Harmful Pet Shampoo Ingredients: What to Avoid & What to Use Instead

What to Look for (and Avoid) on Pet Shampoo Labels

If you knew which is the best pet shampoo, you most likely would use it. So the question is, what are you doing to find out which one will make your pet’s skin and coat the cleanest, shiniest, and most important, the healthiest? This may take a little homework because manufacturers like to use words you don’t understand, but in the long run, it will save you a lot of money in vet bills for allergies, dry skin, dander, excessive licking, scratching, hot spots, and other skin issues.

How Pet Shampoo Ingredients Affect Your Pet’s Skin & Health

The first and most important action you can take to protect your animal from potentially toxic ingredients in pet shampoos is to understand labels so you know what you’re putting on your buddy’s skin. This is extremely important because dog’s and cat’s skin is their biggest organ. It is sensitive and needs to have a strong immunity defense to protect them from disease, viruses, insects, and all other elements of the environment. What goes on your cat’s or dog’s skin gets absorbed easily, so if you are not a label reader, become one.

How Pet Shampoo Manufacturers Cut Costs

Unfortunately, because of costs and easy access, many manufacturers sometimes use questionable ingredients. Pet shampoo labels are confusing and often misleading. For example, formaldehyde is a preservative that is linked cancer. It’s been banned in Canada and Japan, but not in the US. Manufacturers like it because it’s cheap, easy to obtain and makes for a long shelf life. Since the FDA made labeling more stringent because of the many health issues it was causing, formaldehyde has been “reinvented” to be in “slow release” form.

Common Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives to Watch For

DMDM Hydantoin

Imidazolidinyl Urea

Diazolidinyl Urea

Quaternium-15

Bronopol (2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol)

5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane

Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate

Methenamine

Glyoxal

Polyoxymethylene Urea

Formalin

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Are Pet Shampoos Causing Your Dog's Allergies?

People often complain that their dog has allergies, but one of the most widely used shampoo preservatives is isothiazolineone, which is synthesized through chemical reactions that can irritate a dog’s skin and result in allergic reactions.

Confusing Ingredient Names That Hide Harmful Chemicals

Many pet products contain parabens. They are a group of synthetic chemicals commonly used as preservatives in pet care products. Their main function is to extend the shelf life. However, they may be linked to increased estrogen levels. Parabens are known to accumulate in a dog’s body posing potential health risks such as cancer. Avoid them!

Parabens on labels are listed as:

Ethylparaben

Propylparaben

Butylparaben

Methylparaben

The Hidden Dangers of Artificial Fragrances in Pet Shampoos

Everyone wants their pet to smell pretty, but artificial fragrance is not the answer. Artificial fragrance is a dangerously misleading term used to disguise hundreds of harmful toxic chemical ingredients in pet shampoos. One of the dangers in using products containing artificial fragrances is many are made of petrochemicals from crude oil–a highly toxic substance. They can disrupt the hormones and mimic pesticides.

Also, pet shampoos often include phthalates, one of the most commonly used artificial fragrance ingredients. It is known for disrupting the hormonal balance in dogs. Unfortunately, many of these artificial fragrances contain chemical structures akin to pesticides. They may potentially slowly poison your dog.

Is All-Natural Pet Shampoo Really Better for Your Dog or Cat?

At PawPurity, we get countless calls from pet owners who want to know “what is the best pet shampoo”. We have come to learn how lost people feel when selecting their product. It truly is worth your time to learn about what’s in the product you are using on your pet’s skin. You’ve heard this before, but if you cannot pronounce the ingredient or know where it is derived, look it up so you can understand what good (or bad) it’s doing to your pet’s skin and coat. The priority is to keep your cat’s and dog’s skin, coat and paws clean and healthy. If you ever smell or pet a cat or dog that uses nothing but natural products, you will tell the difference right away.