Poison Ivy/oak

[+HoundGrrls]

After caching near poison ivy/oak I prepared for the worst.

 

I bought stuff that is for people, clothes, equipment, and dogs but I think it is too much trouble to soak the doggies. Do you have any experience with this?

 

Do you think that dog shampoo and hot water would be good? I understand that cold water is what you should use but my dogs would not be happy with a cold shower.

 

Thanks

[+2dest]

Hello,

The shampoo and water won't remove the oil of the poison oak or ivy. There may be some advantage in that the dog's coat will be rubbed - with a towel or by the dog rolling around on the ground to dry himself. I have used the cleaner you can buy and I have to say it does work. It is supposedly the only thing that will get the poison off. I have a buddy who takes the little pills to build up an immunity to the stuff - he says it works. I have tinkered with taking it myself, but I don't really like taking anything at all.

[+PSUPAUL]

I have a buddy who takes the little pills to build up an immunity to the stuff - he says it works. I have tinkered with taking it myself, but I don't really like taking anything at all.

What little pills? Are they OTC or perscription?

[Pipanella]

I don't have a solution for you, I just wanted to come in and whine about my poison ivy I got while searching for a cache earlier this year. It's only the second time in my life I've ever had it, and 13 years since the first time. That's two too many times in my opinion. Nasty, nasty stuff. I only had it on my left arm, because I was holding the GPSr in my right hand. LOL.

 

I can't even imagine dealing with a dog having it. The dog or the dog owner.

[+bitbrain]

Poison Ivy and Poison Oak are only hazards to higher primates. Dogs have nothing to worry about from these plants.

[+HoundGrrls]

Dogs don't become itchy it is true but they can transfer it back to humans. I think I will gamble with not putting more bottled chemicals on them as we are in the first week of the topical flea stuff.

 

So far so good with me not being itchy. I might yet regret it.

[Pipanella]

Poison Ivy and Poison Oak are only hazards to higher primates. Dogs have nothing to worry about from these plants.

I wondered about that.

[+CompuCash]

no dogs are ok - they just give it to you days later when you pet them and scratch the back of your neck without washing your hands first -- arghhh...

 

Hot water and soap is supposed to be just as good as anything else - we are becomng very careful of the way we take off our geo-clothes and then washing hands well. If you get the oils off you within a few hours you can avoid the itchy mess. We are now really paranoid about evey itch we get after being out looking.

 

There are some lotions you can use before you go out - my wife got some - will have to check them out myself.

 

We do not know how but my wife has it on the back of her neck and forhead - we can only think the adjusted here cap but don't know when or how she ever touched it in the first place.

 

I have heard that the ivy is worse than the oak - we don't have ivy out here in California but the oak is just as miserable if you get it.

[+Mastifflover]

Great!! I never thought about this. I was just worried about my dog finding a snake.

[+Bear and Ting]

Warm water, soap, and a little baking soda (or is it powder, I aways get those confused) will break up the oil from an animal's coat. I've also read somewhere that cornstarch will also absorb and break it down, though I've not tried that.

 

We always shed our clothes and do a tick check on each other before we go into the house (from the garage). Our clothes are then immediately placed in the wash with detergent and a mild (diluted bleach). It is them off to the shower/bath for us. So far, thought we've been exposed to both Ivy and Oak, we've never had a reaction since we've been geocaching.

 

Bear and Ting

[+Muirwoody]

We always shed our clothes and do a tick check on each other before we go into the house (from the garage). Our clothes are then immediately placed in the wash with detergent and a mild (diluted bleach).

Excellent precautions. Don't forget your shoes. They are exposed to a lot of oil and you usually handle them a lot.