design of the items allow it.

Indirectly, regular toothbrushing also delays the formation of biofilm

It is best to choose a bowl for your pet made of glass, ceramic or stainless steel, as on these materials microscopic cracks – in which bacteria can settle – do not, or only less likely, form.

A bonus tip – and it’s worth considering this also from the perspective of the dog’s long-term health – is to keep their mouth clean. This is not some aristocratic whim; our pets live completely differently since they joined us. Get a soft-bristled brush – it must be very soft, since dogs’ gums are as sensitive as those of babies – and toothpaste made for dogs, and brush if possible every day, or every other day.

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