Baby wipes may seem like a convenient item to clean your dog after an outside stroll, but these don’t contain the perfect solution that can maintain your dog’s pH levels. While they generally don’t cause serious harm, regular use can eventually cause changes to your dog’s skin and more.
Simply put, baby wipes are for infants only, regardless of you labeling your pooch as your fur baby. This guide will help you understand why as well as introduce 3 alternatives to keep your dog clean. Keep reading!
What Are Wipes For?
Wipes are disposable cleaning cloths that you can pull out from a box or package. They can be used for anything, but some of them are manufactured for particular uses. As for your dog, a wipe is needed to instantly do the following:
To Clean Your Dog
Dogs need to spend some time outside. A quick walk around your park or neighborhood would mean having dust or mud sticking against their fur. What you can do is to reach out for some wipes to keep them looking and feeling clean, which is a more suitable option than giving them a bath.
Read also: Can I Bathe My Dog at Night? Tips and Top Questions Answered
To Clean Their Paws
The last thing any dog parent would want is to see their dogs soiling their furniture. Their paws can be easily cleaned by just using a few wipes. It’s definitely your go-to item to keep them hygienic.
To Clean Their Ears
Your dog’s ears need to be cleaned every 1 to 2 months. This routine helps prevent him from developing ear infections and excessive wax build-up. A dog-appropriate wipe is needed to help maintain healthy ears, but if there’s a constant need to frequently tend to their ears, then a vet visit would be necessary.
You might also want to read: How to Put Ear Drops in an Uncooperative Dog: 4 Easy Steps
Why Can’t You Use Baby Wipes on Your Dog?
You can’t use baby wipes on your dogs because they’re not built to cater to your dog’s skin. Prolonged use can end up causing a few skin reactions such as dry skin, irritations, and infections. The most unpleasant moment that could happen is your dog developing vaginitis.
A pack of baby wipes is engineered to keep a toddler’s skin smooth, soft, and clean, but despite it being gentle, products like these are not appropriate to be used on a pooch.
Baby wipes contain certain ingredients that, when they’re spread all over your dog’s fur, the canine will most likely end up licking the area. This, in turn, means they could ingest the compounds.
What Happens if You Use Baby Wipes on Your Dog?
Using baby wipes on your dog won’t only cause skin issues but also trigger licking behavior in dogs. If no intervention is done, the irritation may get even worse. Baby wipes are supposed to be used for human skin with a pH level of 5.5, but your dog has it higher.
While it’s certainly true that ingesting the chemicals from baby wipes isn’t seriously harmful if taken in most small amounts, they can actually accumulate over time, and this would lead to toxicity.
Baby Wipes vs Dog Wipes
First of all, baby wipes are obviously more affordable than dog wipes. However, there shouldn’t be any room for practicality here, as baby wipes can lead to health risks. Investing a bit more for your dog’s wipes saves you a lot from the hassle of bringing them to the vet and spending hundreds of dollars on your pooch’s medication.
Also, there’s a stark difference in size. Dog wipes are generally larger as well as more robust compared to the other. They’re also primarily free from chemicals, parabens, and fragrance.
3 Things to Look For in Dog Wipes
It’s enough to say that dog wipes are for dogs and baby wipes are for babies. But with that, it’s still a fact that not all dog wipes are suitable for your furry buddy. There are at least 3 things you should check before throwing several dog wipe packages on your cart:
1. The Chemical Components
Make it a habit to give the contents of a dog wipe package a scrutinizing gaze. Look at what chemicals are included so you’d know whether what you’re about to use for your dog buddy is perfectly safe or not.
After all, your dog’s paws, ears, and coats would need different kinds of wipes. Also, watch out for propylene glycol. This can poison your dog’s organs the moment they’ve mouthed on the formula present in the wipe, according to Dr. Jerry Klein.
2. If They’re Fragrance-Free
Dog wipes with artificial fragrances are 100% toxic to your dog. This can cause the following issues:
- Seizures.
- Kidney issues.
- Breathing difficulty.
- Endocrine problems.
- And nervous system disorders.
There’s an exception, however. If the scent is made from all-natural ingredients like essential oils and herbs, then no harm will be caused to your beloved dog.
3. If They’re Hypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic dog wipes are the safest option of all when it comes to conveniently cleaning your pooch. They don’t contain chemicals or additives that may cause an allergic reaction to your fur buddy.
Note: Don’t quickly trust dog wipes that are labeled “natural.” Make sure they don’t have a manufactured chemical called polysorbate-20 as this might have 1,4-dioxane which can be lethal.
3 Alternatives You Can Use for Your Dog
It’s not a worry if you run out of dog wipes! And no, you still can’t opt for the gentlest baby wipe you got. We have 3 alternatives for you instead:
1. Microfiber Cloth and Dog Shampoo
If there’s no time to run the water in the tub, grabbing a piece of a microfiber cloth soaked in warm water mixed with dog shampoo is a way to go. Your pooch will be clean in only a few minutes.
This method is more practical as you can reuse a cloth in comparison to your regular dog wipes, more so if you’re dealing with a dirty dog.
2. Paper Towel and Dog Shampoo
Another alternative you can employ includes the use of paper towels and dog shampoo. Paper towels may come in large sizes, so they’re also a perfect replacement for your typical dog wipe. Simply soak a few sheets in the water plus dog shampoo solution and get started in making your dog’s fur spotless!
The only stumbling block when it comes to using paper towels is that you may need several rolls before you can finish a cleaning session, especially if you own a giant dog breed. However, it’s not much if you got a Chihuahua.
3. Dry Dog Shampoo
Make sure you have bottles of waterless shampoos ready for use in your cupboard. These are also your convenient lifesavers if all else is not available. These won’t require you to conventionally bathe your dog, and there’s no need for rinsing either.
You might also want to check out: Can You Use Head and Shoulders on a Dog? Skin Issues Head & Shoulders Can Treat
