Can I Put Aquaphor on My Dog? Is It Safe For My Dog?

As there are seasonal changes, so does your canine skin suffer from changes. In addition to itchy paws and eyes in the spring, dogs are more prone to allergies. During the summer season, air conditioning can cause harm to dogs by causing harm to their sensitive noses. And in the winter season, it is common to notice the frosty, chapped paws of your dogs.

Canines are more likely to lick off the ointment or lotion you apply to them, so make sure to use 100% safe lotion and ointment for your dog. Aquaphor is a product just like petroleum jelly, and it’s used to treat many skin problems in humans, but the question is, is Aquaphor safe for dogs? This article will explain whether Aquaphor is safe for dogs or not. You will also learn about the benefits, side- effects, and scientific research behind using Aquaphor in dogs.

What is Aquaphor?

Aquaphor is a product that works just like petroleum jelly. Aquaphor is composed of baking soda, squint, and hydroperoxide. In humans, to treat skin problems like chapped lips, dry skin, dry hands, feet, etc. Aquaphor makes its use.

Aquaphor protects the dog from the drying consequences of cold weather on the dog’s body, leaving the dog’s skin dry and with weird patches. Its main use is to decrease flaking and itching and moisturize the dog’s skin.

To soothe a dog’s nose and other skin diseases in dogs, Aquaphor makes its use. Unfortunately, ingestion of Aquaphor can cause numerous diseases, including vomiting, diarrhea, etc., in your dog.

Why Would My Dog Eat Aquaphor?

There can be many reasons for your dog to eat things like aluminum foil, paper, Aquaphor, or others. Here’s a list of some common reasons your dog would like to have an Aquaphor.

• Being curious: You may have noticed that dogs tend to sniff and lick whenever they find something new. Whenever the dog gets curious, it may start sniffing and licking the object. Sometimes, by accident, the dog may swallow the object, and the same goes in the case of Aquaphor.
• Dogs may be hungry: Whenever a dog gets hungry, it starts looking for things to eat on its own. Thus, make sure your dog is not hungry and is well fed most of the time.
• It may be a dog’s habit: There is a medical condition called Pica, in which it’s a habit of your dog to eat and consume things that are not food. The dog craves things like Aquaphor or petroleum jelly and eats things that are harmful to them.
• Your dog may be stressed out: If it is stressed out at any moment, it may try to eat things that appear like food to him but are not, just like Aquaphor. Make sure you don’t leave your dog out for too long, or it may get stressed out. Be close to your dog whenever a new person or dog is near, and never leave your dog alone with strangers.
• Dog getting bored: Dogs always want something to do, and if the dog doesn’t get something to do every time, it’s common for it to get bored. Boredom in your dog may worsen over time, and they may begin to play with the items in your home. Unfortunately, while playing, they may swallow things like Aquaphor by accident.

Can I Put Aquaphor on My Dog?

It has been a very commonly asked question if we can use Aquaphor on dogs. Is it safe for the dogs?

Aquaphor is a petroleum jelly product, and many veterinarians suggest using Aquaphor to treat conditions like cracking or dry skin, dry nose, etc. For example, to soothe the dog’s nose and other skin diseases, Aquaphor is used, but Aquaphor just gives outer treatment and is not enough for treating the root cause.

The issue does not occur when you put Aquaphor on your dog; the issue occurs when the dog ingests or swallows the Aquaphor.

Swallowing Aquaphor in dogs can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other severe health ailments if it gets ingested in high amounts into the dog’s body.

Talking about whether Aquaphor is poisonous for dogs, it is not toxic for the puppy. But the content of mineral oil present inside it is dangerous for your dog as it may cause health issues like diarrhea, vomiting, stomach aches, and other issues.

If, by chance, your dog consumes Aquaphor, make sure it comes out of your dog’s body soon to ensure no health issues occur in the canine. If the consumption is high, make sure to get in touch with a veterinarian soon.

What Are the Benefits of Aquaphor?

For dogs, Aquaphor has many benefits if it gets used properly and in the right amount; below mentioned are some of the benefits of Aquaphor.

• Aquaphor works great to cure dry skin problems like dry hands and legs, chapped lips, etc.
• Aquaphor acts as an ointment for soothing dry noses in dogs.
• It works as a great moisturizer to moisturize your dog’s paws.
• To treat cracked paws, dry skin, and dry wounds, Aquaphor is a must-have.
• It’s a topical lotion to be easily used for superficial skin-related issues.
• Aquaphor was used before the medical intervention to make lesions and wounds moist.

How Can We Use Aquaphor on Dogs?

You can apply Aquaphor to your dog’s body, but there are certain steps you should follow when you apply it to your dog. The following information will help you know how to apply Aquaphor to your dog.

• Always apply a small amount of ointment to your dog’s affected area.
• Don’t apply a thick coat of ointment to the dog’s skin.
• To use Aquaphor on a dog’s nose for dryness, gently apply the ointment with your fingertips.
• If your dog’s skin condition is worse, you can apply a thick coat on the dog’s skin twice a day, but be careful that your dog doesn’t lick it off.

Aquaphor will make it used to moisturize your dog’s skin, but it is not responsible for treating the underlying problem that causes your dog’s skin to turn dry.

There can be many reasons for your dog’s skin to turn dry. These include allergies, skin infection, exposure to hot temperatures in summer, and icy cold temperature conditions in winter. But if you see your puppy having this dry skin condition frequently, it is best to contact a veterinarian and be on the safe side.

Read More: Dog Acting Weird After Flea Medicine? Here’s What You Should Do

What Are the Do’s And Don’ts of Using Aquaphor on Dogs?

As stated earlier, it is safe to use Aquaphor on your dog’s skin, but you ought to remember certain dos and don’ts before applying Aquaphor to your dog’s skin.

1. Use Aquaphor to treat paw pad hyperkeratosis

Once you treat the underlying disease causing your dog’s skin to turn dry, use Aquaphor to moisturize the area. Soaking your dog’s feet in Epsom salt solution daily and then applying Aquaphor to the skin helps treat dry skin problems in dogs.

2. Use of Aquaphor to protect the dog’s skin from irritation

If the dog suffers from urine incontinence or wears diapers, it may become necessary to make your dog wear a diaper. Make sure to apply Aquaphor to the dog’s skin before making him wear the diaper. Applying Aquaphor on a dog’s skin prevents urine scalding, a skin irritation infection. Application of Aquaphor can also prevent other harmful skin diseases and infections.

3. Using Aquaphor to treat dry noses in dogs

To treat your dog’s dry nose and cracked skin, you can use Aquaphor. Apply the Aquaphor lotion to your dog’s nose twice a day to treat a dry nose.

4. Use Aquaphor to treat pressure sores in dogs

The dog’s parents can apply Aquaphor to them to treat pressure sores. But while applying Aquaphor on pressure sores, be extra careful not to add additional pressure to your dog’s pressure sore points.

Can We Apply Aquaphor to a Dog’s Stitches and Hot Spots?

Unless and until your dog’s veterinarian advises you otherwise, don’t apply anything to your dog’s stitches. Make sure you take the veterinarian’s advice seriously about the substance you should apply to the dog’s wound.

Application of Aquaphor on hotspots of your dog can be risky. Aquaphor applied to hotspots will lock the moisture around the hot spot, worsening the situation. The dog’s vet may provide some antibiotic spray, cream, or oral medications to treat hot spots. But for the treatment of hot spots, oral antibiotics are always the first preference of many veterinarians.

Side Effects of Aquaphor in Dogs

Aquaphor is safe for oral use, but if your dog ingests Aquaphor in large amounts, it may cause numerous diseases in the dog. These diseases include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach aches, etc. In addition, ingestion of Aquaphor can make situations messy and harmful for you to handle.

Sometimes, if your dog has ingested a great amount of Aquaphor from the jar, it may cause difficulty breathing in your dog, and in severe cases, your dog may pass out.

Use a block device on the dog’s mouth to keep your dog from licking Aquaphor, which will stop problems from getting worse.

By chance, if you have left the jar of Aquaphor open and your dog ate the whole jar, it can be troublesome. Make sure to contact the veterinarian immediately if any such situation occurs.

What To Do If Your Dog Eats the Aquaphor You Put on it?

If your dog eats Aquaphor by chance, you don’t need to panic. If your dog eats Aquaphor in small amounts, it is not very dangerous, but if your dog consumes it in large amounts, it may cause trouble. Notice if there is a lot of Aquaphor spread around the carpet. It may be due to your dog playing with it rather than consuming it.

Before doing anything about the mess:

• Focus on your dog first.
• If your dog allows you to clean his mouth with a fresh napkin or tissue paper, do it otherwise, don’t force it.
• Try to make your dog vomit to remove the excess Aquaphor from your dog’s body.

Aquaphor has a laxative effect, so it most probably causes your dog to vomit whenever the dog eats it. The severity of the effect depends upon your dog’s size, breed, and weight.

Aquaphor may not be toxic for your dog, but if it gets consumed in large amounts, it is most likely to cause trouble for your dog’s digestive system, which can further cause dehydration in the dog.

How to Prevent Aquaphor from Causing Harm to Your Dog?

To prevent your dog from facing any harm from Aquaphor, you need to be careful that your dog doesn’t consume Aquaphor. For that, you can do the following things:

• Never place the bottle of Aquaphor near your dog. Please place it in a place where your dog may not reach it.
• If your dog is more likely to lick Aquaphor from the body, replace it with shea butter.
• When you train your dog not to drink anything and everything, make sure to supervise your dog properly.
• To ensure you are giving the correct drug to your dog, label the drug.
• Setting a simple do or don’t for your dog is very important whenever you feel it is necessary.

Does Science Regard Aquaphor as Safe for Application to Dogs?

As per science, Aquaphor is a moisturizer. Thus it can be used to moisturize wounds before any medical treatment.

When it comes to wound healing, Aquaphor is always the first choice, but sometimes such products may cause swelling or redness.

As per scientific research, Aquaphor can check lesions’ reactivity postoperatively. But the researchers say that the surgical lacerations treated with Aquaphor have greater redness and injury than wounds treated with other lotions.

You May Also Read: Dog Twitching And Flinching: Complete Facts About Involuntary Movement In Dogs

Conclusion

Well, to the question, can you put Aquaphor on your dog? You can, as it is not harmful to your dog. You can use it to treat dry skin problems in your dog. To cure dry skin, chapped lips, and other issues caused by cold weather, mainly skin issues.

You can consult the dog’s veterinarian if your dog consumes the Aquaphor. Aquaphor consumption in large amounts can cause your dog’s stomach to have problems like diarrhea or vomiting, but taking precautions is always more important. However, if the problem persists, consult your dog’s veterinarian.