Household Products That Are Poisonous For Pets

The last thing that you want to find yourself confronting is the grim situation that is realizing your pet has been exposed to a household product that compromises their well-being. Doing your proper homework on the potential risks associated with various household products that you keep around your home is essential. You deserve the peace of mind, and your pet deserves the responsible parenting. If you ever find yourself in a tight bind with your pet you can always look into the comprehensive coverage offered by ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. You can get up to 90% reimbursement of covered costs, and you'll have the freedom to visit any vet (specialists included). 

Which chemical culprits should you avoid?

•Rodenticides might be doing an effective job at warding off those unwanted, belligerently hungry, and inconsiderate rodents, but they also contain attractants that can tempt your pet as well. Specifically, rodenticides possess coagulants and phosphorus side effects that can be devastating to your pet if accidentally consumed. 

•Bleach is an effective product to use when you go to clean out your pet's cage. However, after you've completed the cleaning process it's essential that you thoroughly wipe down the cage. Additionally, if it seems like the smell of the bleach is particularly stifling, then go ahead and open the windows and use fans to air out your home. You should also be mindful of where you keep the bleach in your home. Just as you'd keep the bleach out of reach for when it comes to any kids you might have, apply the same principle for any curious dogs or cats. 

•Febreze garnered a whole lot of criticism as a result of rumors that ran rampant about the household product causing illnesses or death in people's pets. However, the veterinary toxicology reports from the APCC indicate that Febreze is in fact not dangerous to use in households with pets. Of course, it's always smart to read the fine print before you actually dispense the product in your home. 

•Grout sealers span a wide range of toxicity levels, from harmless to alkaline corrosive. When it comes to alkaline products like cationic detergents, they can result in drooling, vomiting, esophageal and oral ulcers in pets. So, it's crucial that you take a close look at the ingredients in the grout sealer that you have on hand. You can also note that dried or cured sealer will usually cause a mildly upset stomach. 

•Toilet Cleaning tablets might be pulling a big weight when it comes to your ongoing efforts to keep your bathroom clean, but they can also pose a slight risk to any curious and thirsty pets that you have. If your cat or dog were to end up drinking any of the diluted water in the toilet bowl they might end up with gastrointestinal issues. So, if you deem it necessary to keep the toilet cleaning tablets in the rotation, just make sure to also keep the toilet seat down when the toilet's not in use. 

•Rawhide dog chews seem like they should be nothing but a welcomed treat to have in your home for your endlessly energetic dog. However, it turns out that rawhide dog chews can end up playing host to dangerous bacteria like Salmonella. Not only is Salmonella dangerous for your dog, but it can also put you in a compromising situation. So, seek out other fun and sanitary toys that your dog can become fast friends with. 

Which harmful ingredients should you avoid in household products?

Before you make your next trip to the store to stock up on the necessary household products that you'll need to keep your home clean, it's crucial that you study up on this quick list. By steering clear of these ingredients that can be contained within various household products, you'll be able to ensure that you're not exposing your pet to any harmful chemicals. 

•Chlorine bleach

•Pthalates (aka "fragrance")

•Ammonia

•Glycol Ethers

•Formaldehyde

•Benzalkonium Chloride

How do pets come into contact with dangerous household products? 

•Ingestion: You're probably no stranger to watching your dog or cat dive headlong into taking a nibble or lick at something around your home that screams, "nope, bad idea." When your pet ends up licking, chewing, or swallowing an iffy product, that's when the toxicity can result. So, yet another reason to inspect your home for any household products that need to be rearranged so that they're out of reach from the wandering, recklessly fearless limbs of your pets. 

•Inhalation: Just like how humans operate, pets run an ongoing risk at sustaining damage to their respiratory system through unknowingly inhaling noxious chemicals, essential oils, perfumes, paint, and gas fumes. As a responsible pet parent, it's on you to always keep a watchful nose on what kinds of odors are floating around your home. 

•Secondary Ingestion: If you have an outdoor cat it's not beyond reason to suggest that you've had them bring you home a rather nasty and deceased rodent trophy at one point or another. While it comes from a good enough place on their end, it certainly never eases the brunt of the surprise "gift." Just like your outdoor cat is inclined to bring rodents home, they also could be inclined to sink their teeth into a rodent that was recently killed by a harmful chemical like rodenticide. If your outdoor cat consumes any of the rodenticide-infused rat, they run a high risk at being poisoned themselves.

Final Thoughts

Life is an ongoing process of mindfully working toward maintaining the balance in all facets of your day-to-day experience. Just as you benefit from having a clean home, your pets can also doubly benefit from you taking the extra time and loving energy to make sure that none of the household products that you keep on hand, end up putting them your pets in a compromising health situation. Sometimes all of the preparation isn't enough though. Should your pet get themselves into a dangerous situation, you can always look into the coverage offered by the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance can offer you affordable coverage options, and you can even elect for preventative care for your pets, which comes at a low additional cost per month. With preventative care you'll be able to provide your pets beneficial wellness options like urinalysis, flea/heartworm prevention, and more. This is just the kind of investment that can only stand to benefit your pet in the long run. Outside of that, enjoy the time with your pet, and rest assured that you've already taken an encouraging step in the right direction just by reading through this article.