Dogs, Poison Oak, and You

Do you love taking your dog with you hiking and camping? Well then this tip is for you! Poison Oak is widespread in Northern California and not only is it possible for you to get Poison Oak from your dog, it is pretty common too!

Dogs are generally not susceptible to the oil urushiol that comes from Poison Oak. But if they run about in the grass, bush, and trees they can get the oil all over their coats - and then all over you! So here are a few tips to help prevent you getting Poison Oak from your best four-legged friend.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not let your dog off-leash in certain areas. If you think your dog has been exposed to Poison Oak the best thing to do is give them a bath with a degreasing soap. The oil is difficult to remove otherwise. Make sure to protect yourself with rubber gloves and long sleeves and pants. You may even want to wear protective goggles - the last thing you want is water with urushiol flung in your eyes. Run lots of cold water and use Dawn or another degreasing soap to thoroughly wash your dog's coat. Be mindful of getting soap in your dog's eyes. You will want to use lots of cold water for a long period of time to make sure you have removed the oils. Let us know if you have any questions!

Tags: poison oak, dogs