Question about Chlorhexidine Use for Dogs

[Ganesha]

Dog folks - how toxic is properly diluted 2% Chlorhexidine solution to dogs if ingested (say by licking the area after the solution has dried)?

My mom mentioned that her dog has “growths” that she is worried about. She says he is also very itchy, and has taken him to the vet several times for it, but they did not seem to think it was a big issue and gave her a chlorhexidine shampoo. Strangely enough, I rarely see the dog scratch. Last time I was there overnight, I saw him chew his feet a little before bed, and that’s it. I think she May be a little over anxious about the itchness (and he has no bald spots).

Anyway, I was concerned about the growths so I checked him out - and what I found after really parting his thick coat and inspecting the bumpy areas is that he has about 4 spots that look exactly like rain rot on horses! There are no growths on his actual skin -just crusts attached to tufts of hair. I gently pulled these off. The area underneath looks a little pink and irritated but not terrible.

I ordered her some of this 2% chlorhexidine solution (https://www.amazon.com/Chlorhexidine-Horses-Dogs-One-Gallon/dp/B000HHNZVW) and suggested she use a spray bottle to apply to his bumpy spots daily, and to his feet. However, she is worried about him licking / ingesting the solution and getting sick. Any advice? Do you think it is safe to spray this on his feet and let dry, if he later bites or licks his feet?

Any other advice about using chlorhexidine solution for dogs?

[LauraO]

My dentist used a Chlorhexidine rinse for some inflamed / infected gum tissue (one time, in office) So, I would think that the toxicity is low. Obviously, as a rinse, you rinse and spit, but I would think that the residue left and being licked off would be similar.

[Sunsets]

I use a prescription shampoo (Malaseb) on my fungus-prone GSD. The active ingredients are 2% miconazole nitrate and 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, so I think you are probably OK.

Based on your description, it sounds like your mom’s dog might have a fungus issue. I keep my dog’s under control with twice-weekly baths (shampoo has to stay on for 10 minutes before rinsing). If it’s really bad, we have to go to the vet to get oral anti-fungals. Changing diet may or may not help.

[Ganesha]

She has shampoo that is similar to Malaseb, and he gets bathed in it once a week. It is super expensive compared to the chlorhex. in a gallon. It is hard for her to bathe him more frequently because of her age and back issues. Since the issue seems to be confined to his feet and a few distinct areas in his coat, I was thinking using the solution in the spray bottle and just leaving it on him would be easy for her.

I’m kind of extrapolating from my horse experience since I’ve never owned a dog, though I like them and love hers to bits.

[Sunsets]

I totally understand the limitations to washing often. It’s a huge pain (literally and figuratively). The topical might work, I personally never had luck with it. Is it possible to “spot clean” with the expensive shampoo? Once you get on top of it, you can reduce the frequency.

If you think that the dog is partially contributing by continuously itching, it might be worth looking into Apoquel to see if regular doses of that can break the itch cycle. That didn’t work for my dog, but there’s a new biologic on the market called Cytopoint. It’s an injectable, and it’s expensive, but it is SO worth it.

Good luck with mom’s pup!

[hb]

I had a dog with allergy problems. He would get chronic infections in his feet. One thing the dermatology vet recommended was dipping them in diluted chlorhexidine and letting it dry on.

We also had the expensive miconazole/chlorhexidine spray. When it ran low I got a spray can of generic miconazole athlete’s foot spray at Walgreen’s and a gallon of chlorhexidine at the vet supply place and mixed it in the spray bottle. It worked great and cost about 1/4 the cost of the spray.

This dog was also on apoquel a couple of times in his lifetime. I was always a little wary of the apoquel. The derma vet didn’t like him being on it if he had an active yeast infection in his feet since it suppresses the immune system pretty effectively, but that always happened really quickly if he had an allergy flare up. His whole life it was difficult to keep his allergies in check, poor guy.

[Ganesha]

Thanks for all the suggestions! She is spot treating with the shampoo now and and using the Chlorhex. solution in a spray bottle to treat his feet. Crossing fingers it helps.

[csaper58]

At one time my dog had similar itchy bumps and was licking his feet, it turned out there where cigarette beetles (weevils) in his dry dog food that had migrated to the carpet he liked to sleep on. Apparently they bite worse than fleas.

[Ganesha]

@csaper58

At one time my dog had similar itchy bumps and was licking his feet, it turned out there where cigarette beetles (weevils) in his dry dog food that had migrated to the carpet he liked to sleep on. Apparently they bite worse than fleas.

:eek:

Wow! I’ll have to check for those next time I’m there! I’ll ask mom to check his food. I saw some sort of weevil or worm stick its head out the carpet during a yoga class once and it freaked me out!