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Rubbing alcohol is a common addition to many medicine cabinets! And for a good reason! It’s used for multiple purposes, most of which have to do with disinfecting surfaces. However, what happens if a dog drinks rubbing alcohol?
Has your dog drunk rubbing alcohol? Are you worried the rubbing alcohol will make your dog sick? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog drinks something like this.
We’ve put together some information about rubbing alcohol and whether it can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Rubbing Alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol is commonly found in homes and has a wide range of applications. For instance, rubbing alcohol can be used to clean the skin (such as disinfecting tick bites, caring for pierced ears, and more). Rubbing alcohol can also be used to disinfect and deodorize shoes, hard surfaces, and more. It’s a household disinfectant!
Rubbing alcohol is made with either isopropyl alcohol or ethanol. This type of alcohol is not drinkable, as it is treated with bitterants to make it unpalatable to humans. Rubbing alcohol may contain up to 70% alcohol or more.
While rubbing alcohol is safe for humans (when used as directed), what about dogs? Can rubbing alcohol make a dog sick?
Rubbing Alcohol & Dogs
Unfortunately, rubbing alcohol is extremely toxic to dogs, just like other types of alcohol. A dog may drink up accidentally spilled rubbing alcohol, or some pet parents may even apply too much of a product that contains rubbing alcohol (such as flea sprays, shampoos, and more).
When a dog drinks rubbing alcohol, the substance quickly enters the dog’s bloodstream, where it is absorbed. It’s possible for life-threatening symptoms to develop within 30 minutes of a dog ingesting the chemical.
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Ask a Vet Live NowRubbing Alcohol Toxicity in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog has drunk rubbing alcohol:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excitement, which turns into lethargy and depression
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Hearth rhythm issues
- Disorientation
- Loss of body control
- Weakness
- Excessive salivation
If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, call the vet immediately. This is an emergency. Be sure to let the vet know how much rubbing alcohol your dog has drunk and about when this happened.
In this situation, getting your fur baby to the vet ASAP is imperative to saving his life. Rubbing alcohol is extremely toxic to dogs.
Most dogs, who receive prompt medical care, have a good chance of making a full recovery.
As you can see, the best way to keep your dog safe from rubbing alcohol toxicity is to keep this and other chemicals/medications out of your dog’s reach. Prevention is always the best medicine!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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