Causes of Hand Sanitizer (Ethanol) Poisoning in Dogs
The poisonous effects from hand sanitizer are caused by the concentrated alcohol levels, occasionally as high as 95% alcohol. There are several other liquids around the household that can contain dangerous levels of ethanol, and should be kept out of reach of both pets and small children. Many of these liquids are unpalatable, but a few, such as mouthwash and cough medications, may have a pleasant enough flavor to encourage their ingestion.
Treatment of Hand Sanitizer (Ethanol) Poisoning in Dogs
An acute case of alcohol poisoning can kill quickly, so time is of the essence if the disorder is to be corrected. If you know which product your pet ingested contact the veterinarian immediately. If ingested recently enough, your veterinarian may opt to have your dog be induced to vomit in order to avoid further absorption of any toxins before travelling to the office. Once you get to the office supportive treatment will be given for any immediate concerns including IV fluids for dehydration and combinations of electrolytes and sugars to balance out imbalances. Oxygen may also be given to the dog if breathing is becoming difficult. Your veterinarian will also give your canine activated charcoal to soak up as much of the toxic material in the patient’s stomach as possible. If your pet is going to recover from the toxicity it will usually be within eight to twelve hours from the start of treatment.
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Diagnosis of Hand Sanitizer (Ethanol) Poisoning in Dogs
Your veterinarian will need to get a verbal history from you, taking special note of the diet and any opportunistic eating as well as a progression of symptoms. If you were able to witness the ingestion of the poison or if you have any of the packaging left you should keep that available for both the phone call and the visit to the veterinary clinic. That information, combined with a physical examination will help reach a conclusive diagnosis. A complete blood count, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis likely to be done at this time as well to rule out other disorders with the same symptoms, as well as detect any toxins in the system. Blood sugar results may be low and blood gas analysis usually will reveal acidosis. The test that is used to give a definitive diagnosis is the blood ethanol concentration test, which is used to test the level of alcohol in the patient’s blood.
ARE HAND SANITIZERS HARMFUL TO PETS?
Hand sanitizer has become a regular part of life; most of us carry it with us anytime we leave the house. But as we increase our use of hand sanitizer anytime we aren’t able to immediately access soap and water, it’s important to remember that while hand sanitizer can keep us safe, it is a chemical, and we want to be careful with it around our dogs. Here’s what dog guardians should know about the use of hand sanitizer around dogs.