Canines have a talent for sniffing out things they’re better off avoiding. It’s not unheard of for dogs to have ingested stuff like wasabi – giving pet parents nightmares worrying about their furry pal’s health.
However, if you’re little pupper has developed a liking for your kids’ Play-Doh or sculpting clay, you’re right to stay alert and search about the dangers of ingesting it.
First, keep in mind that the main ingredients of Play-Doh are water, flour, and salt (sodium chloride).
Did your dog consume Play-Doh and you’re wondering what to do? A large dog that ingested a small quantity of Play-Doh should be okay. A small dog or any size that ingested a large quantity should be rushed to the vet as most of these kids clays contain salt, which can cause kidney problems or, in severe situations, salt poisoning.
Before you start hyperventilating, thinking about all that can go wrong if your furball eats Play-Doh take a moment to go through our clay-centric guide and have a plan of action ready to help your canine.
Dogs And Play-Doh: What To Keep In Mind
Before we cover what you should do if you suspect your pet has eaten Play-Doh, here are some factors you should be aware of that’ll help you gauge the seriousness of the situation.
Store-Bought Or Homemade Play-Doh
If you’re big on DIY projects – it’s likely you’ve heard of homemade or salt-dough. Parents of little ones prefer to have their tiny tots play with DIY kids’ clay because kids have a habit of sticking the stuff in their mouths. And, they’re right.
Homemade kids’ clay is actually safer for little ones to play with because it includes the following ingredients:
- Flour
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- Cream of tartar
- Food coloring
All the above ingredients are pretty harmless for humans – because our systems are pretty adept at flushing out salt, not to mention we’ve got a higher threshold for the stuff.
However, when it comes to doggos – salt can be a tricky ingredient. Too much salt in your pet’s diet can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, excessive urination, temperature, and seizures.
There’s also a very real danger of your doggo developing sodium ion poisoning if your canine’s intake of salt is too high.
On the other hand, store-bought Play-Doh includes ingredients like borax, kerosene, aluminum sulfate, etc. – apart from sodium chloride (salt). That means ingesting store-bought Play-Doh, even in small quantities, isn’t good for your doggo.
While ingesting store-bought Play-Doh is definitely fraught with more dangers, homemade clays can wreak havoc, too (depending on your pet’s size). That’s why it’s highly recommended that you get your fur baby to the vet asap if it’s ingested Play-Doh, regardless of the type.
Your Doggo’s Size
You’re probably asking why your pet’s size is a factor if it ingests Play-Doh of some kind. That’s simple – the smaller your pupper’s size is, the more challenging it’ll be for your doggo to digest salt and flush it out of its system.
Larger breeds find it easier to handle salt because their systems are more adept at handling salt.
That doesn’t mean that larger doggos are entirely safe from the side effects of ingesting too much salt. They can still face troubles like vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, etc.
Conversely, even eating a modest portion of “play-doh” (be it homemade or store-bought) can be pretty dangerous for smaller breeds.
Your Pet’s Health
If your large-breed furball is in the prime of its life with little or no health concerns, eating a small amount of Play-Doh won’t likely affect its system too bad, apart from some minor symptoms like nausea or excessive thirst.
But little puppers and senior dogs with weak systems are at greater risk if they ingest kids’ modeling clays. That’s because their systems are somewhat compromised due to their age and may not be able to tolerate too much sodium.
Aside from all that, if your doggo has kidney problems or any other health condition that can affect the way its body flushes out sodium – don’t take any chances and drive your canine to the vet as soon as you can.
Symptoms To Watch Out For If Your Pet Has Ingested Play-Doh
If you aren’t 100 percent sure that your doggo has eaten Play-Doh, you can watch out for the following symptoms:
- Excessive thirst
- Excessive urination
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Tremors
- Temperature
- Seizures
If your pet is displaying one or more of the symptoms listed above, the chances are it’s eaten these crafting clays and needs immediate medical attention.
Some sources on the internet may recommend a wait-and-watch approach, but if your pupper’s health is at risk – don’t take any chances.
What To Do If Your Dog Ate Play-Doh?
To be completely honest, there’s not much you can do at home if you discover your doggo has eaten kids’ clay.
During my research, I came across certain sources that advise inducing your pet to vomit by giving it hydrogen peroxide mixed with water.
It’s true that veterinarians do make use of hydrogen peroxide to make canines throw up (1 tablespoon per 20 pounds) if they’ve ingested toxic substances – but it’s not something you should try on your own without your vet’s approval or knowledge.
Instead, it’s best to take your pooch directly to the vet, and if your vet thinks the situation warrants the call for induced vomiting – he or she will perform the procedure themselves or advise you on how to do it.
If your doggo is experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, you should focus on keeping it hydrated. Don’t force it to drink too much water, which can cause vomiting and lead to further dehydration.
Once again, the best bet is to get your pet expert medical help to ensure its well-being isn’t compromised in any way.
Conclusion
Play-Doh doesn’t seem like the kind of substance that can do your pooch too much damage.
But the truth is, ingesting Play-Doh of any kind can have moderate to severe effects on your doggo’s health depending on the play-doh type, your pet’s size and health, and the amount of play-doh your canine has consumed.
Sometimes the symptoms of ingesting Play-Doh can take a few hours to appear, which is why, if you’re confident your canine has eaten the stuff, it’s best to take your pet to the vet instead of waiting for trouble to appear.
Not to mention, the sooner the vet can take the clay out of your fur baby’s system, the faster its recovery time will be.
Related Questions
Still have some Play-Doh-related queries? That’s okay. Go through our related questions section to get all the answers you need.
Is Play-Doh Poisonous?
While the exact ingredients of Play-Doh aren’t public knowledge, the product’s 2004 patent states it includes the following elements:
- Water
- Salt
- Flour
- Lubricant
- Preservative
- Hardener
- Retrogradation inhibitor
- Humectant
- Fragrance
- Color
Play-Doh’s list of supposed ingredients doesn’t mention the quantity of each element, nor does it clarify what type of preservative, lubricant, or inhibitor, etc., it utilizes.
Experts state that it’s likely the ingredients may include kerosene, borax, aluminum sulfate, and others to ensure the product has a longer shelf life and functions the way it should.
However, unless Hasbro confirms the presence of such ingredients – it’s all hear-say.
To put stuff simply, Hasbro maintains that Play-Doh is non-toxic and not poisonous at all in any way. Although, you should note that even Hasbro claims that Play-Doh can be dangerous for pets to consume due to the high sodium content.
How Long After Eating Something Will A Dog Get Sick?
Dogs can eat things they shouldn’t due to various reasons like anxiety, boredom, lack of nutrients, or even stress.
But sometimes, it can be a bit complicated gauging if your pet has ingested something harmful because the symptoms can take time to develop.
For instance, if your pet is a large-breed canine with no health concerns, its system may take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to display related indications.
That’s why pet experts recommend seeking a vet’s help even if you suspect your dog has eaten something that can harm its health. Don’t wait for the symptoms to appear; instead, take immediate action to help your dog.
Can Salt Poison Dogs?
Salt in high quantities is harmful to humans and lethal for cats and dogs. Several studies show that approximately 2 to 4 grams of salt for kg (of body weight) is enough to cause salt poisoning in dogs.
At the same time, an intake of 4 grams of salt per kg of body weight can be fatal.
That’s why small canine breeds are at a greater risk of salt poisoning as opposed to large breeds because of the reduced body weight. While large breeds are still at less risk for salt poisoning, you should note that every doggy breed is susceptible to the condition.
Symptoms of salt poisoning include tremors, temperature, lethargy, fluid retention, vomiting, excessive thirst, and excessive urination. If your canine is displaying one or two of the following symptoms, get them to a vet as soon as possible.
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