| May 7, 2003
2 On Your Side: Detergent and dogs don’t
mix
GRESHAM
- We have a warning for pet owners.
A woman said her dog suffered serious chemical burns from a
laundry detergent most people would consider harmless.
KATU's 2 On Your Side reporter Ed Teachout has the story.
_____________
You wouldn't think laundry soap could be harmful to your
pet just by getting on their skin.
But this Wednesday one Basset Hound's misadventure is a
good warning to all pet owners.
Seven-year old Scarlet is recovering after getting into a
particular laundry detergent that many folks have at home.
 "A tremendous skin reaction over her entire
bottom half of her body, you see her quiver when I touch her,"
said Dr. Chuck Hawkins who is a Veterinarian.
Connected to an IV, Scarlet is sedated and she hasn't eaten
for two days.
"You can see where the spread marks are where the detergent
had spilled. It spilled inside the cage," said Hawkins.
The bottle of liquid Tide was on the floor near the cage,
somehow Scarlet got to it and got the lid off.
After perhaps hours of lying in the Tide Marci Cook found
her dog bleeding and in pain.
Veterinarians aren't sure if it's a chemical burn or skin
reaction.
The label's only warning is to 'keep out of reach of
children and to flush with water if it gets in your eyes.'
Cook said she didn't think laundry detergent was that
harmful so she didn't have it stored up high with other
chemicals.
"Now I know to move it up but I think this is harmless. I
use it on my clothes I didn't think this would have any impact
on a dog, I mean its soap and now I know it's not like soap,"
said Marci Cook.
Cook said Tide hasn't given her vet any information on the
chemicals inside the detergent.
"I was able to talk to a pharmacists contracted to the
company but I haven't got a call back from the toxicologist at
the company," said Cook.
While Scarlet rests, her owner has a message to all pet
owners.
"Don't leave any chemicals or any detergent - anything on
the floor where dogs can get to it. Because I don't want
anyone to go through what I've had to," said Cook.
Late Wednesday afternoon the makers of Tide, Proctor and
Gamble, sent KATU a written statement.
It said their safety experts have been in contact with Dr.
Hawkins.
But Hawkins said a toxicologist for the company called him
late Wednesday. Which is about an hour after we contacted
Proctor and Gamble.
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