Using Hand Sanitizer To Clean Dog's Paws May Cause More Harm Than Good

The coronavirus pandemic has ushered in a new normal for most people. This includes using hand sanitizers, masks, face shields and disinfectant wipes whenever they venture out in public. Those living with their dogs have also used some of these items to clean the canines' paws and nails.

However, it turns out, using sanitizers to do so is not a good idea. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), washing your dog's paws with water is better than cleaning it with hand sanitizers.

The FDA issued a new warning against this practice. "Attention Pet Owners: Do not use hand sanitizer to clean your pet's paws. It can cause poisoning if absorbed through the skin. Hand sanitizer products can make your dog sick if eaten," the FDA stated in an official tweet.

Recent reports revealed the list of hand sanitizers containing methanol, a kind of wood alcohol found to be toxic when absorbed by the skin, has been growing. Experts said it is not just the type of hand sanitizer that is under scrutiny but also how people use them. The FDA tweet suggested owners of pets are using the solution in cleaning their canine friend's paws.

In an interview with TODAY, Dr. Marty Becker, a veterinarian and the founder of Fear Free Happy Homes -- a website that teaches pet owners on proper care of animals -- said using hand sanitizers to clean dog's paws is potentially dangerous due to its drying effects. He explained alcohol-based products that contain as much as 95% alcohol, such as hand sanitizers, are potent enough to slough the dog's footpads.

"Especially now with COVID, people take their dogs out to basically do the New York Marathon, and so you get lots of issues with their footpads and overheating and respiratory problems," Becker said.

He added sanitizers make the canine's footpads crack and more sensitive which could result in them getting burned when they are out on walks. Once the footpads crack, harmful materials like tar, fecal matter and other debris can get stuck, which can lead to transmissible diseases like leptospirosis.

Becker reminds dog owners the sensitivity of their canine's paw is like a human hand. Drying out the footpad causes painful cracks similar to those found on a dry human heel. As a veterinarian, Becker told TODAY he often examines dogs with burned paws caused by walking on hot asphalt or concrete. The veterinarian advised owners to first check the surface they will be walking their dogs on, adding that if the ground is too hot to place their palms down, then it is certainly too hot for the dog to walk upon.