HOW SAFE ARE YOU PETS?

You've learned how TOXIC household cleaners are to HUMANS.... but what about our PETS?  

Typical Household products contain chemicals that pose a risk to those who come into contact with them .... including humans and pets. Cleaners and polishes, bleaches, disinfectants and sterilizers, detergents, dust removers and deodorizers are products that, when routinely used, significantly increase the risk of disease.

Exposures to toxic components may arise out of the routine household activities like cleaning and laundering. Apart from the evidence that most households contain over 63 hazardous products that together contain hundreds of chemicals, recent studies have demonstrated a direct association with disease.
Did you ever hear of TIDE Laundry Detergent?    You'd not THINK laundry soap could be harmful to your pet just by their getting it on their skin.  This Basset Hound's picture shows us difference though.  Seven-year old Scarlet is recovering after getting into a particular laundry detergent that many folks have at home.  



"A tremendous skin reaction over her entire bottom half of her body, you see her quiver when I touch her," said Dr. Chuck Hawkins who is a Veterinarian.

Connected to an IV, Scarlet is sedated and she hasn't eaten for two days.

"You can see where the spread marks are where the detergent had spilled. It spilled inside the cage," said Hawkins.The bottle of liquid Tide was on the floor near the cage, somehow Scarlet got to it and got the lid off.

After perhaps hours of lying in the Tide Marci Cook found her dog bleeding and in pain.  Veterinarians aren't sure if it's a chemical burn or skin reaction.

The label's only warning is to 'keep out of reach of children and to flush with water if it gets in your eyes.'  Cook said she didn't think laundry detergent was that harmful so she didn't have it stored up high with other chemicals.




Linda/CMAS, BS, RN

210-497-7627 EMC Home Office