The problem with certain plastics only comes when foods are heated in them. It takes very high heat for any of the plastic to enter the food. So no, you aren't taking any chances with plastic water and feed containers.

Somebody somewhere has the unique job of trying to scare the pants off of everybody!

When I was growing up, my dogs all ate and drank out of plastic bowls. When I adopted my first dog, I bought the same type of plastic bowls. After a day or so, my dog started rubbing his nose, and I saw it was a little bit red. I switched him to stainless steel, and like magic he was fine!
IMO (just a pet owner,not a professional ;) )as long as your dog isn't allergic to the plastic like mine was, it should be fine.

p-benzylhydroquinone is the compound purportedly responsible for the interference with melanin production. It has nothing to do with whether the rubber or plastic is heated or not. BPA is another chemical under scrutiny and is used as a plastic hardener. It doessupposedly throws off traces whether heated or not.

I use stainless steel waterer for my doggie, but he also has a plastic food dish. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it.

I like ceramic and stainless and may switch him over to the ceramic food bowl, but mostly because it has a very heavy bottom and doesn't be moved about when he feeds.

I should have said safe-ish, inherent qualities of plastic notwithstanding, as calliope pointed out.

One of my first two cats was prone to breakouts on her chin. Vet or someone at the time had recommended switching from the plastic bowls we had been using. Switched to Corelle (Pyrex) bowls for food and for water and problem cleared up for good.

We switched to a flatter, stainless steel bowl (w/rubber base) for water for our two current cats a couple of years ago. When one of them was younger, she used to splash a lot when we used a china bowl for their water (I guess my everyday dishes weren't "fine" enough for her! LOL).

I use ceramic bowls for cats and dogs for their food, and stainless bowls for water. However I just bought a huge melamine water bowl for the dogs. They go thru a lot of water in this hot summer.I hope it won't be a problem.

The problem isn't plastic getting into the food - it's the food getting into the plastic which can't be cleaned well and will harbor bacterial growth. Stainless steel is best, ceramic ok too.

Thanks guys, I feel a little better. These guys are water hogs. But then again, its 4 dogs (100, 86, 60, and 30 lbs respectively) drinking out of the same bowl in the den, so that's a frequent water change. Which in turn is a frequent trip to the kitchen. I'll just keep a pitcher in there for just that and use that to make the refill trip (almost have a new kitchen).

Heh.. I tried to convince DH to let me put a tap in the den where they eat and drink near the water bowl, but he rolled his eyes at me. I still love that idea and the battle isn't over. I will likely switch to stainless (that's what they eat out of) or ceramic.

I've noticed a few times over the years that Mocha (the allergy expensive dog.. lol) gets something that looks like bumps or pimples on his chin now and then -- not often and not always, but I've noticed them before. I am wondering if its not akin to cat-mom's cat problem with an allergy as well. Lord knows he's allergic to a lot -- though it's been a relatively good year for hotspots so far. We made it through June which was always the worst.

Thanks!

I have a friend whose dog was having dreadful eye problems . . . i.e. severe itching and watering around the upper and lower eyelids and despite multiple trips to the vet(s), the root cause went undiagnosed for months while a variety of medicines and ointments for potential allergies and/or infections provided no relief.

The area around the poor dog's eyes itched and watered so badly that she frequently rubbed one side or the other of her face against freshly mowed grass at the local dog park just to find some relief from the itching. By the time the culprit was at last discovered, her eyes were pitifully stolen, bloodshot and simply painful to look at.

Turns out, the problem, determined by a vet, was a plastic watering bowl that sat outside on the owner's walled-in terrace and despite being refilled on a regular basis by the owner, it was unavoidably exposed to the sun and heat much of the day.

Even more amazing, after the plastic bowl was replaced with a stainless steel bowl, the itching stopped after only two days and the dog hasn't had a problem since.

Personally I'm thinking there should at least be a warning label on certain plastic dog bowls reminding all of the well intended but less informed pet owners not to use those particular bowls anywhere they may be exposed to direct sun or, perhaps to heat from any source.

"Turns out, the problem, determined by a vet, was a plastic watering bowl that sat outside..."

No doubt using a protocol detailed in the Journal of Veterinary Materials (JVM).

Stainless steel or ceramic are better than plastic. I have an aunt that is a vet tech and she told me the plastic doesn't clean as well and bacteria can build up on it.

"

"Turns out, the problem, determined by a vet, was a plastic watering bowl that sat outside..."

No doubt using a protocol detailed in the Journal of Veterinary Materials (JVM)."

And now, "I have an aunt that is a vet tech and she told me the plastic doesn't clean as well and bacteria can build up on it."

No doubt discussed in the Vet Techs Of America Journal (VTA).

There's just no end to the scientific evidence.

I'm commenting because I'm a human who is allergic to plastic. My allergy seems to be the same or similar to what 's described happening to the dogs. I first discovered my allergy when computers became popular. The palm of my right hand broke out into a open sore, and fluid weeped out, and it was incredibly itchy, and became an open wound. Doctors and pharmacists all said I had ringworm on my palm, and to use over the counter treatments. This went on for weeks. Then one evening I was sitting at my computer when the light went off in my head - the area on my hand perfectly matched how my hand laid on the computer mouse. I covered the mouse in leather and the problem immediately went away. Since then I've discovered I can't tolerate prolonged contact with plastic. For instance, I can't wear shoes or other clothing items made of plastic because I break out in a rash.

I have four dogs, 2 terriers and 2 Beagles, and never thought about them having a plastic allergy. I've always fed them in wooden bowls and have never had a problem. Their water has always been in ceramic bowls. I never planned this, it's just the way things are. So now I'm wondering how much difference, if any, this has made over the years. I also think a plastic allergy partly explains the terrible trial my beloved Westie, Stuart, went through before he died after surgery. He had drainage tubes and terrible skin problems after the surgery, in addition to other problems the surgery caused...

I know from experience that figuring out a plastic allergy is very difficult. So I'll be using non-plastic from now on, just to be on the safe side.

I've used SS over the years because it is very easy to keep clean... never considered allergies, but who knows?