# Is waterless shampoo okay?



## Lorelei (Jul 22, 2013)

So since my last post, my mother moved over to my grandparents' house, and I moved Sugar's x-pen into the kitchen, where I spent most of my time and he now gets tons of socialization and hours of time out every day. Yay! He's MUCH happier, binkies every day, plays with and is groomed by my Ragdolls, and is learning to come when called. 

However, he's in the middle of an AWFUL molt, and there is bunny fur EVERYWHERE. I brush, comb, and even Furminate every day, but it's been weeks and there's no sign of it ending or even slowing. 

I know you're not supposed to give rabbits baths with water, but I found a bottle of waterless spray-on combination shampoo and conditioner, specifically formulated to reduce shedding. I was wondering if that was okay to use on rabbits. It's Furminator brand, designed for cats and dogs, and the main ingredients are coconut oil, glycerin, and vitamins D and E. I asked my vet, and she said that if it's safe for cats it should be safe for rabbits, but I've heard horror stories about rabbits dying from Frontline kitten flea meds, so I just wanted to double check.


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## Zaiya (Jul 22, 2013)

I've been getting into herbalism, and I know that coconut oil helps to make hair shiny and soft (also human hair!) If that is the main ingredient, it shouldn't hurt him, but wait for other replies, as I've never dealt with this before! XD


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## Watermelons (Jul 22, 2013)

It will basically do the same thing brushing will do.
It will not stop your rabbit from shedding.

I use the furminator shampoos and conditioners religiously on my dogs because I love the smell and I love what it does to their coat (nothing to do with shedding)
They help get a bunch of hair our in the bath, right away, but it does not actually reduce shedding, its more a sense of, oh we got all this out right now so there shouldn't be anything left, sort of deal.

I wouldn't use it on him.
Just keep up with the brushing and normal furminating


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## Lorelei (Jul 23, 2013)

Okay, so I ultimately did decide to try out the waterless shampoo, and it's actually helpful--not because it removes more fur, but because the fur it does remove sticks together when it's moist and is less flyaway. It doesn't float all over the house anymore! Water alone would probably have the same effect, but I got the shampoo for my Peke a few years ago, and figured, eh, why not try it on Sugar? I just wanted to verify that it was safe.  Plus now he smells like coconuts!


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## Watermelons (Jul 23, 2013)

Just because something is safe for dogs and cats doesn't mean its safe for rabbits. Rabbits are a lot more sensitive.

Its something most people wouldn't risk.


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## Lorelei (Jul 23, 2013)

...now I feel like an idiot. I apologize for asking for advice, and then taking the opposite route of what was suggested, especially from a moderator. I was clearly in the wrong, and have no right to presume that my own judgement is correct. I hope my actions haven't injured my rabbit.


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## Watermelons (Jul 23, 2013)

I don't know what the ingredients are in waterless shampoos, you would have to wait for others to reply to see if they have knowledge in the ingredients being harmful. I know furminator uses a lot of natural ingredients including oils and extracts.

http://www.furminator.com/Products/...onditioner/deshedding-dog-cleaning-spray.aspx


> *Contains:* Natural Surfactants, Water, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids, Cranberry Seed Oil, Calendula Extract, Vitamin E, Chamomile Extract, Aloe Vera, Papaya Leaf Extract, Safflower Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Glycerin



But we also have to keep in mind that because its a shampoo, there are no governing bodies regulating what goes on the packaging in terms of ingredients (unlike dog food). There is the chance the company uses other ingredients and doesn't list them. Notice the word "contains", that's my worry.

But honestly, i'm typically on the side of, If it looks good, try it! Too many people get all freaked out when they don't see 100 references to something being safe.

I usually find the furminator shampoos to fix most skin issues then create problems so its pretty good stuff. (I wouldn't dare lay the brush on my animals but hey were talking shampoo here)


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## Lorelei (Jul 23, 2013)

See, that's what I was hoping...that the ingredients were natural and therefore safe. (Of course, poison ivy is "natural"....) They all seemed more or less organic, like safflower and coconut oils and vitamins and stuff. And the label said that it was safe to use on kittens and puppies. I spritzed a tiny bit on Sugar last night (and, while it may sound gross, tasted the formula myself), just enough to dampen his fur slightly, and he took it pretty well--no head shaking or excessive annoyed self-grooming.

I googled "rabbit waterless shampoo," and apparently there are shampoo sprays marketed exclusively for rabbits. I have no idea if the ingredients are similar to other pet shampoos, and as all small pet fanciers know, just because something is marketed for them, it doesn't mean it's safe (cedar shavings much? Yogurt drops? Wire-bottomed exercise wheels? Need I go on?).


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## Watermelons (Jul 23, 2013)

> and as all small pet fanciers know, just because something is marketed for them, it doesn't mean it's safe



Haha exactly.

I do like how their shampoos make the coat so soft and shiny and just amazing as well as helping the skin. Helps with dry skin and coat, itchy skin, well kinda everything. Id use it on myself but don't fancy trying to "shed" more....

I think it will end up being one of those... because its a waterless leave in... Bunny licks itself... Keep an eye out for digestive upset type things.


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## Lorelei (Jul 23, 2013)

It's been 24 hours since I applied it and so far, so good...appetite and energy levels normal, no sign of discomfort.  He did about a zillion binkies today, climbed up to the second platform on the cat tree, and even jumped on the recliner into my lap! He hasn't slowed down one bit!


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## Zaiya (Jul 23, 2013)

Like I said before, it's the coconut oil that does most of that. You can try it on yourself if you want! You can find coconut oil in most stores.

This is how you use it: put warm (if cold, it will turn solid) coconut oil in damp hair. Keep covered for 15 minutes, and shampoo out!

Plus, coconut oil is also good for increasing energy, balancing hormones, lowers cholesterol, raises metabolic rate and promotes weigh loss, heals dry and damaged skin and makes skin smooth, cuts, bruises, speeds healing while fighting infection, treats dry and damaged hair, and you can use it in cookies (and other baking)! 

It's kind of a universal-use type of thing!


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## Watermelons (Jul 23, 2013)

It doesn't contain coconut oil, so no, its not the coconut oil that does that.

Putting coconut oil in your rabbits hair is very dangerous especially if you have to shampoo it out. A rabbit should never be bathed. And leaving it in and allowing the rabbit to lick their fur would cause some serious digestive upset.


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## Zaiya (Jul 23, 2013)

No, I meant all of that is for humans!

And near the first post she said one of the main ingredients is coconut oil.


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## Watermelons (Jul 23, 2013)

When I looked up the regular waterless shampoo formula, those are the ingredients listed. 


> *Contains:* Natural Surfactants, Water, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids, Cranberry Seed Oil, Calendula Extract, Vitamin E, Chamomile Extract, Aloe Vera, Papaya Leaf Extract, Safflower Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Glycerin


It does however smell like coconut. I think all the ones with the dark blue label smell like coconut but its not actual coconut giving it that smell (I still refuse to use anything that smells like coconut)


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## Zaiya (Jul 23, 2013)

Lorelei said:


> I know you're not supposed to give rabbits baths with water, but I found a bottle of waterless spray-on combination shampoo and conditioner, specifically formulated to reduce shedding. I was wondering if that was okay to use on rabbits*. It's Furminator brand, designed for cats and dogs, and the main ingredients are coconut oil, glycerin, and vitamins D and E.* I asked my vet, and she said that if it's safe for cats it should be safe for rabbits, but I've heard horror stories about rabbits dying from Frontline kitten flea meds, so I just wanted to double check.



Here she says it has coconut oil in it.

Yes, artificial tastes and smells a lot different than natural when it comes to flavors or scents! Coconut and banana are two main ones that I've noticed.


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