According to Healthline, the ink can be mildly toxic especially if consumed in large quantities. This means that your dog may be poisoned for nibbling on the highlighter, especially if they eat too much of the highlighter ink. The casing can also cause issues for the dog if it leads to an obstruction.
What about other items that contain ink, like printer ink cartridges? The crunchy plastic is probably not great for your dog to chew on, and the ink is probably not healthy either, but how bad is ink poisoning for dogs anyway? Oh no! Your dog ate pen ink! Aside from a big mess you probably have to clean up, how harmful is that to your dog?
The main ingredients of writing ink from an ink pen are dyes, pigments, solvents, and water. Despite being generally regarded as non-toxic, writing ink does contain trace amounts of alcohol and glycol (or glycol ether). These substances are poisonous to dogs in large doses, but the quantity in one pen is negligible and unlikely to poison a dog.
However, you don’t want your dog to mistake your ballpoint pens, permanent markers, or art markers for a tasty treat. Consuming the ink and plastic, which may now be chewed up and have sharp edges, could possibly result in digestive distress and even a GI obstruction.
Isopropanol and ethanol are the two main components of art marker pen ink, such as Copic alcohol markers, which your dog may have consumed. Isopropanol is commonly known as rubbing alcohol. Ethanol and the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages are the same thing.
Common household items like hand sanitizer, antifreeze, perfumes, mouthwash, windshield washer fluid, and glass cleaners also contain alcohol. It’s crucial to keep these items, as well as your pens or markers, out of your pets’ reach due to the possibility of toxicity with large quantities.
What are Highlighters Made Of?
A highlighter pen’s outer container is just a plastic tube. The tube contains a sponge (or something similar) on the interior of the plastic outer casing, which enables the ink to flow across the paper. The ink is contained within the sponge.
The good news is that your dog won’t get sick from the ink or sponge. The sponge only contains a minimal amount of ink. It won’t take much ink or the chemicals it contained to make your dog ill. That’s the good news!.
You must now determine the extent of possible consumption of the highlighter’s outer casing. Try to gather the pieces back in one location and assemble them like a puzzle. Do you notice any missing parts, especially any sizable ones, or is the majority of the pen casing missing?
Calling the veterinarian is probably a good idea if a sizable portion of the casing is missing. It’s possible that your dog consumed the casing, which can result in an intestinal blockage, a painful condition.
What if my dog eats a highlighter?
Highlighters are non-toxic. The issue with them is the actual plastic component, which can greatly aggravate GI discomfort and possibly result in blockage. I would advise feeding your dog and simply keeping an eye out for any vomiting or diarrhea. You should take him to your veterinarian if you notice any of those things.
Treatment for ink poisoning in dogs
Do not attempt to induce vomiting if your dog has consumed enough ink to cause poisoning; instead, take your pet right away to a veterinary hospital. You can anticipate your pet receiving supportive care, such as intravenous fluids, along with bloodwork. Additional therapies, such as those for arrhythmias, hypoglycemia, or seizures, may be required depending on your dog’s condition.
FAQ
Is highlighter pen toxic?
Ink from pens, markers, highlighters, etc. , which is regarded as being only minimally toxic and used in such small amounts that poisoning is typically not a concern Typical symptoms include stained skin or a stained tongue, and, though unlikely, a mild stomach upset.
Are Sharpie highlighters toxic?
These Sharpie highlighters’ odorless, speedy-drying ink is AP-certified non-toxic, making it safe for kids to use as well. Take advantage of vibrant, transparent colors that make highlighted text easy to read.
Is highlighter toxic to cats?
No, it is not poisonous or it wouldn’t be available for kids to play with. You could try removing what you can with a little warm water, but after that, let the cat get rid of it.
Will pen ink hurt my dog?
Because they are composed of dyes, pigments, solvents, and water, the majority of inks are non-toxic. Despite the fact that pens are not poisonous, you should always keep your dog away from them. But ethanol is present in some inks, and it could be disastrous if your dog ate a pen using that ink.