Can You get Poison Ivy From Your Dog?

Can You get Poison Ivy From Your Dog?

Last updated on July 19, 2018 By Puppy Leaks 9 comments
I moved out of the suburbs and into a wooded area a few years back, and it wasn’t long after that I got poison ivy for the first time. I shrugged it off and attributed it to bad luck.

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Since I don’t have a routine of reaching out and touching all the odd plants I come across I figured I’d be safe. I continued to take my pet dog for her daily walk in the woods, oblivious to all the potentially poisonous things we we were walking through.

So you know what happened? I got poison ivy. Not once, not twice, but three times in the first couple years here.

Looking back I’m pretty sure I got poison ivy from my dog. turns out poison ivy doesn’t usually effect dogs, but the oil from it can be transferred from their coat and onto us.

Can You get Poison Ivy From Your Dog?

Can you get poison ivy from you dog? The short answer is yes — urushiol oil that gets on your pet dog can be transferred onto you.

The rash itself that poison ivy causes is not contagious from your dog, but any oil from the plant that ends up on your pet dog can spread to you. and in a lot of people it only takes a very small amount of urushoil (a liquid compound in the plant’s sap) to cause a reaction.

When exposed to 50 micrograms of urushiol, an amount that is less than one grain of table salt, 80 to 90 percent of adults will develop a rash. – CDC

So if you’re out walking with your pet dog and suspect you may have run into some poison ivy the best thing you can do is wash him as soon as possible to help stop a reaction. Those oils can linger for some time on his coat, and it only takes a tiny amount on your skin to cause a reaction.

How to stop getting Poison Ivy From Your Dog

If you suspect your pet dog has come into contact with poison ivy avoid any petting and wash him immediately. The quicker the oil is washed off the better the chances of avoiding a reaction.

Be sure to wash your clothing and any towels you use right away after washing your pet dog to stop any contact with lingering oils.

Prevent catching Poison Ivy From Your pet dog By:

Wash your pet right away after exposure

Wash multiple times to make sure the oil is removed

Wash your dogs collar & leash

Wear rubber gloves & long sleeves to stop the oil from spreading to you

Wash your clothing & towels after bathing your pet dog to stop additionally exposure

Take a shower to get rid of any possible lingering oils on your skin

Can Dogs get Poison Ivy?

Although dogs can get poison ivy it’s not nearly as common as it is in humans thanks to their fur which acts as a protective barrier. short haired and hairless breeds are a lot more at risk for developing the rash, and areas that have less fur such as the stomach are a lot more susceptible.

Pets are not quite as likely to develop the rash from urushiol as people because the hair coat is somewhat protective, but if your pet has a rash of any kind, it is wise to see a vet. – Dr. Kathryn Primm, Iheartdogs.com

Symptoms of a Poison Ivy reaction in Dogs

The reaction that dogs have to poison ivy is just like our own, and the symptoms can take up to a week to develop. The normal symptoms of a poison ivy reaction in dogs are:

Increased itching & scratching

Increase in licking

Red, blister-like raised bumps on the skin

Inflamed skin

Open sores

As the oil spreads onto your dogs skin they’ll begin to develop a rash with raised bumps that resemble blisters. The skin will redden and become very itchy.

As the plant’s oils sink into your dog’s skin, red bumps that resemble pimples — known as papules — will emerge, causing your pet to itch and his skin to redden, much like the reaction humans experience. – Dr. Scott Perry, Care.com

Dogs can develop a severe reaction if they ingest the plant. If you think your pet dog has ingested poison ivy it’s time for a trip to the vet.

While we can use calamine lotion to soothe our own poison ivy it can be toxic to your pet. If your pet dog has come into contact with poison ivy and they start showing signs of a rash or extra itching seek advice from your veterinarian.

Identifying Poison Ivy

Poison ivy normally grows as a vine or shrub, and it’s found throughout a lot of of America except for Hawaii & Alaska. It can grow in open fields, wooded areas, and roadsides, and it can be found in both rural and urban areas.

Poison ivy plants have three pointed leaves, though depending on species this can vary. Some plants have yellow or green flowers, and others have white berries depending on the time of year. The leaves are usually green in the spring and turn red in fall.

“If it has three, let it be” Poison ivy plants have 3 leaves, but they’re not always easy to identify because of their lots of color & shape variations.

Tips For stopping Your pet dog From getting Poison Ivy

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