Six Ingredients You May Want To Avoid In Pet Shampoos

Potentially Toxic Ingredients in Pet Shampoos May Not Like

By Lisa Porter

You can protect your pet from potentially toxic ingredients in pet shampoos by understanding the labels so you know what’s in them. Your pet’s skin is his biggest organ. It protects him from disease, virus, insects and all other elements of the environment, which is why it’s important to have a good understanding of what’s in the products you use. What you put on your pet’s skin gets absorbed easily so if you are not a label reader, you may consider becoming one.

As caring pet owners, we have a responsibility to avoid using products that are toxic. The labels may contain many misleading or confusing definitions making it difficult to know what you are buying. They are often hard to decipher. Understanding the ingredients listed on the labels of pet shampoos is key to making the right choice when purchasing. Here are a few potentially toxic ingredients to be on the outlook for when making your buying decisions. You may discover that 100% natural shampoos are your best bet for good reason.

BUYER BEWARE!

Read The Labels! Avoid Potentially Toxic Ingredients In Pet Shampoos

SULFATES may be harsh and irritating. The two most widely used sulfates are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). Both irritants can cause redness, dryness and itching. Sulfates are often tested on animals to measure the level of irritation to people’s skin, lungs and eyes. We can only assume the testing is painful to these animals.

PARABENS are used as preservatives in dog shampoos and other grooming products to extend shelf life. They easily penetrate your pet’s skin. They are linked to certain cancers, and cause reproductive issues and tumor growth. Parabens also are bad for the environment. Often you will find ingredients in pet shampoos include parabens. They are cheap and readily available. The most common parabens are methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and ethylparaben. Please take care to read labels and make sure parabens are not in the ingredients.

ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCE is a dangerously misleading term that is used to disguise hundreds of  harmful toxic chemical ingredients in pet shampoos. If your dog’s shampoo label includes an artificial fragrance, beware. Artificial fragrances are used because they are significantly cheaper than natural plant extracts and essential oils. But one of the dangers in using products containing artificial fragrances is many are made of petrochemicals from crude oil–a highly toxic substance. 

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 pet. 

FORMALDAHYDE releasers are the some of most common preservative found in shampoos. It is a known as carcinogenic to humans. It has been found to initiate and promote the formation of tumors. When formaldehyde is present in pet care products, it is equally harmful to their humans. They too will be exposed by inhaling the formaldehyde that is off-gassed from the product, by ingesting it or absorbing it through the skin. This dangerous preservative found in pet shampoos is tested on animals. No animal should have to endure such cruel testing methods.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL is a skin conditioner, solvent and humectant. This ingredient is used in pet shampoos as a penetration enhancer. It’s also a suspected immune system toxin, neurotoxin, reproductive toxin and skin toxin.

METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE This is a preservative used in dog shampoos. It’s an anti-fungal, however, it also is a carcinogen associated with organ failure. This is another of the potentially toxic ingredients that continues to be used in pet shampoos even though Canada and Japan has banned it.

Safe Ingredients In Pet Shampoos – Make It A Priority

Now that you understand what manufacturers have been putting in your pet shampoos, we urge you to read the label before purchasing. We highly recommend all natural shampoos. If they are formulated properly, they will give your pet years of bathing in a solution that cleanses, conditions, nourishes and shines.

As an example, PawPurity Flea & Tick Shampoo consists of olive oil, aloe vera juice, distilled water, calendula, yucca root, marjoram, lemongrass, horsetail, red clover, nettle leaf, apple cider vinegar, Himalayan salt, vitamin E, honeysuckle, frankincense, marjoram essential oil, cedarwood essential oil, and lemongrass essential oil. All ingredients have at least one natural therapeutic agent including condition, soothe, antibacterial, antiseptic, dander prevention, anti-fungal, insect repellent and anti-inflammatory. We put much time, research and testing on humans first to ensure the ingredients are only the finest. Our priority is to keep your pet healthy and void of harmful toxins. Every manufacturer should do the same! If manufacturers understood pets are family, they would.

Wouldn’t you feel better using a naturally refreshing and effective shampoo on your pet knowing there are no poisons? You’ll find more important information about our company and its products on our FAQ page.

We understand that not everyone that reads this post will buy our product, but please, we urge you to read the labels outlining the ingredients of the pet shampoos you do buy.

Let’s keep our pets healthy and happy.