Dogs and poison ivy  

Oh wow, so anytime my dogs end up in the woods, I should be careful of touching them? That is terrible, to have to give my puppies a bath every time they may have gotten into poison ivy..:(

Oh I know how I got mine, but wondered when I took my neighbors dog out today about a dog transferring it..This is bad news for me..

Here's a hint that may help. It's an old-timey thing, but others have told me it works well for them. (my s-i-l who gets the p.i. rash does it now too, cause he gets it bad when he does get it..and he's a landscaper lol) Buy some Fels Naptha soap. It comes in a bar and is yellow colored. When you think you've touched poison ivy, wash your hands with the soap and it dissolves the ivy's oils. Remove all clothing and leave it inside out (so you don't get the oils on other stuff till they're washed.) Once when s-i-l had it, I had him wash his hands with it, and the areas on his arms. It didn't spread further. Then I had him wash the areas with the soap and let it dry on his skin for a while before washing off again. It seemed to work wonderfully for him, and he does this all the time now. I keep a bar of this soap on the kitchen counter, and one in the bathroom just for when he's been working in the yard. You can find this soap right in where the laundry soaps are kept. Worth a try, and who knows, it might work for you too:)

Thanks, I may do that..:)

I just looked this up online and yes, I have seen this soap before, thank you..:)

That's ok sulsisels, we all make mistakes..I actually do have poison ivy now, and trying to prevent it from spreading into my eyes since I got it on my face..But that isn't where I got it, I got it from clearing out this spot in my yard where a pine tree had died.. But I wondered about dogs, because I have 2 puppies that knowing them, they get into everything and know that I know, I will be very cautious when we go out into the woods..

Or make sure they don't go near the stuff..I am surprised I didn't get it before with my dalmatian or the white german shepherd...But now with 2 puppies, I am going to be very cautious taking them out..

Another thing that I learned from Bill (who was a scout leader) is to take a shower right after exposure to PO or PI with Fells Naptha soap. It somehow cuts the oils and other stuff that gets into your skin and system and causes the reactions. But the biggest thing is NOT to wait to take the shower after exposure, you need to do it immediately as soon as you get home.

I am lucky that the area I run the dogs in is clear of poison oak. Most of it is along the roads leading into my house. If I take them out on the road they never get off the leash (of course they are so small except for Abby, that no one could see them anyhow.). Besides the fact that Little Bit has the homing instinct in him. When I first got him I started walking them, and of course I didn't have harnesses for them so they were off the leash. I had stayed within my neighborhood while walking them so that they were comfortable walking. One of the neighbors came in and Little Bit started running from the car. He followed the exact route we had walked as he was running home. I chased after him and stopped when I saw that he was running as fast as his little mini Dachshund feet could carry him, in front of the car. Fortunately the neighbors slowed down and didn't try to get around him. He ran all the way home with the car idling behind him and the neighbors laughing at him...as he would look back at the car and run harder. He has gotten past running home when he is off the leash, but I don't walk them off the leash too often anymore.

I laughed at your poor Penny and her reactions to her walk. The poor baby! Her nerves must have been shot by the time she got home. Did she take a long long nap that day?

This soap is what Joyful had mentioned too, so that is 2 people confirming this, so I may try it. Actually, I walk my dogs on the road, but as summer comes around, we do more hiking in the woods and that is when I thought, if these girls get that oil on them, what chance will I have to get it..So I will stock up and preventive and benadyrl..

As for Penny taking a nap?? Nope, her and her sister played for a while, and then they slept.. Interesting you bring her up though, because on Sunday I just took Penny up and down our street. Well, my daughter works for this groomer and she said to continue to walk Penny around the block, not changing our routine and allowing her to be exposed to these dogs, even if she throws up. (She also gets car sick, so she mentioned about giving her soda crackers to help settle her stomach) She said to not pick her up, but to pet her to reassure her that it is ok. I guess with time, (though it will be madness for a while), she will get used to it..

I have been around dogs all my life, but we lived in the suburbs and no poison ivy for the dogs to get into. Now though we are in a community, our yard a few times has had poison ivy I had to get rid of and of course during the nice weather we take hikes in the local state park..But my first 2 dogs we had while living here must not have gotten into poison ivy, and that is why I asked. I have 2 pups that like to get into everything..

Wow, I didn't think of my shoes. Though I am sure that since my poison ivy started out on my finger, that it was from pulling it out from the ground..Thanks for the heads up though, for future reference..

What is it with people who don't get poison ivy? I am not usually a person who is allergic and I thought everyone got it, just some worse than others..You are the third person to tell me this..What is your secret????

I am too thick skinned and mean? Maybe it is the tons of vitamins I take. I have not really had direct exposure or tried pulling out of the ground by hand, maybe I should. I just know that I walked through it at church camp, because I was dense, and now that I am older, I avoid it when possible, but brother got it at church camp, and he would pull weeds and stuff at Mom's and would get it. If I were to find it in my yard it would get a quick dose of weed killer.

It could be the vitamins, because one thing they say to do is take a lot of vitamin C the help it..I am going to use weed killer in this spot, though I hate pesticides, I hate poison ivy more..

Wow, that proves what everyone is saying that if my puppies get the oil on them, I would get it..Already had it twice this year and though I found the perfect solution for the rash, I don't want it again anytime soon if at all..lol

OH! I forgot to tell you... My husband takes this poison ivy pill (I think that's exactly what it's called too) if he's out in the yard and even if he finds a few bumps on him. It usually clears it up right away.

Really? is this over the counter or doctor prescribed? I want some...lol

He gets it online now, just search for "poison ivy pill". It's in a white box with green print.

Cool, I'll do that...