If you are a pet parent, you know that your dog can get into some pretty messy situations. Whether it be muddy paws, dirt on your dog’s body or face, or odor coming from your dog’s fur between weekly baths. This dirt and odor on your dog can lead to a messy home, bacterial infections, and other unwanted health conditions.
You might be wondering what the best choice is to clean dirt from your furry friend regularly. Clean dogs are happy dogs, so it is best to keep your canine friend fresh. Many dog owners use baby wipes for these quick cleanups, but is it safe? They are a great choice when it comes to precious babies, so why not your dog? The short answer is yes, in moderation.
In this article, we will discuss the best wipes to use on your dog, and the effect that baby wipes have on your dog’s skin. Stick around to learn more about the best ways to keep your pup clean between full grooming sessions.
Why Is Keeping Your Dog Clean Important?
Keeping your dog clean may seem like a difficult task. While they may look adorable playing fetch with their favorite toy in the backyard, they are also collecting dirt, grass, mud, and other substances on their face, teeth, fur, and paws. Just like human hygiene, dog hygiene should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Keeping your pet clean is part of being a pet owner.
Neglecting your dog’s cleanliness can lead to several health problems, whether it be skin irritations, dental issues, ear infections, etc. In addition to regular grooming sessions that consist of a bath, teeth brushing, and ear cleaning, it is a great idea to keep up with your dog’s hygiene.
Are Baby Wipes Safe To Use On Dogs?
Baby wipes are a super efficient way to clean up a mess. They are gentle enough to use on human skin, but are they okay for your dog’s skin? Although baby wipes are perfect for a newborn baby’s sensitive skin, they are not technically the best solution to clean your dog. This is because your skin and your pet’s skin are much different. The biggest concern is that you and your dog have different pH levels. To explain, pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance or solution is. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14. On this scale, a level 7 is neutral. More than 7 is basic, while less than 7 is more acidic.
Human wet wipes are meant to be used on skin that has a pH level of 5.5. But, your dog’s pH level is much higher. This means that a human wipe is going to be far too acidic for your dog’s basic skin levels. Regular use of baby wipes on your dog’s fur, dirty paws, or any other sensitive areas can cause pH imbalances, which can strip the essential oils on your dog’s skin and lead to irritation, an allergic reaction, or bacterial infections. If you are going to use baby wipes for your dog, it is a good idea to limit them to occasional use to prevent any unwanted trips to the vet or uncomfortable situations for your pup.
What Are the Effects of Using Baby Wipes For My Dog?
It’s understandable that as a dog owner, you might get in a tricky situation with no access to traditional soap and warm water to clean your dog with. Baby wipes can be a convenient alternative in this situation, and are okay for occasional use. As we know, the main difference between a human baby’s skin and a dog’s skin is the pH balance of your pet. This means that regular baby wipes may not be the best wipe for daily cleaning sessions.
As a responsible pet parent, it is essential to be aware of the possible effects of the daily use of baby wipes on your dog’s health. Even hypoallergenic wipes or ones that claim to contain natural ingredients can have harmful chemicals that lead to an adverse reaction in your pet. If your pet suffers from any type of allergy, it is best to avoid wipes altogether.
Some of the most common side effects of using baby wipes on your dog are:
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- Dry Skin
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- Itchy Skin
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- Skin Cracks
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- Skin Infections
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- Rashes
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- Allergic Reactions
Best Alternatives To Baby Wipes
Now that we have covered the use of human wipes on your dog, let’s discuss the best alternatives to use to keep your pup fresh between baths. This includes different types of wipes, clean cloths, and dog dry shampoo. Using these pet-friendly alternatives is a safe way to prevent any side effects that may occur from using regular baby wipes.
Dog Specific Wipes
Just as baby wipes are made specifically for the skin of babies, dog-specific wipes are made with the composition of a dog’s skin in mind. This means that these wipes will be better suited for their skin type and much safer. Using the right wipes is a good way to avoid discomfort for your pup. In past decades, dog owners have become highly aware of what we put in and out of our dog’s bodies, and pet supply companies have stepped up their game when it comes to providing safe and healthy products for dogs.
If you want to purchase a wipe specific to your furry friend, this list contains the best dog wipes available. There are even specific wipes for cleaning your dog’s bum, toes, fur, and ear canal!
Some of the most popular brands are Pogi’s Grooming Wipes, Nature’s Miracle Deodorizing Bath Wipes, and The Wild One Grooming Wipes. These are an excellent choice because they are free of harmful ingredients and harsh chemicals that you’d find in an antibacterial wipe. Instead, the wipes are formulated with natural ingredients such as Vitamin E and aloe vera that act as an antimicrobial and a conditioner for sensitive skin.
Damp Microfiber Towel
Using a microfiber towel or clean cloth is a simple way to keep your dog clean. Simply run the towel under some warm water. For added power, you can add a small amount of dog shampoo.
If you are concerned about leaving soapy residue or film on your dog, you can use a separate towel with just water to “rinse” your dog after. This way, you can remove the remaining residue from your pup. When you are working around sensitive areas such as your dog’s face or eyes to remove tear stains, it is best to just use a water-soaked cloth to avoid getting any product in your dog’s eyes.
This alternative method to wipes is an effective and safe way to get your dog clean in just a few moments without the worry of harmful chemicals. This method also might work faster than baby wipes, since those are quite small in comparison to the large messes that your dog can create. It is also the best alternative for the environment since you won’t be throwing away dozens of wipes.
Dry Dog Shampoo
Dry dog shampoo works similarly to human dry shampoo. If you have ever used this product on yourself, you know that the dry shampoo works when applied to the scalp to soak up excess oils and remove odor from the hair on days you want to go between washes. The same concept can be applied to dry dog shampoos.
The way these shampoos work is that they include pH-altering ingredients that help adjust your dog’s skin pH to healthier levels, promoting better-smelling bacteria. To use dry dog shampoo, apply it to your dog’s coat, let it work to absorb the natural oils, and then brush it out.
The only thing about using dry dog shampoo that is negative is the cleaning aspect. While they are great for deodorizing your dog, they do not do much when it comes to cleaning debris such as dirt or mud from your dog’s paws, ears, face, etc as dog bath wipes do. But, if you simply need a way to make your dog smell better between washes, then this might be a great option for you and your pet.
Chemicals To Avoid When Purchasing Pet Cleaning Products
When you are purchasing any product that is going to be used on your pet, it is a wise choice to make sure they are using safe ingredients. This is a quick list of chemicals you should avoid when purchasing pet products:
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- Ethylene Oxide
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- Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
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- Butoxy peg-4 pg-amodimethicone
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- Potassium Laureth Phosphate
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- Polysorbate 20
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- PEG-75 Lanolin
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- Cetereath-20
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- Propylene glycol
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- Hydrogen Peroxide
THE WRAP
Keeping your pet clean is an extremely important part of being a responsible pet parent and keeping your pet happy. Neglecting your dog’s hygiene can lead to health conditions such as skin irritation, dental issues, and ear infections. The best way to keep your pet clean is through routine grooming appointments or sessions. Understandably, your dog may get dirty between these sessions as they run through muddy puddles or roll around in the grass. So, what do you do? Many pet owners use baby wipes to clean their dogs. While this is a generally fine option, it is not the safest.
The main issue is that humans and dogs have different pH levels in their skin. A human’s skin is more acidic than a dog’s, which means a baby wipe is too acidic for a dog’s skin. Occasional use of a baby wipe for your dog is okay in necessary situations. Regular daily use of a baby wipe on your dog can lead to dry skin, rashes, and bacterial infections.
SOLUTIONS
The good news is that there are still options that are just as convenient as baby wipes. If you want to be on the safe side, the best alternative to baby wipes are wipes made specifically for dogs, a damp microfiber towel, or dog dry shampoo. These alternatives do not contain toxic chemicals that regular wet wipes do, making them a good option for keeping your pet clean between grooming. We hope you enjoyed this article and answered your questions on “can you use baby wipes on puppies?” Stay tuned for more helpful pet articles!
Sources
https://petparentsbrand.com/blogs/pet-parenting/can-you-use-baby-wipes-on-dogs