Uh - Oh is this bad?

Question

My 13 year old brother accidently washed my yorkie/silky pup with a little bit of herbal essences... i walked in on him and he was using my travel sized container that i had put shampoo in (it was a clear bottle w/ no markings on it) he thought it was the dog's shampoo and he said he didnt wash the head yet, just the body. Is this going to harm my dog? She actually smells really good... is there a danger giving human shampoo to dogs?

Answer 1

No, but it will dry out her skin. Just don't give her another bath for a couple of weeks....
Actually a vet told me that Summer's Eve is good to wash your dog, I've never done it, but your dog will be alright!

Answer 2

the only thing bad about using human shampoo on a dog is that it tends to dry out their skin. I actually use herbal essence on my dog and cat. To prevent the dry skin use a little of the conditioner on them, but make sure to wash it out thoroughly. It smells much nice and gives a shinier coat than most dog shampoos. Another down fall of human shampoo is that it isn't tearless so avoid washing the head with it.

Answer 3

When in doubt, call your vet.

No, it's not good to use human products on your pets without the advice of a qualified vet.

However, once in a while - mistakes do happen. Fortunately, this isn't a big one. I'd be REALLY concerned if your brother had given Fifi human medicine - some of which can kill your dog.

Make sure Fifi is thoroughly rinsed with lots of warm water. And then rinse her again just to make sure.

Dry her thoroughly and watch her skin over the next few days. Human shampoo can affect dog skin - making it dry and flaky.

Label your bottles - nuff said.

Answer 4

You should just rinse her really well and watch out for any skin irritation. She should be fine, although her skin and fur may be a bit dry for awhile.

This is one of the reasons why everyone has to be really careful about storing any product in an unmarked bottle.

Your puppy is going to smell really good though. She may become a diva, and want to have a shampoo every day.

I wonder if your brother will ever want to bathe her again.?????

Have a good day. My Pom loves the whole bathing process, especially getting wrapped in a towel and carried around the house when she looks like a little sad face all wet and hairless looking.

Answer 5

Most human shampoos have been tested on animals - not sure about herbal essences. Just make sure you rinse her really well, and keep an eye on her in case she develops a skin reaction.

To be on the safe side, I would probably rewash the dog with dog shampoo.

Answer 6

dog's skin is thinner and more sensitive than people's, so using human shampoo isn't a really great idea, but it isn't necessarily going to hurt. Certainly it's great that he didn't do the head, so we can be pretty sure he didn't get any in the eyes. Just make sure he rinsed the dog well, and as long as your dog didn't have inflamed skin from allergies or any other issues he should be fine. And could you send your brother to my house? i have several dogs who could use baths and i'll give him the right shampoo!

Answer 7

well, it won't harm the dog but it may just irritate it's skin or it may just dry out their skin . the best thing you can do is bring it to the vet and then maybe they can give you some advice on what to do. my friend acidently did that t have sensitive skin so it just got a small rash but that is just that westie. i am sure that it will be ok and it shouldn't harm the dog becase if it was really that dangerous there would probably put a warning on it or something. people do that all the time so it shouldn't really harm your dog. i am sure that it will be fine and GOOD LUCK!!

ps i love yorkies !!! they are sooo cute

Answer 8

OKAY - ALL OF YOU WHO RESPONDED THAT YOU USE HUMAN SHAMPOO ALL THE TIME -
STOP IT IMMEDIATELY.
The truth is that cats can get "toxed" very easily by things that are absorbable. You'll be sitting in the vet's office one day getting told that your cat has kidney failure and wonder why.
There is NO REASON not to use the appropriate shampoo - except laziness and self indulgence. Its not funny people.
Human shampoos have chemicals that animals dont really need to come in contact with. The occasional use when you have nothing else wont kill him but I bet they're itchy and using conditioner for people on animals that lick themselves is just plain irresponsible.
Oh and avocados ARE NOT TOXIC they are a wonderful source of fatty acids and great for skin problems - but your dog can get real fat on a regular diet of it. if you dont believe me there's a brand of dog food called avoderm that uses avocado. It makes for a shiny coat. I always recommend it for dogs with chronic dry skin or underconditioned dogs.

Answer 9

She should be okay. Just keep washing her with dog shampoo in the future and make sure the dog was thoroughly rinsed! I wash my dogs with baby shampoo and I always make sure it's not the kind that will sting their eyes. It's gentle and non toxic

P.S. Do not give avocados to dogs! Those can be toxic!

Answer 10

No, it shouldn't bother your dog unless she is allergic to it. I use human shampoo on my dog ALL THE TIME. But if she acts weird, gets bumps, or a rash you should take her to the vet and explain what happened. If she is allergic he will probably give you a ointment or pill for her. So I would watch her skin closely for the next two or three days. She should be fine, though.