A doctor has issued an urgent warning over a common hair product that could accidentally kill your pet.
Dr. Joe Whittington has taken to social media to warn people about a common household item that could have fatal effects on your cat or dog, especially if they ingest it.
Taking to TikTok, the health expert warned users about the potentially harmful effects of minoxidil, an active ingredient in topical products applied to the scalp to stimulate hair growth.
The ingredient can be found in a range of hair products for both men and women, and products featuring 5% minoxidil or less can be available over the counter for under $30.
"There is one item that you may have in your home that is so deadly to pets that just one lick can take their life..." Whittington started in his video which has been viewed over 800,000 times.
“[Minoxidil] is so toxic that even the smallest exposure can be life-threatening, especially to cats, because their bodies don’t have the ability to metabolize it,” Whittington continued. "Just walking across the residue or licking it off your skin can cause severe toxicity."
“Protect your furry friends by washing your hands, cleaning spills, and storing [the product] out of reach. Your hair journey doesn’t have to put their lives at risk," he added.
Hundreds of people took to the comments to express their thoughts at the advice.
"I'm getting a lot of bald patches in my head and was thinking of buying minoxidil but now I'm hesitant since my car is clingy and always sleeps next to me," said one person, while another added: "Oh my God! I had no idea. Wonder how bad it is for us!?"
A third questioned: "What if you put on your hair and u laid down on some thing and your cat laid the same thing and then groom themselves? Like a transfer?! I can’t I rather be bald than lose my babies."
And this user also stated: "As a vet, I’m so here for MDs educating about this kind of thing!!"
One user even suggested getting minoxidil in an oral form as it would stop any transfers from happening.
"Just get it as a pill," this user advised. "It’s not worth the risk."
