Shampoo ingredients…what should you know!
I often get asked “how often should I bathe my pet?” and “what should I use?” Those are loaded questions because it depends if your pet has normal skin or has a skin problem due to underlying allergies, hypothyroidism, ichthyosis, sebaceous adenitis, seborrhea, etc. See?! It’s not as simple as it sounds! Let’s go over some of the therapeutic ingredients in shampoos that you should consider depending upon your pet’s skin condition.
First, we are all aware of the benefits of shampooing: reduction of skin infections and microbial overgrowth, relief from itching and odor, reduction of debris on the skin as well as reduction of any skin changes such as crusting or excessive dander, and just giving an overall feeling of wellness. A general cleansing shampoo is normally used and some owners prefer “hypoallergenic”. There really isn’t a sound definition of that term but normally it eludes to a product with less surfactant which means less lathering. So don’t keep adding more shampoo to the pet to get a lather! Surfactants are often the cause of irritation and creating a hypoallergenic shampoo means less surfactant. Other general cleansing shampoos may contain oatmeal or aloe.
For dogs with underlying allergies such as environmental allergies (atopy), shampoos containing ceramides, phytosphingosines, essential fatty acids, or colloidal oatmeal are used to decrease dander, reduce bacterial and yeast overgrowth, and repair the skin barrier which is defective in canine atopy.
Antibacterial shampoos include ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, chlorhexidine, and dilute bleach. Benzoyl peroxide is good for deep bacterial infections such as those that accompany demodectic mange but overuse can be too drying. No stronger than 3% should be used (OTC human products for acne are a higher concentration and should not be used). Chlorhexidine at 2-4% is effective against Staphylococcal skin bacteria when used as a 5–10-minute contact time. Dilute bleach at a 1:32 concentration made fresh daily can be used as a shampoo or a rinse in combination with either of the ingredients mentioned above (3oz household bleach in 32oz water).
Antifungal (or antiyeast) shampoo ingredients include ketoconazole, climbazole, or miconazole. These are often combined with chlorhexidine. Yeast are lipophilic (or lipid-loving) and oil-based shampoos should not be used in pets with yeast dermatitis as yeast LOVE oils.
Miscellaneous ingredients include tar shampoos-often too drying when used in dogs and TAR BASED SHAMPOOS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN CATS, salicylic acid which is a “keratolytic” meaning it strips off the top superficial layer in dogs with excessive dandruff, or selenium sulfide which can be effective in dogs with yeast skin infections.
Before using ANY topical product on your pet, consult your veterinarian about your pet’s specific skin condition. Remember that some products that are safely used on dogs are not safe to use in cats!