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My Dog Ate Hand Sanitizer: Our Vet Explains What to Do – Dogster

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Nov 01, 2024

My Dog Ate Hand Sanitizer: Our Vet Explains What to Do – Dogster

VET APPROVED WRITTEN BY Dr. Samantha Devine DVM (Veterinarian) The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Click to Skip Ahead Oh, no! You just

VET APPROVED

WRITTEN BY

Dr. Samantha Devine

DVM (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Click to Skip Ahead

Oh, no! You just entered the room and discovered your silly pup got into your tote bag. They chewed up everything, including a bottle of hand sanitizer. Should you worry about it?

Hand sanitizer is potentially toxic to dogs, depending on how much they consume. The main ingredient is ethyl alcohol, typically 70% to 90%, the same as the main ingredient in wine and spirits. It’s essential to recognize that it does not contain ethylene glycol, which is highly toxic and found in antifreeze.

Some hand sanitizers have other ingredients, like scents, which could be toxic to your pup. The good news here is that these scents are often negligible.

If your dog consumes a lot of hand sanitizer, they are at risk for ethanol poisoning. That’s right: alcohol poisoning is a risk.

Too much alcohol can rapidly affect dogs. Signs can appear within 30 minutes, so it is vital that you contact a veterinarian if you see any of these signs.

If your dog eats hand sanitizer, you need to call your veterinarian. According to Lisa Martin, DVM with Pet Poison Helpline, a small lick of hand sanitizer, such as if your dog licks your hands after you apply some, should not cause any issues.

The concern for hand sanitizer is when your dog consumes a larger quantity of it, such as chewing into a bottle of sanitizer. There is no one treatment for hand sanitizer ingestion, so your veterinarian will likely recommend you contact a pet poison control group, namely:

If you need to speak with a vet but can’t get to one, head over to PangoVet. It’s an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!

Keeping hand sanitizer away from your dog is the best thing you can do, especially if you have a nosy pup who likes to chew on things. Secure bottles in out-of-reach places, such as on counters or in cabinets.

If your dog whiffs a bit of hand sanitizer on your hands, it’s unlikely to do anything. The alcohol in the product evaporates quickly.

Hand sanitizer is unsafe for pets and should not be used on them. While you should be fine using hand sanitizer on yourself, you’ll want to keep the product away from your furry family member, even if you’re around your dog.

If your dog licks hand sanitizer, it’ll probably be okay, although it may be very unpalatable. However, if your dog consumes a lot of hand sanitizer, it can cause alcohol poisoning, and you’ll want to contact your veterinarian.

Featured Image Credit: Dragon Images, Shutterstock

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