The dog hygiene is a key aspect of its care, therefore, today we will deal with one of the most frequently asked questions arise at bath time: Can I bathe my dog with neutral soap? We must know that the best way to keep our dog clean is to brush it regularly and, when it's time to go through the bathtub, use a good shampoo specifically formulated for dogs. Also, we have to make sure that we leave it completely dry.
In this article on our site we will answer your question, but we will also explain what products we can use to bathe a dog if we do not have a specific dog shampoo at our disposal.
Neutral soap
By neutral soap we mean the one whose pH most resembles that of our skin The pH indicates acidity or alkalinity and will be different in dogs and people, in fact, the skin of the body presents differences in pH depending on the area. Therefore, a soap that we consider neutral for humans will not be neutral for dogs
Thus, first of all we have to know if the product we have is neutral soap for dogs, taking into account its pH, or No. We can bathe a dog with neutral soap for human skin but it is not advisable, not so much because of the pH, which will also be interfered with that of the water, but because its composition is not the most suitable for the dog's skin and, although for once it is rare that it has consequences, using it regularly could give us problems
Can you bathe a dog with person gel?
People's skin hygiene products are specifically formulated for our skin type and dermatologically tested to cleanse without be too aggressive, as the use of soaps or gels is known to also strip the skin's own natural protection.
As we have said for neutral soap, washing our dog with gel for people one day is not going to be a problem, but it is not recommended that we bathe a dog with gel or neutral soap for people always because, obviously, they are designed for human skin and, currently, on the market we will find multiple options for dogs that will guarantee the best care for their skin and hair. This also applies to children's gels or shampoos, which are also not suitable for dogs.
What do I use to bathe my dog if I don't have shampoo?
If, for whatever reason, we find ourselves before a dirty dog that we need to bathe and we don't have soap for dogs at home, we can, exceptionally, as we have explained, use our own. We could also use a chlorhexidine shampoo (make sure it's chlorhexidine shampoo, not disinfectant), if we have it in our medicine cabinet or buy it at any pharmacy.
These shampoos are used to disinfect the skin and are recommended for some dermatological problems. We can use them in an emergency but not on a regular basis, as they could dry out he althy skin.
Another option would be to make our own shampoo, for example, from oatmeal, mixing it, in flour or crushed, with baking soda and water. We can also use directly apple cider vinegar We are talking about dogs with he althy skin. If we observe any dermatological condition, our veterinarian will have to prescribe an appropriate treatment that may include a specific shampoo.
What not to bathe a dog with
We have seen that we could occasionally bathe a dog with neutral soap for people, and we have also mentioned other alternatives for cases in which we do not have a specific shampoo for dogs at home. What we should never use are detergents or dishwashing products
These liquids are prepared to remove grease and dirt from clothes or objects, but they do not respect the balance of the skin, although we can contact them during the time in which we use them (it is normal that let us notice that our hands dry).
Applying one of these soaps on our dog will remove its protective fatty layer, so it is true that it will leave it clean, but the body will react by producing even more fat, so that it will immediately seem that the dog is dirtier and smells stronger.
