How to avoid harming pets during spring cleaning
Kyiv • UNN
Household chemicals containing chlorine and phenols cause burns and poisoning in animals. A veterinarian advises rinsing products thoroughly with water and airing out the premises.
Ordinary general cleaning can pose a serious danger to pets. Aggressive cleaning agents, pungent odors, and chemical residues on the floor often cause burns, poisoning, respiratory problems, and sometimes even death in cats and dogs. Veterinary doctor Yelyzaveta Babiy told a UNN journalist more about which products are the most dangerous and how to properly organize cleaning so as not to harm your pet.
Yelyzaveta Babiy identifies products containing chlorine, alkalis, and phenols as the most dangerous for animals. A particular problem is that cats do not always immediately sense the harm due to pungent odors and may remain in contact with dangerous substances for a long time. Because of this, toxic fumes begin to irritate the mucous membranes and respiratory tract.
"The most common are anything containing chlorine. All these aggressive agents have such a strong smell that cats cannot always immediately understand that it is dangerous. They can stand and inhale these vapors until a mucosal burn begins. Later, these substances can settle in the lungs, be absorbed into the blood, and cause inflammation,"
According to the doctor, the danger is hidden not only in the fumes. Animals often get poisoned through their paws after contact with chemical residues on the floor or furniture, and this especially applies to cats, who constantly lick themselves after walking on surfaces. Read also: How to help pets with stress - veterinarian's advice
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"The minimal amount of substance remaining on the floor causes skin irritation. A cat or dog begins to actively lick its paws, and thus the chemicals enter the body. This is the main mechanism of poisoning. Sometimes animals even specifically seek out these smells, gnaw on packaging, or try to get to the products,"
The veterinarian emphasizes that symptoms of poisoning can manifest in different ways. It all depends on exactly how the animal came into contact with the dangerous substance. Most often, problems arise with the paws, respiratory system, or gastrointestinal tract.
"If it is contact irritation, the animal begins to constantly lick its paws, may limp, or even cry out while walking. If we are talking about fumes, then tears, sneezing, coughing, or wheezing appear. And when there is already vomiting or diarrhea, it is very serious and you need to consult a doctor immediately,"
What to do if a pet is poisoned by household chemicals
Separately, Yelyzaveta Babiy warns that a visit to the veterinarian cannot be delayed, because due to intoxication and severe dehydration, the animal's condition can deteriorate rapidly, and the consequences can be fatal.
"The problem is not only in burns or pain. The body begins to actively lose fluid to eliminate toxins. Because of this, dehydration develops very quickly. If time is lost, the consequences can be critical,"
According to the doctor, symptoms indicating damage to the respiratory system or severe intoxication of the body are particularly dangerous - in such cases, action must be taken urgently and quickly.
"If a cat sits down and sneezes continuously for 15 minutes, it already indicates severe inflammation of the nasal mucosa. The animal may not only sneeze but also start coughing or wheezing – this means the respiratory system is already affected. If nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea appear, the situation is very serious. In such cases, you cannot delay, and the animal must be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible, as even a small loss of time can cost a life,"
To minimize risks, the doctor advises avoiding aggressive chemicals if possible or choosing products with special pet-friendly labeling. After cleaning, all surfaces should be rinsed several times with clean water and the room should be well-ventilated. It is also advisable to restrict the animal's access to the room for at least a few hours after using chemical agents.
"Even if you used safer products, after cleaning you need to wash the surfaces two or three times with clean water. It is also very important to ventilate the room for at least 10-15 minutes. And after that, do not let the animal into the room for at least another two hours. This makes contact with dangerous substances almost impossible,"