Dangers of Laundry and Dish Detergents

Laurie Anne Walden, DVM

Photo by Antonio Jose Cespedes on Pixabay

Laundry and dish detergents contain chemicals that are unsafe for animals. Detergent pods pose a bigger risk than bottled liquid detergents or detergent powders.
 
Toxic Ingredients
Detergents contain anionic and nonionic surfactants, which lift dirt and oil off of surfaces and fabrics. These types of surfactants cause mild irritation to the skin and eyes. If swallowed, they can cause vomiting.
 
Fabric softeners, disinfectants, and sanitizing solutions sometimes contain cationic surfactants, which are more corrosive than anionic and nonionic surfactants. Cats are especially sensitive to cationic surfactants. Direct contact can injure the skin, and cats that lick these products from their paws or fur can also have damage to the mouth and digestive tract.
 
Some detergents are alkaline (they have a high pH, the opposite of acids). Concentrated alkaline products damage the stomach if swallowed. Detergents might also contain ethanol and other potentially toxic ingredients.
 
Detergent Pods
Animals (mainly dogs) that bite detergent pods are at higher risk than animals that lick liquid detergents or detergent powders. Even when the ingredients are similar, the consequences of exposure are more serious with detergent packaged in pods.
 
Detergent in pods is concentrated and under pressure. When a tooth punctures a pod, the detergent sprays the inside of the mouth, from where it is swallowed, inhaled into the lungs, or both. Animals that lick spilled liquid detergent aren’t likely to consume very much of it because it doesn’t taste good. In comparison, dogs that bite detergent pods get a larger dose of product at a higher concentration.
 
The most severe effects of detergent exposure are lung inflammation and pneumonia, which happen when detergent—or vomit that contains detergent—is inhaled into the lungs. Pneumonia can be fatal, so it’s possible for dogs that chew detergent pods to die.
 
Signs of Detergent Toxicosis

• Vomiting (the most common sign)
• Coughing, wheezing, labored breathing
• Low energy
• Low appetite
• Pawing at the mouth
• Drooling
• Irritated skin or eyes

 
If Your Pet Is Exposed

• If your pet swallows detergent or chews a detergent pod, contact an animal poison control hotline or your veterinarian, even if your pet doesn’t have symptoms yet. Have the product label with the list of ingredients handy when you call.
• Do not try to make your pet vomit. Vomiting increases the risk of inhaling detergent and developing pneumonia.
• If your pet has detergent on the skin or fur, rinse the area with water until all of the detergent is gone.
• If your pet has detergent in the eyes, wipe the product away with eye wash or a wet cloth if you can (don’t put yourself at risk of being bitten). Take your pet to a veterinary clinic right away for thorough eye washing and an eye exam.

 
Sources

• Handley HG, Hovda LR. Risks of exposure to liquid laundry detergent pods compared to traditional laundry detergents in dogs. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2021;31(3):396-401. doi:10.1111/vec.13057
• Ingredients and toxicities of cleaning products. ASPCApro. Accessed April 17, 2023. https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/ingredients-toxicities-cleaning-products

 
Image source: Antonio Jose Cespedes on Pixabay

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