Baby Shampoo on Dogs: Bathing time for your dog is the best or worst experience, depending on your pooch preference, and how sensitive your dog is to specific shampoos is to be considered.
There are hundreds of shampoos made specifically for dogs – dogs with sensitive skin, dogs with certain conditions, and even dog-free dog shampoo.
But doesn’t everything sound like baby shampoo to you? Isn’t it a little cheaper to buy baby shampoo to use on your dog?
The answer is? Yes, this is a very important question – is it safe to use baby shampoo on your dog?
Dogs need the same protection against what our hair needs – debris, bacteria, and dirt can accumulate over time and lead to infections, parasites, etc., so baths need to be kept clean, but using human shampoo is not entirely questionable here unless you bathe them in baby shampoo.
Bathing your dog at least once a month means that nothing builds up accidentally on their coat and skin. Doing so ensures that the pH levels of their coat and skin are kept clean and properly maintained to prevent viruses, parasites, and bacteria.
Can we use regular human shampoo on dogs?
Unlike baby shampoo, human shampoo is one of the worst things you can put on your dog. Human shampoos are designed to contain moisturizers.
Both dogs and humans have an acid mantle that protects them from infection, bacteria, and viruses that go along with using human shampoo.
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If the acid mantle is rubbed on the dog, the germs will run rampant. Your dog’s skin becomes itchy, peels, becomes very irritated and you may notice more.
Humans have a regular skin pH balance of 5.2 to 6.2, while dogs generally have a 5.5 to 7.5. However, the actual pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
Levels lower than 6.4 are considered high acidic, while levels higher than 6.4 are considered high alkali.
Human skin, because the pH level ranges from 5.2 to 6.2, which is more on the acidic side. Ergo, skin products and shampoos are designed specifically for this balance.
Using shampoo or regular bath product on a dog, not human and not having the same pH balance or normal level, is extremely destructive to their skin and coat.
Regular human shampoos spoils the dog’s acid mantle through large interruptions, opening floodgates to all kinds of viruses and infections.
A vicious cycle begins. Your dog will scratch and itch on their skin, opening up friction to dig out bacteria. As a result of the bacteria spreading you will notice the odor and try to wash your dog further, further exacerbating the damage.
Baby shampoo is the only safe alternative in case of emergency
If you do not use shampoo designed specifically for dogs, the only safe alternative to human shampoo is baby shampoo. For example, Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo is a great choice to use on your dog.
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Baby shampoos are formulated and designed for sensitive skin and are made into very mild shampoo. They are made without harmful chemicals and fragrances and, unlike regular human shampoo, are designed to leave the skin with everything needed to have a protective barrier.
Using baby shampoo on dogs
Baby shampoo, of course, is safe to use on a dog, but you should only use it as an emergency backup option.
If you need to use baby shampoo on your dog, make sure to wash him thoroughly to make sure you take it all out when the scrubbing part is done.
The use of baby shampoo is not recommended on a regular basis, but it is designed as a safe human shampoo alternative to shampoo and is designed for dogs.
How to act if Your Dog Has Shampoo Allergies?
- Consider a mild baby shampoo.
- Talk to your veterinarian about medications for his allergies.
- If your dog responds to anything, immediately rinse your skin with cold water.
- Ask your veterinarian about allergy testing.
- Make sure you do not have shampoo at home that your dog is allergic to.
- Talk to your veterinarian about alternative shampoos.
Conclusion
You can safely use baby shampoos like Aveeno or any other on your dog just as an emergency alternative but not necessarily every time.
