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  • My Dog Ate Nail Polish or Nail Polish Remover What Should I Do?
Categories:
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My Dog Ate Nail Polish or Nail Polish Remover What Should I Do?

Kyoko

May 18, 2020
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Categories:
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  • Digestive System
  • Safety
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My Dog Ate Nail Polish or Nail Polish Remover What Should I Do?

Just so you know, this post may contain affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through links on this page, OurFitPets may collect a share of the sale or other compensation. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Many people enjoy wearing nail polish and there are so many vibrant, beautiful colors to choose from! Some pet parents even like to paint their dog’s toenails, with some even opting to use human nail polish on their fur babies. And who doesn’t remember back to the good old days when a poodle clip also included painted nails?

Painting dogs’ toenails has been popular for decades; however, what happens if a dog eats or licks wet polish? Or what if they get a hold of nail polish remover or an entire bottle of nail polish?

Nail Products & Nail Polish Remover Can be Poisonous to Dogs

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Human nail polish and nail polish remover can be toxic to dogs. Nail polish, including those that are labeled “toxin-free” may contain substances such as:

  • Toluene: this chemical is used to keep nail polish smooth and even. It has been tied to nervous system issues such as headaches, nausea, dizziness and eye irritation. The substance has also been linked to birth defects and developmental issues in children who used the chemical during their pregnancies. This chemical is also banned in Europe.
  • Formaldehyde: used in plywood and particle board, sometimes used as an embalmer, preservative and a sterilizer. In nail polishes, this substance is often included to help harden the polish on the nails. This chemical is recognized as a carcinogen and has been linked to cancers of the lungs and the nose.
  • Dibutyl phthalate: also called DBP, this substance is used in nail polish to keep it more flexible and keep the polish from cracking and chipping. However, the chemical has been tired to reproductive problems and is banned in Europe.

These are known as the “toxic three,” and do have potential risks to the health of both humans and dogs. This is why manicurists wear protective masks—due to the fumes from the nail care products they use on customers.

Acetone is another chemical that’s toxic for dogs. While this is a natural chemical (it’s a ketone), it can still be poisonous is a dog eats or drinks too much of this product.

What to Do if Your Dog Has Eaten Nail Polish or Nail Polish Remover

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First, don’t panic! You’ll need to check the nail polish to see how much your fur baby may have ingested.

If it looks like not much is missing, then your canine companion should be OK. However, watch for these signs that the polish is making him sick:

  • Vomiting
  • Drooling
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Seizure
  • Tremors

On the other hand, if he’s ingested a lot of the nail polish, then you’ll need to call the vet. Do not induce vomiting, unless directed to do so by your vet.

The same applies to the nail polish remover. If your dog has only licked a little from the lid or the top of the bottle, he will probably be OK. Or if he’s eaten a cotton ball that contained nail polish remover, he may be OK. The acetone evaporates quickly, so if the cotton ball was dry, then your fur baby should be OK.

If the cotton ball or pad was completely soaked, this is a different matter. Then you’ll need to watch for the signs that your fur baby is sick (see symptoms listed above). If he shows these symptoms, then call the vet. Again, do not induce vomiting, unless your vet advices this action.

If you’d really like to have your fur baby’s nails painted, then avoid using polish for humans. Instead, look for dog-safe nail polish. There are a wide variety of colors available, so you and your canine companion can have a lot of fun using nail polish together!

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The contents of the OurFitPets.com website, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this site (“Content”) are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian with any questions you may have regarding the medical condition of your pet. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website!
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Kyoko

Kyoko is from a family of 3 and moved to New York with her parents and siblings when she was 13. Kyoko is fond of spending a great amount of time with pets, specifically her beagle Luna and cat Missy. Her boyfriend often complains that she spends too much time giving attention to their animals. Kyoko has written dozens of articles concerning pets and is aiming at owning a pet shop one day!

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4 Comments Hide Comments

Anthony says:
May 23, 2020 at 6:08 pm

This is one of the things most people do on Instagram. I watched a few videos of pet parents painting their dogs’ nails and there was one particular one that the dog licked his already painted nails. I don’t know if the polish had dried up before then, but the whole scene was gross and the pet parent was not even bothered about what may happen to the dog that did it. We need to be more careful when with some things around our dogs to be sure we are not endangering them ourselves.

Reply
Zayn says:
May 23, 2020 at 6:09 pm

Our nail polish and nail polish remover can be toxic for our dogs no doubt. Nail polish are supposed to be kept as far as possible from the dogs because those guys can just turn curious all of a sudden and would go about trying out almost anything they come across.

Reply
Kim says:
June 2, 2020 at 1:47 pm

That’s correct. Mine just wandered off one afternoon to my room and the next thing I heard heaving. I was scared at first but realized she had only taken a little. She was fine but suffered loss of appetite for 2 days. The vet was coming to check her though and she started getting herself after some days. Leaving such things lying around carelessly may not end well.

Reply
Sharon says:
June 2, 2020 at 2:04 pm

My dog chewed on cotton wool which I had used to clean off nail polish. I was waiting to see the effects and your post just confirms that he’s okay. I am grateful I have this site on ly mist. I don’t’ know what taking care of dogs would have been.

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