As dogs are naturally curious and active animales, they often try to discover their environment. However, how they do so sometimes leaves us a little confused. For example, why did my dog eat soap? Is soap toxic to dogs?
In this AnimalWised article, we are going to tell you what you should do if your dog eats soap, and answer other common questions about this situation.
Will eating soap hurt my dog?
One of the first questions dog companions ask themselves when their dogs eat soap is whether soap is toxic to dogs. The simple answer is no, most bars of soap are made with non-toxic ingredients. This means that your dog will not be severely ill. With that being said, it's clearly not safe for your dog to eat soap and you will need to address this issue.
While bar soap is not toxic, detergent is toxic and can lead to serious health issues. This is why you mustn't confuse bar soap with detergent. In fact, their symptoms are very different as detergent may cause chemical burns and can damage your dog's liver or kidneys. If your dog eats detergent you must quickly take them to the veterinarian.
Another common question is why dogs eat soap. There are two common reasons to this question. If this is the first time your dog eats soap, they were probably just curious about it and bit into it. This is highly likely as soaps tend to have a very nice smell. Perhaps the taste wasn't off-putting so they decided to try to eat it. Unfortunately they will later find out it's not good to eat as they will experience some symptoms we'll mention in the section below.
Now, if your dog has eaten soap before and have a tendency of doing so, this may be due to a compulsive disorder called pica. This disorder makes the dog fixate on eating non-food objects such as soap, fur or even their poop. If you suspect this applies to your dog, consult with your local veterinarian as soon as possible.
Symptoms of your dog eating soap
How do I know if my dog ate soap? If you suspect that your dog has eaten soap, the first thing you want to do is check if there are any missing soap bars they could've gotten hold of. Perhaps you find a chewed up bar soap or maybe the bar of soap completely missing. You must also observe your dog. If they ate soap, they will experience certain symptoms. The common symptoms for dogs who have eaten soap are:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Hyper-salivation
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Fatigue
- Sadness
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Bloating
- Difficulty breathing
Soap is definitely not something you want your dog to eat. Thankfully, it isn't likely to cause your dog to have any serious health issues. Nevertheless, if you see your dog experiencing these symptoms, it's best to contact your veterinarian and keep a close eye to how you dog recovers. If they have serious symptoms you will need to take them to the veterinarian for professional help.
What do I do if my dog eats soap?
Your dog has eaten soap, what should you do? First things first, if there's any remaining soap you must take it away from them. If they've gotten soap on their eyes or ears, wipe it off with a clean cloth. Now you can call your veterinarian to tell them what has happened and listen to their advice.
It's normal for a dog to experience vomiting or diarrhea for one day after consuming soap. This is because their body is trying to get rid of the soap as this is not food and can be harmful to their health. However, if the vomiting or diarrhea continues for a second or third day, you must now take them to the veterinarian as this is not normal behavior.
Your veterinarian will perform certain examinations on your dog to properly diagnose them. Then, according to your dog's health history and current symptoms, they will decide on the best treatment.
How to prevent my dog from eating soap
Lastly, how can you prevent your dog from eating soap? The first thing you can do is provide your dog with the proper nutrition and enough food. You will also want to keep them entertained at home as they can be very curious and active animals. To learn more, we encourage you to read our article on how to entertain a dog that's home alone.
Next, you'll want to hide the bar of soap. Keep it out of your dog's reach. If your dog is continuously eating soap, they likely have a compulsive disorder called pica. It's best you bring this up with their veterinarian as you will have to deal with this disorder differently.
Another great way to prevent your dog from eating soap is by offering them interesting chew toys that they can play with instead. If you dog is well entertained and can chew and play with another safe toy, they are most likely not going to go searching for other objects around the house. This is especially true for puppies around the age of 6 - 9 months as they are teething and need teething toys to cope with the pain of their teeth growing. Try offering them a teething toy that's textured and has different grooves to soothe their gums.
As we already know, dogs are very friendly and curious animals. However, this can often get them into trouble. It's important for us to observe their behavior and try our best to make sure they don't eat anything that can cause them harm. We must be especially careful when they are puppies and curious about their new home. Try to keep dangerous objects out of their reach and keep an eye on them while they are playing.
If you've found this AnimalWised article helpful, you may also enjoy:
- Why do dogs eat grass?
- Why do dogs eat poop?
- Forbidden food for dogs
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to My Dog Ate Soap - What Should I Do?, we recommend you visit our First aid category.