Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: Prevention, Remedies, & Cautions

We all know the dreaded situation – you’re in the middle of shampooing your precious pooch, and suddenly they start squirming, huffing, and puffing. There’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes! What should you do? Are they okay? How can you prevent this from happening the next time? Is there a special dog shampoo you could use instead? We’ll answer all of your questions surrounding this topic in this guide, so keep on reading to learn more!  

Table of Contents

• Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: Introduction
• What To Do If Your Dog Gets Shampoo In Their Eye?
• Bathing Tips To Avoid Soap In Dog’s Eyes
• Is Baby Shampoo Safe For Dogs?
• Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: FAQs
• Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: Conclusion

Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: Introduction

An integral part of your dog’s grooming routine is regular bathing with a good quality dog shampoo. How else would they stay clean, fluffy, and gorgeous at all times!? They’re not self-cleaning like cats, and the minimal licking they do, doesn’t contribute much to their hygiene, either. 

If you’re a responsible dog owner, we’d like to believe that you’ve opted for a shampoo that’s specially designed for dogs. This already minimizes the risk of skin irritation, sensitivities, allergies, and other issues when there’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your pup won’t feel discomfort or even some stinging when there’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes. After all, you wouldn’t feel so nice having your own human shampoo drip into your eyes, either? 

Now your pup is freaking out, you are freaking out, and it’s all just a huge mess to deal with. It’s only natural that you’d be worried – trust us, we’ve been there, and there’s nothing worse than being worried about your four-legged best pal. Luckily, you’ve made it to this guide so you can immediately take action and prevent this from happening in the first place. Dog eye irritation from shampoo is actually quite common, so it’s crucial that you know exactly what steps to take when this happens, and know how to prevent it. 

What To Do If Your Dog Gets Shampoo In Their Eye?

So, what to do when there’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes? Here are a few simple steps you should follow when this happens.  

Gently Wash Out Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes

If you’re washing your dog with shampoo and the suds get in their eyes, it’s important to take action ASAP. Immediately rinse out the shampoo from your dog’s eyes with clean, lukewarm water. This will help relieve any discomfort that your pup may be feeling, as soap in their eyes can cause stinging and irritation. You can gently hold the eyelid open, but try not to direct the water stream straight into the eye. 

Of course, be sure to use clean hands or a soft cloth, such as cotton balls. You should also apply gentle pressure and avoid rubbing or wiping – this could hurt your pup’s delicate eye area and even cause damage to your dog’s eyes. You can repeat this step to make sure that you’ve rinsed away any buildup from around the eyes and eyelids. Generally, however, you should be able to get rid of any residue shampoo quite quickly. 

Another option is to use a sterile eyewash solution (make sure it’s safe for dogs!) or saline solution to gently flush out any residue shampoo and also relieve irritation. By the way, some eyewash solutions made for humans may be too harsh for dogs, so read the instructions and labels carefully before using them on your pal. 

Check The Instructions On The Shampoo Bottle

When shampoo gets in your dog’s eyes, it’s crucial that you immediately check the instructions on the shampoo bottle. Better yet, check the instructions beforehand, so you know exactly how to proceed when there’s shampoo in your dog’s eye. 

In fact, different types of dog shampoos often have a different set of ingredients listed. Some dog shampoos are gentle enough that they might not even irritate your dog’s eyes. However, other dog shampoos may contain ingredients that can cause more extreme reactions if they come into contact with your dog’s eyes. For instance, many flea and tick shampoos contain quite strong chemicals that can be extremely irritating and cause severe damage to your dog’s eyes if you don’t act quickly enough. 

Check If Your Dog Has A Weeping Eye

Now that you’ve rinsed all the suds and shampoo out of your dog’s eye, you should make sure that their eyes are clean and not irritated. You should also look out for other unusual symptoms, such as cloudy eyes and discharge. 

If the shampoo is too harsh for your pup, a reaction could occur and cause the eye to become irritated and inflamed. This in turn will often lead to tears. However, in more severe cases, there could also be some discharge around the eyes. 

Make sure you check for any signs of infection, such as redness or swelling. Weeping eyes are often also accompanied by other symptoms, such as squinting or pawing at the affected area. In extreme cases, a dog might not even be able to open their eyes. If that’s the case, it’s time for a call to your vet. Immediately! 

Make Sure Other Parts Of Your Dog’s Body Are Not Affected

If there’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes or soap in your dog’s eye, it’s vital that you also check any other body parts on your pup to ensure that there’s no irritation. 

To elaborate on the topic we discussed earlier, some ingredients in dog shampoos could actually cause not just irritation for the eyes, but also other body parts. Especially if you’ve got a pup with sensitive skin and/or skin allergies. Moreover, if you’ve used soap or some other type of home chemicals, it could cause severe irritation all over the body. 

Have a look between your pup’s fur and see if there’s any redness or irritation on the skin. If so, it’s highly likely that the shampoo in your dog’s eyes could prove to be highly dangerous and can cause even more discomfort and damage than your dog lets on. 

Visit A Vet Immediately

Last, but not least, it’s always a good idea to have your vet on speed dial in case your dog gets shampoo in their eyes. Even mild reactions can cause significant discomfort and should be treated as soon as possible. 

If the shampoo contains harsh ingredients, it can cause severe burning or irritation. And without proper medical attention, the condition may worsen quite quickly. Additionally, there may be long-term damage to your dog’s eyes that can only be prevented by seeing your vet immediately. Your vet will be able to treat the issue and prevent any further complications or infections.

Bathing Tips To Avoid Soap In Dog’s Eyes

Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks you can follow to avoid getting soap or shampoo in your dog’s eyes altogether. Let’s take a closer look. 

Always Use A Dog-Safe Shampoo

Never, ever, ever should you use soap, dish detergent, or whatever home chemicals, or your own body products you have at home. ALWAYS opt for a dog shampoo – these are specially designed for dogs, keeping in mind their healthy pH levels and also skin and coat issues. Not to mention, many ingredients and products that are completely safe for humans can be highly toxic for dogs. They generally also contain harsh ingredients that can cause severe irritation and a burning sensation. 

In our Ultimate Dog Shampoo Guide, you’ll find lots of different dog shampoos that are designed for various purposes and skin conditions. For instance, if your pup has sensitive skin, you should opt for a super gentle, hypoallergenic, and soothing dog shampoo that won’t irritate their skin (or their eyes!)

Don’t Bathe Your Dog In A Hurry

It’s also important not to bathe your dog in a hurry to prevent getting shampoo in your dog’s eyes. If you rush with bathing, you might not be as mindful of the process. Needless to say, accidents are bound to happen this way. If you’re hurriedly shampooing your pooch, it’s much more likely for the shampoo to get in your dog’s eyes. And we all know how that will end! 

Taking a few extra minutes to carefully wash your pup can go a long way towards avoiding any potential problems, while also allowing you to properly enjoy the process. Additionally, this will also help you ensure that all of the shampoo is properly rinsed off, leaving your dog’s coat healthy and clean. And they won’t accidentally lick any of the shampoo, either. This would surely be another issue to deal with! If you need some guidance on how to bathe your Doodle, check out this step-by-step guide we’ve prepared for you.

Train Your Dog For Bathing

You weren’t expecting to see this here, am I right?! Well, some pups just do not feel comfortable in a bath. If they’re afraid of bathing, they’ll likely wiggle and try to get out of there as soon as possible. This in turn is the perfect situation for getting shampoo in your dog’s eyes, as you simply won’t be able to keep your pup still while shampooing and rinsing them. 

That’s why it’s so important to train your dog for bathing in order to prevent getting shampoo in your dog’s eyes. With proper training, you can help ensure that your pup is comfortable and confident in the bath, reducing the risk of them shaking or moving around while you’re shampooing them. 

What’s more, if your dog is comfortable with bathing, it’ll be easier to rinse out any shampoo that might’ve gotten into your dog’s eyes. You’ll have more control over their movements and be able to guide them through the process quickly and efficiently. Training your pup for baths can go a long way towards preventing any problems. 

We recommend you start training your pup as soon as you bring them home, as this is the best way to enforce good behaviors and habits, and prevent them from getting scared of bathing in the first place. If you do need some help in this area, we recommend you check out the Online Puppy School by Baxter & Bella. Not only does this comprehensive program cover all things related to dog bathing, it also includes tons of other resources and materials on how to successfully raise your pup into a well-behaved and confident dog. 

Is Baby Shampoo Safe For Dogs?

As we mentioned earlier, you should ideally opt for a dog shampoo that’s specially designed for our canine pals. However, some people do use baby shampoos to clean their dogs (although we recommend this as your last resort in case you really don’t have any options to get your hands on a dog-safe shampoo). 

While baby shampoo contains gentle ingredients (for humans and human babies!) that are designed for sensitive skin, it can still be irritating for some dogs. It can also strip away natural oils from their skin and coat. That’s because a human baby shampoo typically won’t have the right pH balance that’s suitable for dogs. For dogs, the usual pH level recommendation is in the neutral range, whereas human shampoos tend to be way too acidic for dogs. 

The only option that we would recommend is the Johnson’s Head-To-Toe Gentle Baby Wash & Shampoo (link it here – I don’t know how to do it sorry :)). Nonetheless, it’s always important that you check with your veterinarian before using any human product on your pup, and opt for products specifically designed for dogs with their unique needs in mind. That’s why a dog shampoo is always the safest way to go! 

Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: FAQs

What To Do If Your Dog Gets Shampoo In His Eye?

If there’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes, it’s important that you immediately rinse it out with lukewarm water. Don’t apply too much pressure and do not direct the water stream directly into your dog’s eye. You can also opt for a dog-safe eyewash solution or a saline solution to get any and all shampoo out of your dog’s eye. You should also check if there’s any redness, tears, or discharge present. To be on the safe side, contact your vet and ask them whether or not you should take your pup in for a checkup. 

Can I Use Human Eye Wash On Dogs?

No, you shouldn’t use human eye wash on dogs. Dogs have delicate eyes and they require specially formulated, pet-safe products to clean and soothe them. Human eye wash often contains ingredients that may be too harsh for a dog’s sensitive eyes. This can potentially cause further irritation and damage. It is best that you speak with your veterinarian about the safest options for cleaning your pup’s eyes.

How Do You Flush A Dog’s Eye?

To flush your dog’s eye, use a saline solution or eyewash solution specially formulated for dogs. Start by gently pulling your dog’s upper and lower eyelids away from the eye to open it. Gently pour the saline solution into the affected eye (but don’t let the bottle touch the eyes!), letting it flow out of the opposite corner of the eye. After a few minutes, gently wipe away any excess solution with a clean, soft cloth or cotton ball. PS! Make sure that your hands are thoroughly washed and clean. 

Can Shampoo Cause Eye Infection In Dogs?

Indeed, if there’s shampoo in your dog’s eyes that you haven’t properly rinsed out, it could lead to eye infections. Especially if you notice any of the symptoms we mentioned above, such as redness, itching, discharge, or even cloudy eyes. That’s why it’s so crucial that you take action immediately. 

Can I Rinse The Dog’s Eye With Water?

In case a mild dog shampoo is in your dog’s eyes, you might be able to rinse it out with just lukewarm water. However, if the dog shampoo contains stronger ingredients, you may have to flush the eyes with a special eyewash or saline solution. Make sure you check the label of the dog shampoo, so you know exactly what to do! 

Shampoo In Dog’s Eyes: Conclusion

Just like our own eyes are gentle, so do our four-legged pals have sensitive and delicate eyes. And the last thing you want is to have shampoo in your dog’s eyes. If it happens, it’s important that you act fast and flush the shampoo out with lukewarm water or a pet-safe eyewash solution. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to our pets, so make sure you opt for products specifically designed for dogs. Remember, if there are any signs of irritation after rinsing, contact your vet as soon as possible! And go ahead and give your pup some extra cuddles – we all know they deserve it!