What’s wrong with this picture?
If you keep water outside for your dog to drink, let your dog play in the water sprinkler, or have a kiddie pool for your dog, then you might want to have a look at this new study released by the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and published on Healthy Stuff.org. The portion of the study pertaining to garden hoses contains a number of findings which should be alarming to pet owners. The primary concerns are the findings of concentrations of phthalates and lead which exceed content standards of the Safe Water Drinking Act (SWDA). Garden hoses are not regulated by SWDA.
You may be familiar with the group of chemicals known as phthalates due to a number of articles in major pet publications and blogs warning of the dangers of phthalates in soft plastic toys, vinyl dog beds, and plastic food and water dishes. After a recent review of several such articles, however, I was surprised to find that not one mentioned the high concentration of phthalates in the common garden hose. In the Ecology Center study, 100% of the garden hoses sampled for phthalates contained four phthalate plasticizers currently banned in children’s products. Bear in mind as you read about the hazards of phthalates detailed in the study that our knowledge of these effects comes primarily from studies in animals, some of which were conducted in Beagles, and are therefore probably even more relevant for the animal population.
Lead was found in the Ecology Center study to exceed 100 parts per million (ppm) in 50% of the garden hoses tested. This lead content is a source for potential lead poisoning in dogs, especially if they drink garden hose water every day. Lead is found in garden hoses in both the fittings (primarily brass) and the plastic hose material, and you will probably not find a warning on the label that it is not safe to drink from the hose unless you are ordering a garden hose online or purchasing one in the state of California. Companies which sell their products in California are subject to Proposition 65, which requires businesses to notify Californians about significant amounts of chemicals in the products they purchase. Some companies only include warnings on the labels of garden hoses that are specifically destined for shipment to California, as this is the only state in which it is required. This was verified to me by several customer service representatives I spoke with via telephone.
The Ecology Center makes a number of recommendations to consumers based on the findings of their study, including sparing pets from lead poisoning by filling pools and water bowls with a lead free hose. If you have read enough already to desire to run right out and purchase one however, hold on just a minute. More than likely, the only lead free hose you will find available at a store in your immediate area will be a 25 ft., 1/2 inch diameter white hose with blue stripes that is labelled for RV and marine use. I have the particular hose pictured in the preceding link, and it is also labelled as meeting California toy standards for phthalate content. I found the 25 ft. hoses at both Lowe’s and Home Depot, and they are also commonly available at boating and camping stores. If you need a larger diameter, longer hose for kennel or farm animal use, or wish to water the yard without contaminating your soil with lead, then you will probably have to order online. Note that once the hose is used with a spray nozzle that it can no longer be considered a “drinking water safe” hose. Thus far I have not been able to locate a lead free spray nozzle, and therefore no longer use a nozzle as pictured in the photos accompanying this post. If anyone knows who manufactures one, please let me know.
Once your lead free hose contacts a spray nozzle, it is no longer drinking water safe.
An additional danger to dogs from garden hoses is burns. Although a water hose should not be left outside in the sun because this can increase the leaching of chemicals into the water, many people do leave their hoses outside. With the current high temperatures, if a dog runs through the water before the hose has run off, this can result in a major burn. The symptoms of the burn may not appear until several days later. In a field study conducted by pathologists in Texas, two water hoses left outside for two hours in temperatures of 89 to 94 F contained water with a temperature of 120 F. For more information on garden hose thermal scald injury, please see Have You Heard: The danger of the garden hose from dvm360.com.
Photos by Bosun Dawg ©2011-2012 All Rights Reserved
Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Thanks for the info… I don’t let Boomer and Dottie drink from the hose but I bathe them outside in the summer with it. Looks like I need to rethink that plan!
Why not – using lead free hoses is an easy way to go a little more green.
Looks like I get to go shopping!
See if you can find me a lead free spray nozzle. :)
Wow, I never would have thought they would be dangerous to drink from. I have a habit of drinking directly from the hose whenever I water the garden in this excessive heat (which Anthony says is disgusting). I’ve done that my whole life and I will never drink from them again or use them for anything but watering the garden or washing the car. That can’t be good to fill up baby pools for children either. Thank you for all of the info. I’ll be on the lookout for one of the ‘green’ hoses you mentioned.
Shame there’s no major federal entity out there who cares to ensure that we are informed of the harmful chemicals contained in the products we use. Perhaps the you know who is really working for the manufacturers same as the other you know who seems to be working for the drug companies.
Thanks for the information Bsoun Dog. I’d no idea of the dangers. I was aware old lead piping in UK houses can contribute to early dementia, but never imagined lead could be a problem in garden hoses. Great pictures!
You’re welcome bracken5, and thank you!
I’m so disappointed. I don’t think my person will be letting me drink from the garden hose any more. I’d better send her out to get me a safe hose.
Ah Bongo, so many dangers to worry about!
Had never actually thought about the quality/safety aspect of drinking water from a hose, haven’t done it since I was a child and tend to fill the dog’s water dish from the kitchen sink or laundry because it is easier. Our hose is generally in the shade but in summer the water can still be scalding so we always let it run cold before washing the dogs and the only time we put the hose near their mouths is when one of them decides to chase cane toads, the hose water is definitely the lesser of two evils. Thanks for the heads up! Learning something new every day.
I have too many water bowls plus tubs large enough for the dogs to get into, or I would carry the water out of the house. I do carry some of it from the house. It seems a little far fetched to me that someone would wet their dog with the water hose before letting it run off, but since I read the article I am not so sure. I don’t drink from the hose either, but when the heat index is over 100 F I have been known to run it over my head. :) Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for the warning, being a Tibbie who hates water I have never drunk or gone near any water except the water in my bowl – except for that time I fell in the swimming pool but we won’t talk about that!
However, it would never have occurred to me to be worried about the hose until you mentioned it. I shall now treat it as public enemy number one.
It never occurred to me either Zac, until I saw a warning on a water hose package. Then I had to follow my nose and investigate the matter. I’m sorry you fell into the pool!
Such an important post! Am forwarding to a couple of friends who are big dog lovers!
There were so many articles after the Ecology Center study came out about kids and garden hoses that it was dizzying. I kept waiting for someone to mention dogs, but no one did.
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Well Bosun Dawg, that is the very first we’ve heard about this danger. Thanks very much for bringing it to our attention. We’ll certainly be looking into it further and will try to find the hose you talk about. Not sure if we’ve seen that colour way in Europe but there are lots of ships chandlers around.
Basically what you are looking for is an old fashioned rubber hose or polyurethane hose with lead free fittings. The most recent one I purchased is polyurethane and I really like it, but it was more expensive and smaller in diameter. Thanks for reading and for your comment.
My Mum says thank you for posting this article – she has learnt something new today, and she certainly will be looking into garden hoses now, to see what they are made of here in New Zealand. I don’t drink from the hose or play with it, but I do have a plastic paddling pool for the few weeks of summer when it’s warm enough to need a cool down. Mum’s going to look more closely at that, as well.
Thank you!
Big WOOFS from Solo :-)
Thank you for reading Solo, and you are very welcome. Arooo to you.