Dettol Can Be Toxic To Animals

Dettol Can Be Toxic To Animals

This morning I came across a very important Facebook post from Erina Heights Veterinary Hospital.  They spoke about how toxic Dettol can be to our pets.  Not just our dogs, but birds and in-particular cats.


The active toxic ingredient they referred to was Chloroxylenol


Chloroxylenol is the antibacterial in dettol that acts to kill germs and reduces inflammation. Chloroxylenol makes dettol an effective household disinfectant.


It is particularly harmful to cats as they are unable to eliminate toxins in the body following digestion.

How do they ingest it I hear you ask? 

Well the cats walk over a clean disinfected wet floor or bench and then groom themselves by licking their paws.

Signs your animal may be poisoned include:

  • vomiting and diarrhoea
  • tremors, incoordination, seizures, excitability, depression, or coma
  • coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing
  • skin signs (inflammation, swelling), liver failure (jaundice, vomiting) or kidney failure (increased drinking, inappetence and weight loss).
  • Some toxins act on more than one body system, and so can produce any combination of the above signs.

It is important to remember that if your animals shows any of these signs or you are concerned that your animal is unwell or may have ingested something it shouldn't have that you contact your VET IMMEDIATELY.

So what products are safe for our pets yet still effective in cleaning our homes?

Any cleaning product that DOES NOT include the chemical Chloroxylenol .

Veterinaries, Breeders and Kennels apparently use products by a company called Safe4 Australia.  Safe4 Disinfectant Cleaner is free from aldehydes, phenols and alcohol. It is non-toxic and a non-irritant and highly effective job. 

In these crazy uncertain times, it is important to stay safe, take precautions but most important be kind to each other x