How do dogs get poisoned by bleach?
In most cases, dogs become poisoned by lapping up water containing bleach, left by their owner when cleaning the floors. Dogs, especially the youngest of them, can also become poisoned by chewing on soft cartons of bleach or tablets.
More rarely, dogs can also become poisoned by inhalation when bleach is mixed with an acidic product, which instantly produces extremely toxic chlorine vapors.
What are the signs of bleach poisoning in dogs?
In the majority of cases involving household bleach diluted in water, symptoms of poisoning may appear within minutes of ingestion. Most of these are digestive signs such as vomiting and nausea. However, the severity of the poisoning also depends on the quantity to which the animal has been exposed and on the more or less diluted nature of the product.
Bleach, even in diluted form, can also be very irritating to the skin and mucous membranes when it comes into contact with the latter. It can cause corneal or eye damage if splashed in the eyes.
Ultra-concentrated bleach, due to its basic pH, causes serious chemical burns on contact as well as internal and external lesions if ingested.
Inhalation of chlorine vapors (if bleach is mixed with an acid) causes breathing difficulties and can lead to pulmonary edema.
How to react in case of bleach poisoning?
If only your dog's skin has been in contact with diluted household bleach, give your dog a long bath by rinsing his skin thoroughly and thoroughly. You can also soap it with a little dog shampoo to remove the product. That should be enough to keep her skin from getting irritated.
If your dog's eye has been in contact with bleach, rinse the affected eye thoroughly with water or saline solution.
On the other hand, if your dog has drunk bleach, contact your veterinarian or a veterinary poison control center immediately to find out what to do. Do not give your dog anything to eat or drink without the advice of a veterinarian and do not try to make your animal vomit on your own initiative.
Ingestion or contact with a highly concentrated product constitutes an absolute veterinary emergency.
How to prevent bleach poisoning?
Always keep bleach away from your pets and never leave a bucket of water containing bleach within your dog's reach. Some animals may be attracted by its particular smell.
Better yet, avoid using bleach at home if you have pets and prefer to substitute it with a natural product that is safe for the whole family such as white vinegar or black soap.