What Should I Do if I Accidentally Got Soap in My Puppy's Eyes?

Do your best to make washing your puppy a pleasurable experience for him so he does not become difficult to bathe as an adult.
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Your puppy's playful and inquisitive nature almost guarantees that he will wind up getting in the middle of plenty of messes. Bathing your puppy is an essential part of caring for him properly, but wiggly puppies can be challenging to wash and you may wind up accidentally getting soap in your puppy's eyes.

Read The Instructions

The first thing you need to do if you get soap in your puppy's eyes is read the instructions on the back of the shampoo bottle to see what the manufacturer advises. If the manufacturer provides specific instructions, then you will need to follow those instructions in addition to rinsing the soap out of the eyes. If the bottle says the product should not come into contact with the eyes or to call poison control, then you will need to contact your veterinarian immediately.

Rinse It Out

Rinse the soap out of your puppy's eyes by gently cupping your puppy's head in one hand and using a clean, soap-free wet washcloth to carefully wipe away any soap from the area around the eye. Repeat until you are certain the soap has been rinsed away. Do not scrub your puppy's eyes because it can cause additional irritation or damage.

Watch For Problems

Pay attention to your puppy and observe him to see if he has any eye problems, such as a running or weeping eye, unwillingness or inability to open his eye or an eye with a cloudy or red appearance. If your dog is experiencing eye problems, then you need to take him to the veterinarian immediately for care. Make sure to take the bottle of soap with you so your veterinarian can check the ingredients in the soap or call the manufacturer if he needs to.

Think Before You Bathe

Tear-free, gentle puppy shampoo is easily available from all pet stores, most big box retail stores and can be ordered from thousands of different Internet retailers. There is no excuse for bathing your puppy using dish soap or any other soap that contains chemicals that will be harsh or painful if it comes into contact with his eyes. If you want to avoid potential problems, think before you bathe your puppy and only bathe your puppy in a gentle shampoo that is designed to be safe for puppies. A shampoo that is marketed as safe for puppies is much less likely to cause problems if it gets in your pup's eyes or is accidentally ingested.