
If your pet was in a area where poison ivy, oak, or sumac grows, you may want to wash your pet with water and a mild soap to make sure the oil doesn't spread.A hand cleaner, such as Goop, also may help. Special products, such as Tecnu and Zanfel, are available to remove urushiol from your skin.Also, be careful to clean under the fingernails, where the oil can collect and spread easily. Do not scrub hard when you wash, so you don't irritate the skin.Use creek or stream water if you are outdoors. Rinse often, so that the soap or rubbing alcohol doesn't dry on the skin and make the rash worse. Sometimes the resulting rash ( contact dermatitis) can be completely avoided by washing the affected areas with plenty of water and soap (such as dishwashing soap) or rubbing alcohol. If you have contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac, immediately wash areas of the skin that may have touched the plant.
