Most of us think our home is a clean and safe oasis, but what if the everyday items you use are not the best for the health of your family and pets? Dogs eat anything that falls on the floor, cats lick themselves, and birds have more fragile respiratory systems.

Most of us think our home is a clean and safe oasis, but what if the everyday items you use are not the best for the health of your family and pets? Dogs eat anything that falls on the floor, cats lick themselves, and birds have more fragile respiratory systems. Walk all over your home, keep these products in mind when using them around your pet, learn how to store them correctly, and identify signs of toxin ingestion in your pet.

Loft/basement

• Pest control products: Mothballs, rodent killers and pesticides are usually used in these spaces and are usually used in large quantities because humans do not usually live in these areas. If you use them, please stop your pet from entering these rooms. Whether the pest control product is solid or liquid, the intake is small or more, the consequences may include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, pale or brown gums, weakness or drowsiness, difficulty breathing, tremor and/or seizures.

garage/yard

• Paint: Space with fresh paint or open containers should be well ventilated; store it in a place that pets cannot reach. Household coatings – whether water-based, oil-based, latex or lead-free coatings – have varying degrees of toxicity to pets, but even if consumed in small quantities, you should remind your veterinarian. Symptoms may include mild gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, respiratory irritation, and incoordination. „
• Ice melting products: Even if you don't have these products in your home, please note that they are usually suitable for streets and sidewalks where your pet may walk. Therefore, while your pet may not directly ingest ice melting products (such as sodium chloride , potassium chloride , magnesium chloride , calcium salt, urea ), they usually like to play in the snow and in the cold Walk in the weather. Generally speaking, most ice melt exposure is limited to gastrointestinal discomfort and local skin irritation, but may have more serious, life-threatening side effects such as hemorrhagic vomiting or diarrhea, elevated sodium in the blood, arrhythmia, rapid and shallow breathing and thermal therapy. „
• Antifreeze: This product is highly toxic to any animal that ingests it, even in too small quantities, so store it in a place where curious pets cannot access. If you have the slightest suspicion that your pet has entered the antifreeze, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Within hours, symptoms will include depression, staggering, seizures, increased drinking and urination, and vomiting. Although they may look better in a day, symptoms can worsen, including renal failure and possible death. „
• Gasoline and Kerosene: Most people keep gasoline and kerosene at hand for cars, grills, etc., but keeping them away from pets is crucial. Symptoms of poisoning can appear immediately after contact, whether inhaled, consumed or contact. Look for respiratory irritation, drooling, oral ulcers, skin damage, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, confusion or collapse. „
• Fertilizer/herbicide: Although the safety margin of dispensing fertilizers (solid particles or liquid sprays) is usually quite high, if the animal directly consumes fertilizer, symptoms of drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, tremor and seizures may occur. Some fertilizer products contain more dangerous elements, such as iron and pesticides, which may contain carbamate or organophosphates, although they are rare now.

Life space

Many cleaners and disinfectants contain harmful ingredients, and some even have labels marked "natural" or "green". Contacting these products can cause skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal irritation, from flaky skin to internal bleeding. Watch out for these chemicals that are toxic to pets and where to find them:

• Chloride is the main ingredient of bleach , and can also be found in laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, toilet detergent and universal cleaners. Choose oxygen bleach instead of deep cleaning and stain removal.„
• ammonia is an efficient cleanser, but it can cause serious damage to the pet's eyes, skin, lungs and stomach after inhalation or intake. Avoid using oven cleaners, window cleaners, floor wax and drain pipe cleaners containing ammonia water. „
• When soap and water are not strong enough, glycol ether helps reduce oil. They are usually labeled as 2-methoxyethanol , 2-ethoxyethanol and 2-butoxyethanol, which appear in many "green/natural" cleaners, although studies have shown that they can cause cancer, birth defects and stunted development in laboratory rats, as well as anemia, eye and nose irritation, and weight loss in companion animals .
• Formaldehyde is used to clean products due to its antibacterial effect. It is a known human carcinogen, but can still be found in the ingredients list under the names of formalin , formaldehyde, methyldiol, methanol , methylaldehyde, methylenediol and methane dioxide.
• phthalate is used in the fragrance of countless household products. They are known hormone disruptors that disrupt pet reproductive systems and lead to weight gain, cancer and developmental delays. The most common phthalate is BPA, which is usually found in pet bowls and toys. „
• cation surfactant contains chemical substances such as benzalkonium chloride and cetrium bromide. They are highly toxic to dogs and cats and are present in fabric softeners and dry-cloth tablets. Skin contact can cause skin irritation or even burns , while intake can cause ulcers, lung damage , central nervous system depression and emergency Sexual nephropathy . Intake of dry tablets can even cause clogging.

For any household products that may be harmful, please take measures to minimize contact with your pet. Keep the area well ventilated when using these products, store them in locked cabinet or closet when not in use, always pay attention to abnormal behavior, and consult a veterinarian if symptoms occur.

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