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My dog struggles to pee. Is distilled water safe for him to drink?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 20 days old | 4 lbs

Bud spent time living in his litter mates waste. When I got him he was struggling to urinate. Having had many pets in the past I knew it wasn't incontinence. I recognized similarities with a condition my cat had where his urethra was blocked. We switched him to distilled water and massage his bladder and urethra during a warm morning bath. This has helped, but I've been told distilled water is bad for dogs. My main question is, should I continue to give him distilled water? Stop? Or stop soon?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA

Veterinarian

Published on September 27th, 2017

Distilled water is not a good idea for dogs that are suspected to have bladder stones. Regular water contains salt and other minerals that increase thirst causing the dog to drink more, thus diluting the urine. In fact, some internists recommend adding salt to the pet's diet. Bud would also benefit from a urinary specific diet such as Royal Canine s/o, that helps reduce the occurrence of bladder stones.

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    Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi and thanks for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Distilled water, if given a lot of frequently or is the only source of water for the dog is not a good thing. Distilled water, unlike regular spring water, does not contain any minerals in it which help keep dogs healthy. If Bud is only drinking distilled water, he is getting no minerals which can be harmful to his health. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can occur when distilled water is the only water an animal is drinking. I would stop now and switch to spring water. I hope this helps and thanks again for your question!

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