Painting is undoubtedly a great hobby and the most basic need of the modern era. Have you decided in a year as chaotic as 2020 to start to paint for your mental health?
Or do you have the world’s most nosy dog who has a habit to chew or lick everything?
Painting the crafts is the best way to keep your mind peaceful but your precious pet starts licking your paints isn’t it harmful to them?
Is Acrylic Paint Toxic To Dogs?
While painting the canvas or furniture with acrylic colors your dog starts eating the paint tubes, quite harmful it is for the dog.
You are deciding on reusing your old materials for making an amazing wall hanging. That’s why you start painting the wood crafts with acrylic paints. But, somehow your pet starts licking or eating the acrylic paints as they find them attractive.
Dogs are the feline friend so you should take care of them and keep an eye, that they will not lick or chew anything poisonous to them.
So, to know the answer, is acrylic paint toxic to dogs? read this article till the end.
What Are Acrylic Paints?
Acrylic paints have a thick consistency similar to oil paint, although it dries a lot faster. Acrylic paints are flexible in many ways like in appearance and consistency can be changed if we add water to change the thickness.
Acrylic paints can paint many different surfaces, also acrylic paint comes in different types such as pigment, blinder, and water-based one.
The blinder is an acrylic polymer in which water evaporates and forms a film over the surface.
Also, acrylic paint can be used on surfaces other than paper and canvases.
Are Acrylic Paints Usually Toxic?
Acrylic paints are fairly non-toxic and quite safe to use but sanded or airbrushed acrylics are more potent because of the chemicals in the air.
Otherwise, every day painting projects with acrylic paints are typically safe.
But, acrylic paints may contain unique pigments that are usually toxic while it dries and gives out strong fumes and odors so always use a well-ventilated room for acrylic paintings.
Is Acrylic Paint Toxic To Dogs?
Acrylic paint is water-based paint and if your dog ingests it then small quantities aren’t harmful.
But if your dog consumes lots of the paint by eating tubes of acrylic stuff, then he may suffer from diarrhea or an upset stomach. However, the body may find it repulsive and the dog may vomit.
Acrylic paint may temporarily turn a dog’s stomach upside down and induce a nasty bout of diarrhea, but your dog will recover from such incidents.
Now, if you are concerned that your dog has swallowed a larger quantity of acrylic paint, the greatest risk to your dog is if he has eaten the plastic tubes too. As the dog cannot digest plastic and the tube gets stuck in the throat of your dog, he or she will cough, retch or struggle to breathe.
Or else, contact your local veterinarian if your dog chewed on the plastic tube before ingesting it, it may cause another problem because the tube might cut or graze the dog as it passes in their body.
Also, watch for blood in your dog’s poop as it’s the quickest way to find if this happened.
What About Oil Paints And Watercolors? Are They Toxic?
Acrylic paints are not toxic at all but prevention is better than cure. So, let’s move to other types of paints usually used in paintings.
1.) Oil Paints:
Oil paints are a far graver threat to the health of your dog than acrylic paints as many oil paints use chemical solvents that contain a very thick chemical smell.
Moreover, when these solvents evaporate, volatile organic compounds are released into the air, and when a person or a dog is exposed to these fumes for a longer duration, it can lead to dizziness, eye irritation, difficulty breathing, and so on.
Sadly, some of the VOCs may cause cancer if your dog eats, chew, or swallows oil paint, so you should immediately make them drink plenty of water.
Watch for symptoms of oil paint intoxication in your dogs, such as lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, be prepared to take them to the clinic or call the pet poison helpline.
2.) Watercolors:
Watercolors are perhaps the safest paint for use, this is because like acrylic paints they are water-based rather than solvent-based as they don’t contain solvents so they are safest.
Furthermore, a dog is more interested in a pot of watercolors rather than a tub of acrylic paint, as for a dog who enjoys water and is thirsty, then watercolors might be more tempting than acrylic pints, which can resemble food.
Because watercolors have a greater water concentration than other paints so it would be safe if it is ingested by a dog.
Five Ways To Keep Your Dog Away From Your Paints:
There are few ways by which you can save your canine buddy from any mishap
Try your best to keep your pets away from your studio as many paints also include inorganic materials that are harmful to them.
