Can Dogs Eat Vaseline?

Dogs consume the strangest things, and petroleum jelly like vaseline is one of them.

Since dogs are curious creatures, it shouldn’t amaze you when they lick a little amount or even an entire jar of vaseline.

However, can dogs eat vaseline?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat vaseline.

It contains toxic ingredients like cocoa and aloe that are harmful to dogs if consumed in large quantities.

If a dog consumes small quantities of vaseline, it will experience digestive issues.

This article gives you a rundown of all the questions you may have concerning dogs eating vaseline.

Read on to find out the effects of vaseline consumption on dogs and the steps you can take in case of such a situation.

Can dogs eat vaseline

What happens when a dog ingests vaseline?

If your dog ingests vaseline, you need to know what will happen in its body.

This way, you can know what measures to take.

Since vaseline is a manufactured product, the ingredients are indigestible in a dog’s body.

This results in literal indigestion, which your dog will exhibit through stomach rumbling, appetite loss, diarrhea, and vomiting.

If your dog takes vaseline in excess, it’ll cause dehydration.

This condition is severe for dogs, and you should seek veterinarian help.

vaseline

What factors determine the severity of indigestion from the consumption of vaseline in dogs?

Consumption of vaseline leads to indigestion in dogs.

However, the severity of the symptoms will depend on the following:

Amount of vaseline: While a couple of kicks may not show any symptoms, consuming an entire jar causes severe and immediate signs.

Type of vaseline: If your dog consumes the natural and plain vaseline, it contains no harmful ingredients that can cause a reaction.

Other vaseline products like hand creams, lip balms, and moisturizers contain added ingredients like cocoa which is toxic to dogs and can worsen reactions.

Contact a veterinarian immediately if the vaseline contains ingredients other than petroleum jelly.

The dog’s size: The bigger the dog, the more severe the symptoms.

If your small dog consumes a tub of vaseline, its reaction will be more severe than a big dog who has taken the same amount of the product.

The dog’s underlying health conditions: A dog with digestive issues will develop more serious reactions than one who’s healthy.

Those dogs under stress or recovering from injuries will also have more severe reactions because their bodies are weak. 

Can eating vaseline kill dogs?

If a dog consumes vaseline in small quantities, the only outcome is indigestion.

However, excessive consumption leads to dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting. 

Dehydration is a deadly condition in dogs.

It requires instant treatment from a veterinarian.

However, if a dog doesn’t receive treatment on time, it can cause death.

Since dehydration is fatal to dogs, seek immediate veterinarian help immediately when you notice its symptoms.

These symptoms include:

  • Thirst
  • Confusion
  • Lethargy

What should you do if your dog eats vaseline?

When your dog eats vaseline, you’ll want assurance about its safety.

Below are steps you can take to ensure your dog recovers. 

Observe behavioral change: Look out for signs of pain, discomfort, or reactions.

In case of any symptoms, seek medical help. 

Clean the area: Clear any vaseline remnant from the area to avoid your dog consuming more of the product.

Ensure the area you keep the product in is secure.

Understand what happened: Understanding the situation will help you handle the issue.

To do so, you need to gather every detail by answering the following questions:

  • How much of the product did the dog eat?
  • How long has it been since the incident?
  • Did the dog eat other products other than vaseline?

With this information, you’ll know how serious the situation is, and it’ll provide you with an accurate report to present to a veterinarian.

Consult a veterinarian: Even though the symptoms may not be severe, an assurance from a veterinarian is important.

Contacting a veterinarian will answer how best you can diagnose your dog.

In case the symptoms persist, visit a veterinarian immediately.

Don’t induce vomiting: It may be tempting to induce vomiting on your dog to get rid of the vaseline.

However, this may cause life-threatening complications like aspiration pneumonia. 

How can you prevent dogs from eating vaseline?

Cases of dogs eating vaseline are common, and it can happen to you several times.

You can prevent it from happening once more by following the tips below.

Store it out of reach

The first step is to secure the place you keep your vaseline.

This should be an area your dog can’t access.

Don’t show your dog where you’re storing it whenever you’re using the product.

Use a vaseline that has no toxic ingredients.

Some dogs love licking vaseline off the skin of their owners.

If your dog is one of those, avoid using vaseline that contains toxic ingredients for dogs.

Alternatively, you can restrict the dog from licking your skin after applying Vaseline.

Divert the dog’s attention

You can divert your dog’s attention using interactive toys.

Let it play with the toys in areas without vaseline to prevent the dog from running into the product and licking it.

This may take days or weeks, but your dog will forget all about the vaseline when it turns into a routine.

FAQs

Can you feed vaseline to dogs for constipation?

Sometimes veterinarians may prescribe petroleum-based products as a laxative to relieve constipation in dogs.

However, you shouldn’t give your dog vaseline for constipation without a veterinarian’s advice.

Does vaseline help dogs pass foreign objects?

Although veterinarians prescribe petroleum-based products like liquid paraffin as a lubricant to enable dogs to pass foreign objects, you shouldn’t try it unless it is under a vet’s recommendation.

Conclusion

Dogs will always keep you worried by consuming things they shouldn’t.

These include petroleum jelly like regular vaseline.

Vaseline is an exciting product for dogs to lick because it smells and tastes good, especially the lip balm variety.

However, most of them contain harmful ingredients for dogs. 

It’s advisable to keep the product out of reach from dogs to avoid causing harm.

If your dog consumes an excessive amount of the product, seek immediate help from a veterinarian. 

Megan Turner

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