I don't have a dishwasher but I wash the pet bowls with the rest of the dishes also. I usually wait until the end simply so I can scrape out any extra into the trash. My mom who as stated before isn't a big animal lover but tolerates my dogs like an angel was doing dishes one time when I first got Shaianne and I set the dog bowls on the counter cause I figgered after she was done I would wash those up real quick. She grabbed them and started washing them and I said "Wait those are the dog bowls you might not want to wash them if you aren't done." She said "Well I hope the soap will kill anything that might be on them or its not worth it!" She had a good point.
The vet mentioned when we talked about plastic bowls he said "you know when you take plastic out of the dishwasher, it isn't hot to touch, its very hard to sterilize it."
Pam way back in the earlier 90's when big hair was the rage, I used to have a heck of a time getting it off my combs, brushes, headbands etc. So I would soak them in Efferdent and it would come off in one whole peice!!!!! Like a shell!!!! Yep just drop a couple tablets into the toilet let it sit for awhile or overnight and then brush your bowl!
And I just read this one BAKED ON FOOD:- FILL A CONTAINER WITH WATER, GET A BOUNCE DRYER SHEET AND THE STATIC FROM THE BOUNCE SHEET WILL CAUSE THE BAKED ON FOOD TO ADHERE TO IT. SOAK OVERNIGHT. ALSO, YOU CAN USE 2 EFFERDENT TABLETS AND SOAK OVERNIGHT!!!!!!

Someone told me ceramic bowls are better for cats then metal ones.