Poison oak is easy to identify for part of the year when its red. But when it isn’t red, just remember “Leaves of 3, Let it be.” I am usually pretty aware of poison oak and keep my dogs out of it… but there was one hike I did recently with water crossings and I let my dog off leash to cross the stream on her own… and she was standing in a pile of poison oak plants at the other end waiting for me. It is commonly found in forest areas with water.
Poison oak is highly contagious. The plant has an oily sap called Urushiol which commonly causes allergic reactions in humans. It usually causes a VERY itchy rash, and can be transmited pretty quickly. (if you get it on your leg, scratch with your fingers.. you then have the oils on your fingers.)
Poison oak doesn’t usually cause a big reaction in dogs. Since they have fur… it doesn’t get to their skin as early as it does for us humans. However… all 3 of my dogs have VERY short hair on their legs so it does bother them a bit more than other dogs.
The first thing to remember if you think your dog walked through poison oak… don’t touch it. It will spread to you. If you think they walked through poison oak… your best bet is to handle it asap before it spreads to other things (like your couch, family members, clothes)
How to get rid of the poison oak safely:
- Protect yourself. I keep at least one rubber glove in my car at all times. You’ll want something that will keep your hand dry so you don’t get the oils on your skin.
- Wash the area with a degreasing soap. I usually use Dawn, as we usually have this sitting next to our sink. I apply soap to the area and rinse 3-4 times. Better safe than sorry. Probably overkill.. but why not.
- Dry the area and look at the skin. If its just a little red, you should be fine, if you start to see blisters on the skin… I would contact a vet if it looks like it is getting worse, or put a cone on your dog to avoid letting them irritate the area any further.
- Then go wash anything your dog may have touched that could have the oils on them. (I have a cargo cover in my car to protect the seats. I usually toss it in the wash when I think they may have been hit with some poison oak.) I always throw away the glove I used to wash my dog.
In most cases, it doesn’t hit dogs as hard as it hits humans… But if your dog is biting and itching like crazy, has blister or scabs that ooze, or they are having trouble breathing… take them to the vet asap.
It has never been more than a rash for our dogs which clears up in a day or two if we wash the area as quickly as we can.
Chevy The Boston 