The Drinkwell series of pet fountains was another nice find at the 2008 SuperZoo pet supplies show. These fountains help oxygenate the water to keep it fresh and also include carbon filters to remove bad tastes, odors and debris in the the water. This can be very beneficial for your furry friend’s health.

The Drinkwell series of fountains, from a company called Veterinary Ventures, offer some nice features that both pets and pet owners will appreciate. The fountains do use a free falling stream of water, which oxygenates the circulating water to help keep it fresh.

Drinkwell fountains are recommended by veterinarians, and particularly for pets that are prone to urinary tract disorders. There are a number of models for both dogs and cats. The two models that stood out to us are the Drinkwell Big Dog and the Drinkwell Platinum. Either one can be used for dogs or cats. It really depends upon the size and number of your pets.

The Big Dog has a large 2.25 gallon capacity resovoir, so if you have a large dog or number of smaller dogs, this large volume of water has its benefits. It has a 5-inch bowl and rubber feet to prevent sliding. The clear resovoir lets you see how much water is in the unit at any time. Like the other DrinkWell models, the Big Dog Pet Drinking Fountain aerates the water after running it through a replaceable charcoal filter.

Most dogs do like drinking falling water. Our Black Lab and German Shepard used to sometimes stand by the bathtub and wag thirty tails when we walked by. That was the signal that they wanted us to turn on the bath faucet to that they could take a long, cool drink. The DrinkWell pet fountains work in a similar manner.

For smaller dogs and cats, Veterinary Ventures offers the Drinkwell Platinum pet drinking fountain. The Drinkwell Platinum has a 1.3 gallon capacity and also filters the water using a replaceable charcoal filter. It has a very stylish design. it includes a dishwasher safe reservoir and a snap-on lid. The Platinum Pet Fountain runs on a low voltage 12 volt power supply that plugs into the wall and disconnects from the rear of the unit.

One interesting feature that is available for the Platinum model, as well as other smaller models (but not the Big Dog model), is the Hydroponic Cat Garden. The Hydroponic Cat Garden includes a holder and special seed pods that are placed in the bowl. The replaceable pods grow organic Wheatgrass that are a special treat for cats.

To grow the Wheatgrass, just place a seed pod in the holder and insert it in the bowl. The circulating water helps the seeds to germinate and in a few days a kitty grass treat will emerge.

You can find Drinkwell Pet Fountain products at: