Did you know that homemade playdough can be toxic to our pets?

The main ingredient in homemade playdough is salt (sodium chloride). Sodium is an essential electrolyte in the body, but when its levels become too high it can lead to severe neurological effects. Following ingestion, early signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea and excessive thirst. Without appropriate treatment, affected animals may develop tremors, seizures or even coma. Other common causes of sodium poisoning include excessive consumption of sea water, soy sauce, baking soda and salt dough Christmas ornaments.

Homemade playdough also frequently contains cream of tartar. Cream of tartar has a similar structure to tartaric acid, which is presumed to be the constituent of grapes that makes them toxic to dogs. Dogs that ingest enough cream of tartar can develop kidney damage, which in severe cases can lead to permanent kidney disease or death.

Given the significant dangers associated with ingestion of homemade playdough, it is important to keep it stored out of the reach of your pets. If your pet eats playdough, please phone the Animal Poisons Helpline for immediate advice, even if they look well. Our expert Poisons Information Consultants can rapidly determine the risk and whether veterinary treatment is required.

The Animal Poisons Helpline provides free advice to pet owners in Australia and can be reached on ☎️ 1300 869 738 (AU), 0800 869 738 (NZ) , 3106 4216 (SG), (917) 722-5958 (US) or +1917-722-5958 (CA) . If you are a member of a veterinary team in Australia, New Zealand or Singapore, you can join the Animal Poisons Centre For Vets Facebook group which is regularly updated with toxicology tidbits and poisoning trends.