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Is
Your Home Poisoning You and 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 ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Center at (888) 4ANIHELP (426-4435). They
will guide you through the necessary procedures
you must take to save your pets life.
Read about Sunshine
Concentrate, the natural cleaner
that we've used for our house and laundry
since 1987.
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