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Detergent Poisoning in Dogs and Cats

Detergent Poisoning in Dogs and Cats

Updated On August 21st, 2000

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Reviewed By Petco’s Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

Detergents and many common cleaning products can pose serious toxic effects in our four-legged friends. However, not all products that fall under the “detergent” umbrella are the same. Detergents come in a variety of forms, with each having a different level of toxicity. Every home has these common products in some form and all family members need to be aware of the dangers.

Detergents are divided into several categories and the degree of toxicity varies widely between these different forms.

Soaps

The word “soap” is often used to describe many of our cleaning products, but not all are true soaps. In this instance, soaps include bar soaps, laundry soaps and homemade soaps. True soaps are usually nontoxic, but they can cause some gastrointestinal upset with vomiting and diarrhea. Homemade soap may cause corrosive or burning lesions in the stomach and intestines and vomiting which can lead to aspiration pneumonia.

Anionic Detergents

Shampoos, dish soaps, electric dishwashing detergents and some laundry detergents all fall under the category of anionic detergents. These detergents are slightly to moderately toxic, and may result in illness, but generally are not fatal. If these detergents are ingested, they can irritate the gums, and cause a lack of appetite with vomiting and diarrhea. Likewise, they may cause corrosive injuries in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Eye exposure may result in swelling or damage to the cornea, or [conjunctivitis](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/conjunctivitis/).

Cationic Detergents

Fabric softeners, sanitizers, disinfectants, rust inhibitors in petroleum products and quaternary ammoniums are all cationic detergents. These are highly toxic detergents, where even dilute solutions can cause serious damage. Clinical signs can include vomiting, a lack of appetite, drooling, muscle weakness, depression, [seizures](https://www.petcoach.co/article/epilepsy-a-cause-of-seizures-in-dogs/), collapse, coma, and burns to the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Eye exposure may cause redness and severe corneal erosions and ulcers. Skin exposure may result in hair loss and skin irritation.

Non-Ionic Detergents

Dishwashing detergents, some shampoos, and some laundry detergents are referred to as non-ionic detergents. The silver lining is that this category is generally less toxic than the cationic and anionic detergents. The problems associated with these detergents generally center around vomiting and diarrhea.

Veterinary Care and Treatment

DO NOT induce vomiting if your pet ingests detergents. It may cause more harm with damage to the esophagus and the risk of aspirating (inhaling) any detergents that have been expelled. Immediately seek veterinary attention.

In the case of skin contact, flush the skin for at least 30 minutes with running water. In the case of eye contact, flush the eye with sterile saline or water for 20 minutes. Seek veterinary attention while you are performing the decontamination.

Pet poison control centers staffed by veterinary toxicologists, such as the [ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control) or [Pet Poison Helpline](https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com), are an excellent resource if you are unsure about the degree of toxicity or exposure that your pet may have had. Most pets with ingestion or contact exposure to different detergents tend to do well with prompt treatment.

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