Diagnosis of Detergent Poisoning in Dogs
It is very important to not induce any vomiting if you suspect or are definite that your dog has ingested detergent. You may flush out the mouth or skin thirty minutes with running water, or if it has gotten into the eyes, flush the eyes with water for twenty minutes. It is a good idea to be doing this after you have called the veterinarian to communicate with the physician that you are bringing your dog in for an appointment. Once the veterinarian learns more about with the dog may have ingested, or definitely swallowed, he will begin acting immediately. The physician may choose to do blood work or urinalysis if he is unsure of what is causing the symptoms, and he may do other tests to come up with a definitive diagnosis. More than likely, he will know the diagnosis is detergent poisoning by his symptoms and by hearing from you the type of detergent which the dog ingested.
Types of soap dogs may ingest:
As mentioned above, some detergents cause a chemical burn. These physical reactions are the result of a pet ingesting or licking a caustic or corrosive chemical such as bleach or disinfectant. The burns are usually isolated to the tongue and upper esophagus; however, detergent pods can cause irritation to the stomach if they are swallowed whole and disintegrate in the stomach.
Chemical oral burns may not show up immediately. It may be several hours before you notice any of the following symptoms:
Not surprisingly, Pet Poison Helpline has noticed some severe clinical sings in dogs and cats exposed to these pods as well. Of the cases reported to the Pet Poison Helpline over the past 2 years, 72.19% of pets developed clinical signs. In order of prevalence, 84.4% of symptomatic cases experienced vomiting, 21.48% experienced cough, 17% experienced lethargy, and 13.3% experienced dyspnea, wheezing, or other respiratory irritation.
The reason for the increased severity between pets exposed to laundry pods and pets simply licking product off the floor or off their fur is thought to be due to the way the product is formulated in the pod. When a pet bites into a pod, the product is both highly concentrated and under pressure from the bite. Therefore, when the pod is punctured, the detergents are forcefully expelled and may be easily aspirated or swallowed, often in large amounts. Theoretically, ingestion of multiple packets also pose a risk for a foreign body obstruction and erosive lesions from prolonged contact in the gut.
Most soaps and detergents contain chemicals called ionic and anionic surfactants. When a small amount of such products are ingested, it is possible for pets to respond to the unpleasant taste or to have mild, self-limiting gastrointestinal upset (drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea).
When these exposures occur, it is important to dilute the exposed site as much as possible—rinse the mouth, skin, or eyes until the slick, “soapy” feel is gone. Any persistent vomiting or respiratory signs should be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. Respiratory patients should be evaluated for aspiration. There is no antidote for laundry pod exposure and any persistent clinical signs should be treated with symptomatic and supportive care. Consultation with Pet Poison Helpline is recommended following the ingestion of pod contents or severely symptomatic patients.
However, a new danger seems to be presenting. It was first noticed that young children were developing serious respiratory issues after biting into the highly concentrated, pre-packaged laundry detergent pods (some that look like candy and come in brightly colored packages).
Dog Excessive Paw Licking: Stop It With Natural Recipe
Take that out of your mouth right now! Well, if your child or your pet has a laundry detergent pod in his mouth, the damage may already be done.
In 2013, toxicity from ingesting these these small, single-use concentrated laundry packets was high on the list of the ASPCA’s top 10 toxin list. Cats and small dogs seem to be most vulnerable. The problem in children younger than 5 is also on the rise as the new pods continue to gain in popularity.
For pets, the pods look like brightly colored “toys” to bat around the house, hold between paws, and then, of course, bite down on. For young children, the appeal is even more dangerous. The pods look like candy to a toddler.
The laundry pods are designed to release the detergent when the outer membrane comes in contact with moisture. This moisture should be the water in your washing machine, not your pet’s or your child’s saliva.
If ingested, the detergent is highly concentrated and much more caustic than regular detergent. When a little mouth bites down on the pod, the concentrated detergent can burst into the oral cavity, causing:
Serious gastrointestinal signs can occur, but it is damage to the respiratory tract that can be potentially life-threatening. If splashed in eyes, the detergent can cause serious eye damage and pain.
I frequently get calls about cats jumping in tubs and licking a cleaning solution, or a pet licking household detergents or cleaners of various kinds. Although some of these can cause severe irritation, the majority of these exposures are self-limiting. Most pets lick a tiny amount of detergent from a surface or clean a paw that has walked through soap suds and stop. Why? Because the detergent tastes yucky, so the animal usually stops the ingestion. The amount ingested is also minimal and at a normal concentration.
The pods create an entirely different problem. Just 1 “bite” and the detergent can fill a pet’s oral cavity, be immediately swallowed or be inhaled into the respiratory tract — causing aspiration pneumonia and serious lung damage. This is very serious, particularly for cats and small dogs with limited lung capacity. These pets can go into respiratory distress. Keep these far away from your pets. By: Kristine Lacoste/Petful