HOUSEHOLD POISONS
Is Your Home Poisoning Your Pet?
Did you know many household cleaners contain a chemical called
formaldehyde (also known
as embalming solution), which could cause severe irritation to
our pet's eyes, throat and skin?
Or how about rug and carpet shampoos, they contain a chemical
called perchloroethylene,
which can cause dizziness, insomnia, nausea, tremors and loss
of appetite? Some floor
polishes contain chemicals that can cause cancer as well as
damage to the heart, kidneys, liver
and central nervous system. As a matter of fact, most household
products do not even warn
you of the chemical dangers they could cause.
So how toxic is your house? According to the EPA (Environmental
Protection Agency) 50%
of all illness can be traced to indoor pollution, which can be
directly related to the use of
household cleaners. Many products on the shelves today claim to
be safe, yet have warning
labels. If a product is safe why do they need to warn you of
danger? Most rooms in most
homes contain these products which could cause any of the
following; cancer, birth defects,
or changes in human genetic structures. If it is affecting our
health in this way imagine what it's
doing to our pets.
Consider the effect of the following on your pet:
Bug spraying
Ant traps
Pest/rodent exterminating
Toilet bowl cleaners your pet can drink
Matches around the house (sulfur)
Lawn fertilizer/grass chemicals
Room deodorizers/sprays
Chlorinated pools your animal can drink from
Do you let your dog eat treats off the floor? Do you watch your
cat lick itself clean after
playing on the carpet? Do you enjoy watching your pet lounged
out taking a snooze on the
floor? Do you use household cleaners? If you answered yes, you
must know the following
information. Animals have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs
than we do. Their bodies have
to work harder to try and eliminate these toxins. Not only are
they processing these chemicals
at a faster rate, they are also breathing them in more rapidly.
Animals are obviously closer to the ground, which puts them in
direct contact with these
harmful substances. This makes them more vulnerable to toxic
poisoning, which could result in
death. Signs and symptoms of toxic poisoning can range from
excessive drooling, vomiting
and shallow breathing to muscle twitching, convulsions and
seizures.
Develop a more acute awareness about the chemicals to which
your pet(s) are exposed.
Don't just trust grocery store labels and compelling commercial
ads seen on television. Take
the lead right now to ensure the cleaning products you purchase
are safe for you, your pet
and the environment. Shop for them at your local health food
store. The cost is the same as
chemical cleaners and you may even save thousands of dollars in
vet bills!
If you suspect a toxic substance has poisoned your animal,
induce vomiting immediately with
some warm salt water or a little hydrogen peroxide (dosage
varies based on size of animal).
Call the National Animal Poison Control Center at
1-800-548-2423. They will guide you
through the necessary procedures you must take to save your
pets life.