Tap water, anyone?

One of the most ridiculous stories we’ve shared around the lunch table recently:

Let me introduce you to ‘highly oxygenated water for pets’. This was brought in with a bulldog when he came in for an operation as the owner said he was only allowed to drink this. We had never heard of such a concept so quickly looked it up online. Apparently, it has 700% more oxygen than normal water and can help with breathing in brachycephalic dogs. Now, I can see the theory there as these breeds probably live in a permanent state of hypoxia due to their difficulty breathing. However, we looked up actual scientific studies on high-performance athletes that found no difference between the blood oxygen level in individuals drinking this versus normal water. There is no evidence at all then oxygen is absorbed from the gut. On top of that, as soon as the bottle has been opened for ten minutes (so once the water is in the bowl), all the oxygen diffuses into the air. Thus, it is a complete waste of money. And when I say money, I mean a lot of it. Twelve 750ml bottles cost £38 with delivery. A 25kg bulldog could drink two bottles in a day. Yet, people tell us we are overcharging.

It also claims to help with skin, joints and coat care. Answers as to how would be gratefully received…!