It’s a cut. It’s skin irritation. It’s a scratch. It’s just painful to bear.
Just a good spray of Bactine will do, right?
Yes!
But now, you notice your dog has a surface wound, and then you are conversing about the safety of the antiseptic hidden in your medicine box.
Is the bactine safe for dogs? Can you spray this human antiseptic on your canine pal?
Let us explore the health implications of bactine and safety.
Can You Use Bactine on Your Dog?
It isn’t a trick question. It’s your concern for your dog. Therefore, is bactine safe for dogs? And can you use it on them? Yes, you can use the medication on your dog if you use it correctly and in the right conditions.
You can rub it on your dog if it’s a scratch, scrape or cut. Applying in such a situation helps keep the anomaly clean, safe, and infectious-free.
So, yes, you can use it on any surface wounds your dog gets while exploring your world. It is usually how we get first aid to them in a little emergency like this.
Bactine in the human world is believed to be able to disinfect 99% of bacteria. It is also considered one of the most harmless and safe antiseptics for your pet.
The surface wound is not guaranteed to be well cared for if you put on a cream of acting on it. There are still some steps to ensure your dog’s wound is healed correctly.
What is the Bactine?
Bactine is a topical anesthetic, a class of lidocaine used as a desensitizing medication. In cases of insect bites, poison ivy, sunburn, and minor cuts, bactine, a brand of lidocaine, is used to ease the pain or discomfort.
Bactine is a product of Wellspring pharmaceuticals and contains lidocaine HCL and benzalkonium chloride-the two main active ingredients of this anesthetic.
The former (lidocaine) has a 4% composition in the medication and is responsible for the soothing feeling or ease when applied to a wound. On the other hand, BAC is the antiseptic with 0.3% that kills bacteria at 99.9999%, as advertised by the brand.
Is Bactine Harmful to Dogs?
Bactine is not toxic to dogs if you follow some instructions as the dog owner. Firstly, irrespective of the surface wounds, it is recommended that you apply only a tiny amount over the affected area.
The reason is because of the composition of the medication, and as such, it is only recommended that they have little applied to their wounds.
Bactine will only be toxic to dogs if;
- Ingested through the mouth by licking it
- Too much was applied to the surface wound, which can seep through the skin and be lethal
- Your dog is suffering from irregular heart rhythm
- Your dog is known to have heart failure, liver impairment, or abnormal breathing patterns.
What if My Dog Licks the Bactine?
It’s indeed a cause for alarm as the bactine contains two main active ingredients and others you don’t want in the digestive tract of your canine companion.
Although the bactine isn’t recommended for animals, it is safe to say that it has lethal effects on them, as applicable to humans.
Lidocaine, especially being one of the active ingredients, might do the most damage to your pet if ingested.
Overall end of the effects is internal organ damage and loss of appetite. Upon ingestion, your dog might lose consciousness within the first hour or likely vomit and excrete the bad intake, as that is their natural body defense mechanism.
But if this isn’t the case, early symptoms may include dizziness, tongue paresthesia, numbness, blurred vision, restlessness, agitation, and nervousness.
Side effects such as bradycardia and hypotension can occur as the final big signs, and you may just see your dog’s heartbeat slower than usual and lower blood circulation.