# Distilled Water?????? Need your input...



## Kaylee's Mom (Mar 7, 2016)

Hi Everyone. I took Kaylee to the Vet for her last Vaccinations yesterday morning. She is now 14 weeks old and weighing 3 lbs 2 ounces. She has a lot of tear staining. I asked the Vet and she said it was from the Teething and she would always have some tear staining. I then took Kaylee to Petsense here in town. Someone there came up to us and told me to start using Distilled Water for her Drinking Water and the tear stains would go away. 
Well...Being a good Maltese Mommy and a Nurse, I came home did a little research first. I don't want to do any harm to Kaylee. I had rather her be healthy and have tear staining then to be unhealthy and constantly in a Vet office for a choice of Distilled Water. But what I found out was that Distilled water is dry, will cause them to drink more water, causing more accidents of voiding, And Distilled water does not have any of the Potassium, nutrients, and minerals that they need. Which in turn will cause Heart Problems, Kidney Problems, Tumors, ETC. Not happy with the results that I found. 
So, I would like your input because I have read that some of you here on "Spoiled Maltese" do use Distilled Water. Should I buy a filter to attach to our Tap Water. Our Drinking/Tap Water is just fine. 
Or what can you tell me to do for the Tear Staining. 
I have tried to upload some pictures, but I don't know where they went. I will try to upload some pictures again today for you.
Thanks Everyone.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Tear staining is very common in puppies and becomes less once the adult teeth come in. I wouldn't actively try to stop them until that point. However, by making sure that you are feeding a great food (grain free and with a named protein as one of the first two ingredients) and adding probiotics, you will reduce the stating. 

I don't know personally about distilled water, although I've read quite a few articles that say drinking ONLY distilled water is harmful to humans for the reasons you've stated. I give the girls the same filtered tap water I drink.


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

Chrissy, Snuggles, and our two Cats, only get regular Bottled Water (Crystal Springs) and they are doing great.


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

I give my two distilled water because of Riley's MVD. I have never heard that it will cure tear stains.


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

Daisy had pretty bad staining until she was 8 months old. At 8 months she was spayed and had her puppy teeth removed (11 of them) because they weren't coming out on their own and were changing how her adult teeth were growing in. Within a week of the puppy teeth being gone I noticed a difference in her tear staining and now at one year she just gets eye gunk. We also feed grain free food (Fromms Four Star) and she drinks filtered water from a Brita (our city water is gross, I don't drink it myself so why would I give it to my dog). Distilled water would be more expensive than tap or a brita. We use a gerbil water bottle on a stand for dogs and I think that helps. This way her face hair doesn't get wet from drinking.

It's funny for me to hear of Malts that are so big. Really Daisy is just tiny (Korean lines) and at a year old is 3.5lbs.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Logically, it would make sense. Distilled water is acidic and it would make the tears more acidic, which would make it more difficult for the bacteria and fungi (that are associated with tear staining) to grow.

But there is a big but --


However, long term distilled water is safer because it is more neutral and will not cause health problems associated with acidity.


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

It also has no mineral content and they do need certain minerals in water to be beneficial


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

wkomorow said:


> Logically, it would make sense. Distilled water is acidic and it would make the tears more acidic, which would make it more difficult for the bacteria and fungi (that are associated with tear staining) to grow.
> 
> But there is a big but --
> 
> ...


That should have said long term ***filtered*** water is safer.


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

wkomorow said:


> That should have said long term ***filtered*** water is safer.


I agree with Walter that long term filtered water is safer. For every discussion on the subject, there is a different opinion on the safety of distilled water. For me it comes down to the fact that distilled water is completely unnatural.
I give my pets the same filtered water that we drink. I avoid buying bottled water, because the companies who sell it do some really evil stuff to obtain it. Really, really evil...but that is another discussion.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I have always heard & read that it is NOT a good idea to use distilled water for humans or pets and so I have never done it (for a lot of reasons already mentioned). I do give my 2 filtered tap water as the water in Vienna is excellent & tastes much better than any US water I have ever had.
Tear staining in babies is normal. I suggest you read some of the posted articles here as there are some things you will want to practice & get your baby used to while she is small that will help prevent stains later.


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## Smtf773 (Apr 8, 2015)

I toggled Edward between smartwater and Fiji. AZ water is terrible. It's what I drink so same for him. Definitely use a bottle feeder. Edward used to stick his whole face in his water bowl he he he.:HistericalSmiley:


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## Kaylee's Mom (Mar 7, 2016)

Thanks Everyone for your advice. I think for now I will continue to use our tap water and look at a Filtering System. Sounds much healthier to me.
Thanks again...


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