Poison Ivy

[Izabella's Mom]

If we walk in the woods, it is hard for Izabella to avoid the poison ivy. Has anyone ever gotten it from their dog? I know it is possible... but I want to know if it is a common thing because I walk her in the woods every day. Maybe we should change our course as the ivy is spreading like, well, IVY!

Thanks

[Barney's Mom]

My husband just got a bad case of poison ivy while camping in April. Even after it had healed on his body, he kept getting it on his hands in the same spots on the right and left. We figured the oils were still on the steering wheel of the truck.

That said, I would think that if a dog brushed up to or walked in poison ivy, the oils would get on their fur and could be transferred to an owner's hands. Now it is also true that some people react to poison ivy and some don't. My daughter walked the same paths that my husband did when we camped and she did not get it at all. And I don't think dogs would react to it. I have never heard of a dog getting poison ivy, but I could just not be informed on it.

I think you are correct in thinking to just go a different way, FAR AWAY from it! My husband was miserable for two weeks. You don't want to go there!!

[abe's dad]

As far as I know I have never had a case of poison ivy and I have grubbed it out of fence lines and other places. My wife on the other hand can walk past some in the heat of the summer and catch it. Seems like I have heard somewhere that it is an allergic type reaction to the oils in the plant, some people react and some don't.

[BradysMom]

I had my first case of poison ivy recently. I couldn't figure out how I could have gotten it because it was only in one spot on my leg until I realized that is where Brady leans on me while chewing his bones. I'm pretty sure he had it on his fur. Sounds crazy but I've never had any type of poison before and we have a bunch on the path where I walk Brady. I'm much more careful now about letting him walk through the brush!

[eastofeden]

Several years ago I got a severe case of poison oak on my shins. And it had been several weeks since we had been anywhere near the stuff. However, about 3 weeks prior we had gone hiking up in Big Sur and took what we thought was a well broken in trail....however it was a deer trail and we wound up in a HUGE thicket of poison oak. As soon as we got out of there I jumped into the creek and washed my legs and arms...and was fine no out breaks! Well we did not get home that evening until well after dark...and normally I would have gone straight in the house and washed the dog. But was tired and figured it could wait until the next day.

Needless to say...I forgot all about it....until a few weeks later when we had a cold snap and Jenny (my first Dalmatian) climbed into bed with me and burrowed down to the foot of the bed and slept againts my shins for warmth. When I woke up...I had already begun to scratch my self raw and the poison oak rash was weepy. I required cortisone shots and the whole deal. My Doctor, said that it was not unusual to get a secondary infection from an animal that had contact with poison oak, and I it was the prolonged contact with her that really made the rash set in. We did not get it from every day handling of Jenny because after playing with her we would usually wash our hands.

So yes...you can get poison oak or poison ivy from your dog or cat. And in my case the exposure had happend quite awhile ago and the oils remained in her coat (I guess on the same principle that Frontline or other flea applications work).

[Mollyrocker]

yes, in fact I have a nasty case of poison ivy on my face and neck right now.

It is from the dogs. There is no way to avoid it since my woods and road is teeming with it. I normally have a small patch here and there where I have touched the dogs and then touched my skin...usually my neck, arms and waistline. This is the first time on my face and it really looks awful.

[Eliz222]

All I have to do is look at PI and I get it!! I NEVER go on nature walks, camp, or even go close to a wooded area! My inlaws have a very wooded lot and I always avoid rubbing against their dogs because I pretty sure they have it on their fur!

We are going to Kentucky Lake this weekend and I'm glad this subject came up...now I can BE SURE to avoid any brush!