Urgent help!!!!!!! (hair dye)

[Pepenow]

My Greek tortoise (9 months old) got hair dye all over her body and head.
I have cleaned her with water and put her over her lamp. There’s no veterinarians that can see her tonight. What can I do?

 

[Tom]

My Greek tortoise (9 months old) got hair dye all over her body and head.
I have cleaned her with water and put her over her lamp. There’s no veterinarians that can see her tonight. What can I do?

Soak her in warm water, and try to gently brush it off with an old tooth brush.

Don't use that tooth brush for your teeth any more after this... And don't use someone else's tooth brush and then put it back... Just sayin'...

 

[Pepenow]

Soak her in warm water, and try to gently brush it off with an old tooth brush.

Don't use that tooth brush for your teeth any more after this... And don't use someone else's tooth brush and then put it back... Just sayin'...

Hello Tom, thank you for your reply. I have tried to brush everything off with water and put her in her enclosure. I was concerned about any allergies that kay present but there’s no emergency services for reptiles in my area. I hope she’ll be fine tomorrow

 

[TammyJ]

Hello Tom, thank you for your reply. I have tried to brush everything off with water and put her in her enclosure. I was concerned about any allergies that kay present but there’s no emergency services for reptiles in my area. I hope she’ll be fine tomorrow

She needs to be soaked in warm water (not too hot!) for ten minutes, then change to more clean warm water again, and again until she has been soaked for thirty minutes. To neutralise the dye as much as possible, and washed and brushed under running warm water too but make sure she can breathe while all this is done.

 

[TammyJ]

I have to wonder how this happened unless you have her roaming free in your house, which is a no no.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I'm wondering is the tort a blonde now? lol...seriously, how is he today? Do you mind telling me what area you are in california? We've got a buncha vets around...can I help you? I'm native Californian...

 

[Maro2Bear]

I doubt if any urgent care vet visit is required. It doesnt sound like the tort drank the hair dye, it got splashed/covered with it. I’m guessing this hair dye has been tested & tested & retested to be safe for contact with human scalp, skin, even eyes. Once applied (and let to set) the dye is simply washed off in the shower. Hopefully your tortoise wasnt soaking directly in the dye at all.

Soooo, it sounds like you already did the soaks. Id continue with some longer than normal soaks this week.

Good luck

Most info i see on “hair dye poisoning” have to do with humans actually ingesting quantities of the substance.

First Aid for Hair Dye Poisoning - DoveMed

Learn in-depth first aid information on Hair Dye Poisoning, regarding its causes, signs and symptoms, how to administer, prognosis, and prevention.

www.dovemed.com

 

[Tom]

Hello Tom, thank you for your reply. I have tried to brush everything off with water and put her in her enclosure. I was concerned about any allergies that kay present but there’s no emergency services for reptiles in my area. I hope she’ll be fine tomorrow

I agree with what Mark is saying here. There probably isn't anything else to do. Hair dye can burn mucus membranes (eyes) if left on the animal to soak for many minutes, but as long as you rinsed it all off ASAP, soaked and brushed off any residue, it should be fine. Any discoloration of the tortoise will fade in time.