A soap is a salt of a fatty acid produced by reaction with an alkali. However the term soap is often applied to a variety of cleaning materials which may contain other ingredients.
Disruption of lipid cell membranes. They can sometimes be alkaline enough to cause corrosive damage.
Soaps usually cause vomiting when ingested. If they are particularly alkaline they may produce irritation of the oral mucous membranes and salivation. They may affect the eyes producing lachrymation and superficial damage to the cornea. If used as enemas, soap may cause severe irritation and even necrosis of the rectum and large bowel.
If marked irritation of the oral and pharyngeal membranes suggestive of "alkali burn" is observed, then induction of vomiting is contraindicated (see later). For non alkali soaps, if vomiting has not occurred it should be induced with either apomorphine or orxylazine. This treatment can then be followed by activated charcoal for small animals.
Clarke, M.L., Harvey, D.G. and Humphreys, D.J. (1981). Veterinary Toxicology: 2nd ed. Bailliere Tindall, London.
Coppock, R.W., Mostrom, M.S. and Lillie, L.E. (1988). The Toxicology of Detergents, Bleaches, Antiseptics and Disinfectants in Small Animals. Vet. Hum. Toxicol. 30: 463 473.
Temple, A.R. and Veltri, J.C. (1979). Outcome of Accidental Ingestion of Soaps, Detergents and Related Household Products. Vet. Hum. Toxicol. 21: 9 11.