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Dog drank soapy water, now lethargic and vomiting. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Female | spayed | 1 year and 1 month old | 49 lbs

My dog starting drooling excessively yesterday. Normal behavior and appetite. But today she is weak, lethargic, drooling, vomiting and not herself. The only thing I can recall is her drinking water from a slip and slide my kids were playing with that had baby soap in it,

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on July 27th, 2017

These signs could be compatible with a severe gastrointestinal infection/inflammation or possibly to an intoxication.
The presence of lethargy and weakness is quite concerning and should be ideally and immediately checked by your local veterinarian as soon as possible. Antibiotics and symptomatic treatment for vomiting and nausea may be needed. activated charcoal may be important to avoid excess of toxin absorption.
Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jeffrey Milner
Veterinarian
Sorry to hear that Mina isn't feeling so great. Consumption of water with some baby soap inside has the capacity to produce some of the side effects you are reporting depending on its ingredients. If this is the case, there is little that can be done in terms of reversing the potential toxicity that was produce. If you were to choose to go to the veterinarian, they would likely attempt to rehydrate Mina, provide drugs to settle the stomach, and drugs to coat the GI tract to prevent additional inflammation / irritation. If the clinical signs you are seeing is unrelated to the consumption of the water, other things that can cause these clinical signs are certain neurologic conditions, infectious diseases, generalized nausea, other toxic exposures, and some much less common possibilities. If Mina's clinical signs do not seem to start resolving on their own in the next 12 hours or if they start getting worse before that point, she should be brought in for treatment and support. Hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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