Pet Owners Should Chew Carefully Over Where To Keep Sanitisers

Pet health and wellbeing App, PetPanion, which says the third most common behavioural issue exhibited by the dogs profiled on its App is that of eating non-food items, is urging pet owners to think carefully where they leave their hand sanitisers, as coronavirus restrictions increase.

Lockdown 1 saw a boom in pet ownership, boosting the nation’s dog population which already stood at 9.9m.   With dogs living in at least 26% of UK households, a quarter of homes need to be very careful what they do with any alcohol-based sanitisers, whether in handy pocket-sized bottles, or bigger counter-top dispensers or refill packs. 

The contents of these products are toxic to pets and could lead to veterinary treatment or worrying health complications, with alcohol having a variety of harmful impacts on a pet and being capable of lowering a pet’s body temperature to such an extent as to induce a coma.

Knowing about the toxicity of sanitisers is just as important for human health, as recently highlighted by the US Food & Drink Administration (FDA), which has warned of the dangers of children ingesting sanitisers that carry food scents which confuse them into thinking they are edible items.  

The FDA is cracking down on sanitisers packaged to look like snacks, juices or bottles of water, highlighting that ingesting the contents of these packs can lead to cardiac issues and have adverse effects on the central nervous system.  Ingestion can lead to hospitalisation and death, for both children and adults.

Such alcohol-based sanitisers are no less dangerous for pets.  Any scented product could also fool a dog into thinking the item is food, whilst a bottle can be something interesting to chew and gnaw on, particularly if a dog is bored and seeking a distraction.  The danger here could be not just the contents of the bottle or pack but the plastic material or packaging in which the liquid or gel is contained too, which could get lodged in the gut, or block a pet’s airway.

Whilst such situations will be a risk with any form of packaging a dog can access, there is a way to reduce those relating to the toxicity of the sanitiser.  Not all sanitiser is alcohol-based and products such as those of DermOpt – a hand sanitiser specialist which was the official supplier of sanitiser to Crufts 2020 - contain no alcohol whatsoever, kill 99.99% of coronavirus germs and are formulated in a cruelty-free way.

PetPanion’s veterinary specialist, Dr Peggy Middlemiss, says: “Our canine user profiles highlight that eating non-food items is a big issue and, with so much sanitiser within our homes and dog-friendly workspaces at present, these products could prove attractive to dogs wishing to gnaw and chew. They could even potentially mistake some products for toys.  We would urge pet parents to keep sanitisers out of the way of both pets and young children and to look for alcohol-free varieties that are still effective in destroying coronavirus germs.

“Not leaving these products in easy-to-reach places, can reduce possible heartache and also relieve the pressure on vets’ surgeries, which may again face restrictions on opening and caring for pets, should we experience a second national lockdown of any duration.”

The PetPanion App can help dog and cat owners keep tabs on their pet’s health and behaviour, through ongoing monitoring and observation that are the foundation of a Wellness Score, attributed to each pet profiled on the App.  Owners can also keep a record of their pet’s daily or weekly exercise, have instant access to information on nearby vets and book consultations with vets signed up to the App.  Head to the App Store of Play Store to download the App for free and start keeping a watchful eye over your pet companion’s physical and mental health.

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Editors notes

PetPanion is a new App that enables dog and cat owners to request their pet's medical history from their vet and then keep all of that at hand, via the App, in case they need treatment from another clinic, or mobile vet, at some time or other. The App also facilitates virtual vets appointments, allowing consultations to be carried out digitally, and enables vets to be paid via the App.