Rogain toxic to dogs?

Hello.

Thank you for taking the time to read and answer my question.

I have an eleven-month-old chihuahua mix and just wanted to know if I should be worried about her ingesting minoxidil a.k.a. Rogaine foam. She isn't licking up puddles of the stuff or biting at the can but she does like to lick my face all the time. The foam tends to melt and drip down to my ears and sideburns so I freak out when she licks those areas. To be perfectly candid, I also used to rub some on my upper lip as well to try and grow a thicker mustache. It was a stupid experiment, I know. I did that a few times but then stopped. I'm always hyper vigilant about washing my hands and waiting for all the alcohol from the foam to evaporate before I touch her but I can't always be on my game. I'm also worried that some gets on my pillow and she might lick the minoxidil off the case. I know that this medication is a vasodilator and can lower her blood pressure to dangerous levels. When she licks me, at least 4-5 hours have passed since application.

I understand that it's extremely dangerous to cats but can't find anything on dogs. Should I be worried? She's still really spry, eats/drinks regularly, and has solid stools.

Of course, I would like to continue my regimen but not at the expense of my puppy.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

Best regards,
AC

Hi Dr. Marie,

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly with a response! I really appreciate your feedback and will let you know if I find anything else out about dogs ingesting rogaine.

I do have one more question for you. If I need to pay an additional $8, please let me know. I know a lot of time and research goes into your answers so I wouldn't want to take advantage of you.

Basically, three weeks ago, I took my puppy to an emergency vet because my girlfriend and I were worried that she had an ear infection. Thankfully, she did not. But I figured since we were already there, I'd ask about luxating patellas seeing as to how smaller breeds tend to have this ailment. Well, the vet did his check and said that she did have semi-loose kneecaps but luxating patella wasn't a concern at this stage.

A week or two after that, we purchased new insurance for our puppy but the insurance company required a knee check as a baseline for our policy. So we took our puppy to our own vet who also said our puppy did not have a luxating patella.

Yesterday, I took my puppy to the dog park and thought I saw her lift up her back right leg while running but it didn't happen again so I paid no attention. Today, however, I took her to the dog park and as she ran full speed to catch a ball, her back right leg seized up. It was normal when she slowed down but this seizing happened 4-5x today, all while she ran full speed. It doesn't happen when she walks or when she jumps on to my bed.

Yesterday, while I was driving, she stood in the center arm rest and fell as I made a turn. I'm wondering if this has anything to do with her limping? She ran up and down the stairs at my house today after the dog park without incident but when I threw a ball, her back right leg seized again.

I've seen two vets on two separate occasions from two different pet hospitals and they both said she did not have a luxating patella so why is her leg seizing up? The paperwork for the baseline hasn't been cleared yet so I can't submit a claim or they'll reject her policy.

Does this sound really serious? Is she suffering? I don't want her to be in pain at all. She's only 11 months so I don't know what's causing this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time!


Best regards,
Andrew C.

Hi Dr. Marie,

Thanks for such a prompt reply!

I have one last question for you, I promise!

What is your take on giving my 11-month-old chihuahua mix a glucosamine supplement? Rarely, when she gets in down position, I hear clicking noises. I don't know if this is just growing pains or if she's just sleeping wrong, but it worries me.

Would giving her a daily glucosamine help at all? Is it safe?

As always, thank you so much for your time!


Best,
Andrew C.