Can You Use Horse Shampoo On Dogs?

It was my dog’s least favorite day of the month recently: bath night.

He’s never enjoyed it, but it has to be done.

I’ve tried to explain this to him!

However, this time, we ran into a bit of a problem.

When it came time to run the bath for him, I realized I didn’t have any shampoo in the house.

It was too late to go out to a store to get some, so in a pinch I went down and grabbed my horse shampoo—in the end, I wasn’t sure it was safe, so the dog was spared bath night at least for a while.

But, can you use horse shampoo on dogs?

Yes, you can use horse shampoo on dogs! Many groomers do in fact use brands of horse shampoo when grooming dogs. It’s perfectly safe and will clean your dog up really well. Horse products are by no means toxic or dangerous to dogs and provide a gentle clean.

So, I could have definitely used it on my dog that night, but I did want to be sure first. It’s always best to be safe with these things.

That said, let’s look a bit further into this.

Does horse shampoo work on dogs?

Yes, absolutely it does.

Dogs and horses have fundamentally very similar coats, though there is obviously a lot of variation in breed.

In any case, whatever works as a shampoo for one will certainly work for the other—there’s no special reason it wouldn’t.

You may only want to use a small amount of the horse shampoo is the only caveat I would suggest.

It may be more a highly concentrated formula, since horses are much bigger animals with a lot more surface area to cover.

So, it could be easy to overdo it if you aren’t careful.

We also wouldn’t recommend using any kind of horse shampooing tool on a dog.

A brush, for example, may often come with some cleaners, and it will almost certainly be much too harsh for your dog.

Stick to just the shampoo and apply it with your hands like you normally would.

Your dog will come out with a beautiful, shining coat, just like the most glorious thoroughbred on the racetrack.

There are quite a few brands of horse shampoo, and one of the most popular and well known is Mane and Tail.

It can seem like a harsher soap, so is Mane and Tail safe for dogs?

Will Mane and Tail shampoo hurt dogs?

Mane and Tail will absolutely not hurt dogs.

It’s just like most animal shampoos, and will do a great job of cleaning your dog’s coat without hurting it at all.

Again, the only thing that could really hurt a dog is if you cleaned it with the same brush you would use for a horse.

Horses are much tougher animals, so they naturally can endure a much tougher scrubbing.

Something else to note is that many dogs do have their own, individual sensitivities.

Your dog could have an uncommon skin or hair condition, and it’s possible that Mane and Tail may not be the best option for your dog in this case.

It is still very unlikely to actually hurt the dog, but you may want to consider another option.

If you’re at all unsure, consult a vet before using horse shampoo on your dog.

If your dog has some kind of skin sensitivity, then the vey will be able to recommend something more appropriate.

You certainly should be using specific, formulated shampoo if your dog has any kind of condition.

For dogs with dry and itchy skin, horse shampoo may not always be the best option.

Can you use horse shampoo on dogs with itchy skin?

First of all, horse shampoo will not negatively affect a dog with itchy skin.

In most cases, it won’t make it worse; again, if you’re unsure, speak to a vet first.

That said, it won’t help, either.

There is nothing in any kind of horse shampoo that will help a dog with itching or with dry skin.

If your dog has itchy skin, bathing at all may not be the best option for it.

Again, each individual case is likely to be quite different, so you should always have a professional opinion.

The last thing you want is to be harming your dog when you’re trying to wash them.

So, while you’re probably best buying a dog shampoo if you can get your hands on one, horse shampoo will certainly work very well for cleaning your dog.

It is perfectly safe and non-toxic and, as I said, is in fact often the choice of professional groomers.

There’s nothing in most horse shampoos that will hurt your dog.

That said, just be sure it isn’t medicated in some way specifically to horses and you’ll be all set.