Since March is Pet Poison Awareness Month, it is an opportune time to share with our pet-loving friends the buzz about what experts are saying about the dangers of air fresheners. We came across this video on Facebook, and judging by the number of views, this is an important topic that people care about! If opening a window is not an option, you could invest in an air purifier that will remove allergens and other pollutants from the air. The chemicals may land on their fur, which they will groom and ingest. Before using air fresheners, you need to know the dangers they pose to your pet. To add a fragrance to your home, you could dry using fresh flowers that have a scent, or dried herbs such as lavender. Being smaller than humans, birds, cats, and dogs are unable to deal with the toxic load of many of our household chemicals, and air fresheners are some of the worst. Some wicks contain or are wrapped in metal. Many air fresheners are poisonous to dogs and they can react to them just by smelling them. The term VOCs covers a wide range of substances, some natural and some not. Had Badger not woken her when he did, Farrah would likely have died. Be sure to select plant varieties that are safe around your pets in case Fido or Fluffy decides to munch on a leaf or two. Try opening a window instead! Marianne's dog was lucky, but vets are seeing more and more cases of pets being poisoned by essential oils used in diffusers, burners or incense. Dogs have very sensitive noses and are easily affected by air fresheners. In fact, vomiting is such a common finding that if a dog does not vomit, it’s probable that a … These symptoms lasted for days and … Another worrisome side effect is that air freshener can increase your risk of asthma by as much as 50%, according to a study by the European Community Respiratory Health Survey.Clearly, synthetic air fresheners simply pose too many threats to the health of your … These occur for a few reasons—they can be due to a pet not being sufficiently groomed, a skin condition, or caused when the dog has been out and gotten wet or muddy. Sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and lethargy may be telltale signs that something is not right. Sunday afternoon he was feeling better.". The list of Sportmix dry pet food products to be recalled by Midwestern Pet Food, Inc. on December 30, 2020 is: Sportmix Energy Plus, 50 lb. Aerosol sprays are made up of tiny particles of chemicals that quickly enter the bloodstream when inhaled. 1. If you live somewhere with high pollution rates or you suffer from allergies, opening a window may not be an option for getting fresh air. Some dogs who suffer from skin allergies may need to be bathed routinely or given supplements. Many are made with synthetic chemicals that produce indoor pollutants that affect animals. According to OSHA (the US government's department for promoting workplace safety), "Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen. Google air freshener flamethrower and you'll see videos of these toxic and flammable products being turned into blow torches! Choose natural rubber dog toys that are BPA and phthalate free to keep your pet from being exposed to this dangerous chemical. Air fresheners are not required to list their ingredients, which makes it even harder to be absolutely sure what is in them. But we can at least limit what we use in our homes and around our pets. She required oxygen therapy and was at serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Since soft furnishings can hoard bad smells, wash them regularly using a pet-safe detergent. Plants are nature's air purifiers and they produce oxygen. A reaction can be subtle and may even be mistaken for the dog simply being tired, or getting old. Symptoms and Types. When you first use them, a pet might immediately withdraw from the area or cower. PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) As noted in an earlier article, some essential oils are toxic to pets. Diluted and diffused essential oils can be a safer alternative for freshening a space. Phthalates are known as plasticisers (to make plastics more pliable.) We came across this video on Facebook, and judging by the number of views, this is an important topic that people care about! Thankfully the test showed his liver was ok, but we weren't out of the woods yet. Pets should never been in the room when an air freshener spray is used, and if furniture is treated, it must be fully dry before a pet is allowed near it. Social media may have its detractors, but there's no question that we can get valuable raw information with regards to our pets. Washing at a high temperature (around 60 degrees) will also kill flea eggs. The number of these oils that are dangerous to pets is extensive, some of them are listed and worth reading up on. July 25, 2008 -- Fragranced laundry products and air fresheners emit dozens of different chemicals, including some regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal law, according to a new study. When he walks into a cloud of perfume or encounters potpourri, he gets visible symptoms of pain with sunken eyes and says it feels like someone took an ice pick to his eye. Remember, our pets are even more vulnerable to these chemicals since they are smaller. My husband is a big, strong guy, and is able to communicate when these toxins make him feel ill, but our pets are unable to say with words when they don't feel well. To quote Science Daily:… This chemical has also been shown to kill pet birds. These could be plug-in devices, sprays, incense burners, essential oil diffusers or scented candles. ...Sunday he was still acting weird. When picking a house plant, check that it is non-toxic to your pet. For larger pieces of furniture which are not easy to wash, such as sofas, cover them with throws that are easy to remove and put in the washing machine. For some reason, air fresheners are exempt from listing all of their ingredients on the labels. You can also use it on carpets—sprinkle over the baking soda, leave for 15-20 minutes and then hoover it up. A fresh, pet-safe bouquet can also offer a fresher smell to your living space. I realised that I had been running my new diffuser and decide to turn it off. Having dog towels on standby after a walk is always useful, and means you can dry wet heads, ears and tails. Having a well-trained dog can eliminate problems like antisocial behavior, jumping up on people and chasing other animals. After you introduce a diffuser in a room and for a little bit afterwards, take note of any unusual behavior or side effects. As a side note, in addition to air fresheners, phthalates can be found in some children's and dog toys. We all want nice smelling homes. The dog owner continued: ... and the star used it to make a DIY air freshener last October. The reason 1,4-Dichlorobenzene is found in air fresheners is that it is a nerve-deadening chemical that coats your nasal passages so you can't smell anything. Sources: https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/blog/essential-oils-cats Dog owners are all familiar with that distinctive 'doggy smell' that can accumulate in a home, especially during winter when windows are kept shut and dogs come in wet or muddy from walks. Air fresheners use chemicals when they spray fragrance that changes the smell of your home. When burned these emit toxic smoke. Unfortunately, the time between the bird exhibiting symptoms and death, is usually short. Scented candles also contain VOCs, along with other hazardous substances. Though these products are natural or organic, many of the most popular fragrances are toxic to dogs. Mild acetone poisoning symptoms include: headache; slurred speech; lethargy; lack of coordination; a sweet taste in the mouth; Severe symptoms … Swallowing some of a solid, cone-type air freshener is not likely to cause symptoms from the fragrance because it is imbedded into wax, which limits the amount that can be swallowed. bag. Site & Contents © BaxterBoo.com®. There should be a warning for pet owners. It can be caused by an external source, such as an air freshener in your home, an allergen from outdoors, or can be caused by an external source, such as parasites. If this happens, immediately remove your pet from the … As far as the dangers of plug-in air fresheners, you bring up a great point. We all want a healthy home that smells nice and welcomes others, both human and furry friends. Anything to take away that smell and make a home fresh and pleasant to both themselves and visitors. Gwen Tarves on January 6 at 4:34 AM said: Keeping your pooch happy and healthy requires more than good nutrition, regular exercise and routine vet visits. The simplest and cheapest solution is to open a window and let in fresh air. The first step to helping with this problem is to invest in a good waterproof coat for your dog. "Air fresheners almost killed my dog!" Case 3: A 2-year-old girl swallowed up to 20 air freshener beads, became very drowsy, and had a low heart rate. Apparently, dichlorobenzene is chemically similar to the ingredients in the banned pesticide DDT and other similar compounds such as DDE and DDD. What’s in Air Freshener. These air fresheners rely on heat induction technology and special heat-activated scented gels to continually release a scent. They had received reports of allergies and asthma worsening after the use of air fresheners in homes. Of all the formulations, the evaporating beads and reed diffuser type air fresheners have the greatest risk of serious toxicity when swallowed by children. Phthalates have been linked to early puberty in humans, obesity, male reproductive health problems, birth defects, and testicular lesions and altered DNA in human sperm. Long-term exposure to low levels of formaldehyde may cause respiratory difficulty, eczema, and sensitization. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. According to the EPA1, air freshener contains four basic ingredients: formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, aerosol propellants, and p-dichlorobenzene. They can cause a wide range of dog symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, hormonal imbalances, allergies, neurological disorders and cancer. Is there a way to have a fresh-smelling home that is safe for our pets? Why? Marianne Whyte's dog became very sick after being exposed to scents released by an oil diffuser: "Saturday night I got home late and my dog didn't recognise me. Other VOCs in plug-ins that can have nasty side-effects include: Over 100 different chemicals are used in air fresheners and many of them can have unpleasant consequences to human and animal health. An article in Science Daily, 2nd October 2019 reminds me of a 'Paws' I wrote a few years ago about the negative affects air fresheners of various kinds may have on our dogs. No one wants to stink. Even if you make sure your pets are out of the room where you plan to spray, the product lands on every surface. According to Dr. Mahaney, the negative effects of air fresheners may appear immediately or within a few hours or days after use. Cleaning with bleach could create indoor air pollutants. To be fully safe, it is better not to use any of these forms of natural air fresheners around your dogs. Your pet will later walk on those surfaces and absorb the chemicals through their paws. According to the Hayward Score, which aims to improve the health of your home, burning a candle with a lead-core wick can release five times the amount of lead considered hazardous to children. Common symptoms of VOC exposure in some include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, allergy symptoms, and asthma attacks in those susceptible. ... Other symptoms include losing their appetite and excessive amounts of saliva The most common environmental toxins in our air, water and food supply include PCBs, pesticides, mold and fungal toxins, VOCs and heavy metals. Toxicity: Minimally toxic in small taste amounts.. Expected symptoms: Skin irritation with prolonged exposure and minor stomach upset, some mouth or throat irritation with ingestion.. What to do: Wipe out mouth with a wet wash cloth and give your child a drink of water to wash the air freshener down to the stomach. These include ethanol (alcohol), acetone and formaldehyde. |, Protect Your Pup's Paws by Training Your Dog To Wear Boots, The Pros and Cons of Clicker Training for Your Dog. Air freshener sprays contain the same VOCs as plug-ins, but are generally used less intensely. Typical symptoms include your dog developing a cough, getting tired more frequently, weight loss without you trying to get him to lose weight, wheezing, and anything else respiratory related. Air fresheners cause bad health health problems. Even air fresheners called "organic," "green," or with "essential oils" emitted hazardous chemicals, including carcinogens. Before using air fresheners, you need to know the dangers they pose to your pet. 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