Can dogs smell gasoline? Tips and Tricks

Signs Your Dog May be Trying to Warn You About Gas

Knowing the devastation that a gas leak can cause is naturally a huge worry for many people and workers within certain industries. For humans, detecting gas leaks can be very difficult without the use of specialized equipment. However, dogs can do this with just their sense of smell.

When a dog smells danger such as gas, there are various signs that it may display. This includes whining or crying, behaving erratically, hiding away, or becoming hyperactive. You may also find that your dog starts to bark and circle, which is often a sign that it is trying to warn you about something.

In fact, dogs have become so adept at sniffing out hazards such as gas that some experts believe that they could prove invaluable when it comes to pipeline leak detection. While people and companies use online systems and other equipment to alert them to gas leaks, professionals from oil and gas companies have reiterated that the use of dogs could be the most efficient and cost-effective answer to detecting gas leaks. In fact, some believe that they may be more reliable than modern equipment at doing this, which shows just how effective our pooches can be when it comes to warning us about such hazards.

It is important to look at your dog’s body language in order to determine whether it is trying to warn you about something such as the smell of gas. You may find that your dog is running around restlessly or behaving in an erratic fashion. It may be circling you and pawing at you to try and alert you to danger.

Your dog may also run and hide away when it smells gas or may have its tail tucked. All of these are signs that there may be something wrong and you should pay attention if your dog displays a combination of these signs, because it could help you to avoid a major disaster.

If your dog is smelling gas, watch for:

There are other signs that you should look out for when it comes to the possibility of your dog being able to smell gas. These include:

Symptoms of Gasoline Poisoning in Dogs

Symptoms of gasoline poisoning in dogs can occur immediately after ingestion. Specific symptoms and severity depend on the quantity of gasoline consumed. Symptoms include:

  • Coughing
  • Gagging
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Rapid breathing
  • Ulcers in the mouth
  • Drooling
  • Shaking of the head
  • Pawing at the mouth area
  • Discoloration of the skin
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lesions on the skin
  • Pain in the abdomen
  • Confusion
  • Loss of motion
  • Collapse
  • Irregular or rapid heartbeat
  • Types

    Gasoline poisoning has a higher chance of occurring if the dog is living in an environment where gasoline is not properly stored or has accidentally leaked. Once taken to the veterinarian, it is very helpful to the treatment of your dog if you suspect or know that your dog came into contact with gasoline. Differential diagnoses of gasoline poisoning can include:

  • Pneumothorax
  • Chylothorax
  • Ingestion of ethanol
  • Ethylene glycol poisoning
  • Trauma
  • Best Carbon Monoxide Detector for Pets?

    Animals can more easily be poisoned to carbon monoxide gas than humans. That being the case, we advocate low level carbon monoxide detectors for you and your pets. There are various low level carbon monoxide detectors on the market. The top brands are listed:

    4 Best Home Remedies for Dog Gas and Excessive Flatulence

    Hydrocarbons are liquids that are commonly found in your garage. Examples include liquid fuels such as kerosene, engine oil, tiki-torch fuels, gasoline, diesel fuels, paint solvents, wood stains, wood strippers, liquid lighter fluids, asphalt/roofing tar, etc. These are often referred to as “petroleum distillates” based on their viscosity (e.g., thickness), carbon chain length, and fat solubility. Hydrocarbons consist of chemicals containing a hydrogen and carbon group as their main constituents. Some of these products are mixed with antifreeze, which can also be deadly to dogs and cats.

    If your dog or cat ingested hydrocarbons, one should never induce vomiting, as it can make the pet worse and predispose them to aspiration pneumonia (e.g., when vomitus is inhaled into the lungs). Clinical signs of hydrocarbon poisoning include vomiting, drooling, increased or difficulty breathing, skin irritation, eye irritation, walking drunk, and coma.