Dogs are naturally very inquisitive by nature and want to figure out what things are, including your lotions. There are many reasons why your dog might start licking you if you have just applied lotion, however, there are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t allow this.
Why Do Dogs Lick Lotion?
There are many reasons why dogs lick lotion, including that they are curious by it or that they are wanting to help clean you. However, you should be wary of this because this can be poisonous to dogs and if not treated properly, can be fatal.
Why Do Dogs Lick Lotion? [Explained With Safety Information]
Dogs Just Lick
Sometimes your dog licking you when you have lotion on has nothing to do with the lotion and is in fact more to do with the fact that your dog just likes to lick you and you just happen to have lotion on in that moment.
Likes The Smell Of the Lotion
Dogs have an excellent sense of smell, so any smells, particularly new ones, are likely to attract them in some way. If they can smell your lotion and are intrigued by the smell of it, they’ll likely start licking it to try and figure out what it is.
Likes The Taste Of the Lotion
This links to liking the smell of lotion because once they become intrigued by the smell of it, if they start licking it trying to figure out what the smell is and they like the taste of it, then they’re likely going to want to continue licking it.
Likes The Texture Of the Lotion
Another reason for dogs licking lotion is because they like its texture. Dogs are inquisitive by nature, so if they smell or taste something that is unusual to them, they will keep tasting it to figure out more.
Because lotion has a texture that is unlike anything else a dog might have, this means they are likely to keep licking it to keep trying to figure out what it is.
Dog Just Happens To Lick Your Skin When Lotion Is On
As previously mentioned, some dogs will naturally just lick you, regardless of what lotions, creams, or anything else you happen to have on at that time.
If your dog licks you when you have lotion on but you also notice that they lick you at other times when you don’t have the lotion on, it’s likely that they’re not licking you because of the lotion but just because they want to lick you.
Licking Lotion Off Your Skin Has Been Encouraged In The Past
It can be easy to accidentally encourage your dog to lick your lotion, even without you realising. If the first time your dog does this you pet them or even if you just let them lick you without saying no, this is encouragement and you should try to stop it.
Just Curious
Dogs are naturally very inquisitive animals and if they come across something that is unusual to them, they are going to start licking it because their smell and taste sensors are heightened and are good at telling them more about an object.
Trying To Help You Remove The Lotion From Your Skin
If you have a dog, you will know that they love to clean themselves and if you have multiple dogs, you may have seen that they clean each other. If your dog can sense something unusual (your lotion) on you, they will be licking it to try and get you clean.
How To Stop Your Dog From Licking Lotion On Your Skin?
1. The first way you can stop your dog from licking lotion is to try and distract them by either getting a toy. Make sure you’re not rewarding them with the toy, because then your dog will think it’s okay to keep licking you.
- You can also try and distract them by giving them treats. Again, make sure you’re not giving your dog these treats as a reward and make it more of a “look over here” moment so they turn their attention away from you and towards the treat.
- Train them by saying no. Whenever your dog goes to lick you when you have lotion on, give them a firm “no” and move whichever part of the body they are trying to lick away from them. Keep doing this and eventually they’ll stop.
- Use of positive reinforcement. You can do this by whenever your dog tries to lick you, saying no, removing your hand, and once they stop trying to lick you, give them their reward in the form of a tasty treat.
- Consider the smell of your lotion. Dogs can be repelled by many smells, particularly things that don’t smell nice. However, you’re unlikely to want to wear something that doesn’t smell nice, so consider using a lotion that smells of citrus as this is one of the nicer smells that dogs don’t like.
What Should You Do If Your Dog Licks The Lotion On Your Skin?
- One thing you should do if your dog licks the lotion on your skin is to contact your vet, particularly if they are showing signs of illness. Even if they haven’t licked that much, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- You also need to monitor them. If your dog has only licked a small amount, they should be alright but still keep an eye on them and if they show any abnormal signs, symptoms or behaviours, contact your vet immediately.
- If your dog is sick, still monitor them and take them to the vet if this persists or gets more severe within a day. Make sure that they get plenty of water and if they eat anything, that it’s not too rich in flavour.
- Still on the topic of food, if your dog is unwell because of licking lotion, if you notice they are getting a little better, start giving them meals but make these meals a little smaller than usual and relatively more simple and see how much they can stomach.
- Give them plenty of time to rest. If your dog is feeling a little ill and you notice this, getting them to run around isn’t going to do them any favours. Even potentially missing your daily walk(s) might be a good idea for the time being to allow them enough time to rest up.
Why Do Dogs Lick Vaseline And Lotion?
Dogs will lick vaseline and lotion because it’s something that is unusual to them, so they’re trying to figure out what it is and learn more about it. They will likely be intrigued by the smell, taste and texture because all of these things are different to anything they’ve had before.
Can Dogs Lick Calamine Lotion?
If you are using calamine lotion, this contains zinc oxide and this can be quite poisonous for dogs and does cause digestive problems, like vomiting and diarrhoea. If you notice any blood in either of these, you need to go to the vet immediately.
Can Dogs Lick Aveeno Lotion?
Dogs can actually lick Aveeno lotion. Even though it was made for humans, it doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients within it, so won’t mess with their insides.
Can Dogs Lick Cerave Lotion?
There is nothing to suggest that Cerave lotion is poisonous to dogs. That being said, it’s obviously not a good idea to just allow them to lick as much as they want because there’s a chance they could get sick in some way from it, so just be mindful of this.
What Happens If My Dog Licks Aloe Vera Lotion?
There is no way that you should let your dog ingest any aloe vera lotion. It contains a chemical called saponin, which is toxic to dogs and can cause vomiting, severe diarrhoea and low blood sugar.
It can also cause the breakdown of red blood cells, which can become fatal if it’s not immediately treated.
Is Bath And Body Works Lotion Toxic To Dogs?
It is currently unknown whether Bath and Body Works lotion is toxic to dogs. However, on their website it clearly states that they don’t test their products on animals, so therefore, the products aren’t tested on dogs so it’s unknown whether this would provoke a reaction in your dog.
Having said that, if you do use Bath and Body Works lotions, it’s better to be safe than sorry and not let your dog lick you after use.
Can Dogs Lick Moisturizing Lotion?
It’s not the best of ideas for you to let your dog lick your moisturizing lotion because this can cause them to drool, vomit and have diarrhoea. This is due to the amount of chemicals and compounds within this lotion that can upset their gastrointestinal tract.
Can Dogs Lick Lotions Containing Hydrocortisone?
It is a big no-no for dogs to lick lotions that contain hydrocortisone. This is a steroid cream to help control itching and can cause increased levels of thirst, urination, panting, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Can Dogs Lick Lotions Containing Antibiotics?
You shouldn’t be allowing your dog to lick any lotion you have that contains antibiotics because these are meant to treat any cuts, scrapes, scratches, or any other breaks in the skin you might have. If your dog ingests this, this can cause them to have a major stomach upset.
Can Dogs Lick Antifungal Lotions?
If you are using an antifungal lotion, this is likely to be used to treat conditions such as athlete’s foot, yeast infections and nail fungus in humans. If your dog ingests this, it can cause them to vomit and have diarrhoea.
Can Dogs Lick Lotions Containing Zinc Oxide?
Zinc oxide is one of the most poisonous things your dog could ingest and at best will only cause your dog to have vomiting and diarrhoea.
However, if you notice that your dog has any blood in their vomit or diarrhoea, you need to contact the vet immediately because this suggests that there is damage to your dog’s gastrointestinal tract and this may require surgery.
Can Dogs Lick Prescription Steroid-Based Lotion?
As previously mentioned, any form of steroid-based lotion is not a good idea for your dog to be allowed to lick because it can cause many different things including increased panting, vomiting, thirst, urination, and diarrhoea.
Can Dogs Lick Anti-Inflammatory Pain Medication Creams And Lotions?
Anti-inflammatory creams are another of the main types of lotions that you must keep your dog away from. Because these are often used to help relieve arthritis symptoms, just the tiniest amount being digested can cause your dog to have kidney failure.
Can Dogs Lick Muscle Rub Lotions?
If your dog licks your muscle rub lotions, this can cause them to have vomiting, stomach ulcers and bloody diarrhoea due to aspirin-like compounds within them. Even if your lotion doesn’t contain this compound, it may contain menthol and capsaicin, which is also toxic to dogs.
Can Dogs Lick How Safe Is Baby Lotion For Dogs?
Regardless of whether the lotion you have is for an adult or a baby, you should consider all lotions to be harmful to dogs and should try to prevent them from having any access to any lotions whatsoever.
Can Dogs Lick Body Washes?
It’s not a good idea for dogs to lick body washes because depending on the ingredients of the body wash, it could make your dog very sick. If it’s only a small lick, it shouldn’t be too damaging but frequent licks could be more serious.
Can Dogs Lick Hand Sanitizer?
It is imperative that you don’t let your dog lick hand sanitizer because it can give them poisoning if it gets absorbed through the skin.
Is It Ok For My Dog To Lick Lotion Topical Ointments, And Creams?
It isn’t the best idea for you to let your dog lick your lotion. Whilst if they lick the tiniest amount by accident they should be alright, if they lick lots of the lotion, they could end up very poorly due to the ingredients within these products.
What Are The Dog Friendly Lotions For Humans (Lick Safe)?
If you are wanting to find a lotion that is dog-friendly, you might consider using coconut oil. This is safe for dogs if they do lick you, although obviously, it isn’t necessarily something you should be encouraging your dog to do anyway.
Why Do Dogs Lick Lotion Off Legs?
If your dog has been licking the lotion off your legs, this is likely because they have been intrigued by the smell so have gone to lick the lotion to see what it is and then potentially see it as something you shouldn’t have on you, so they are trying to clean you by getting rid of the lotion.
Why Does My Dog Lick My Perfume/Deodorant?
Just like lotion, your perfume and deodorant is another everyday object that you might use but that is completely new to your dog, so they are wanting to sniff at and lick these two objects to try and learn more about them.
Is Aloe Vera Lotion Toxic To Dogs?
Yes, aloe vera lotion is toxic to dogs due to the chemical it contains which is saponin and this is incredibly toxic to dogs. This can make them very sick to the point where it might make your dog’s red blood cells break down, which can be fatal.
Can Lotions Get Into A Dog’s Bloodstream?
Yes, it’s possible for lotions to get into your dogs bloodstream, particularly if it enters into their body through their skin. If you’re not careful, this can lead to your dog getting poisoned.
What Are The Side Effects Of Dog Ingesting Lotion?
There are multiple side effects of your dog ingesting lotion. This includes vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ulcers, panting, thirst, urination, drooling, and in serious circumstances, it can lead to kidney failure.
Can I Put Lotion On My Dog If It Likes To Lick?
It’s not the best idea to put your lotion on your dog because as previously mentioned, this can potentially contain ingredients that are toxic to your dog. If you’re going to put any lotion on your dog, stick to ones that are dog-friendly.
Why You Shouldn’t Allow Your Dog To Lick Lotion?
If your dog licks a little bit of your lotion, this is okay and shouldn’t be harmful to them. However, if they lick a lot of it, this can be harmful because the vast majority, if not all, of the products within your lotion are harmful to both humans and dogs and aren’t for digestive purposes.
Can Licking Hand Cream Hurt Dogs?
If your dog happens to lick a bit of your hand cream, this shouldn’t hurt them in any way. However, if they continuously lick it or even manage to get into the tube, this could really hurt them because none of the products within the cream are meant to be digested.
References
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1096286706000314
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1365-3164.2002.00292.x
https://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/lotions-creams-and-prescription-medications-should-my-pet-be-licking-me