Fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, explosions, train wrecks, and other disasters change lives in an instant. The toxic fallout continues to affect us – and our family pets – long after the property damage caused by the disasters has been repaired.

Of course, the people who experience these disasters will seek and receive medical care. But what about their pets, especially dogs, who most likely accompanied their guardians throughout the ordeal?

For example, dogs exposed to forest fires and burning buildings inhale smoke, asbestos, and other toxins. Whenever an accident involves a manufacturing plant, tank truck, or train carrying toxic chemicals, dogs face the same risks as humans exposed to the spills or fumes. In the most dramatic example, when the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, a cloud of smoke, dust, ash, pulverized concrete, asbestos, jet fuel, fiberglass, microscopic shards of broken glass, and toxic chemicals blanketed lower Manhattan. In the days and weeks that followed, thousands of resident dogs and hundreds of search and rescue dogs walked through the debris and breathed its vapors.

Less dramatic, but still harmful, is the exposure that dogs receive in neighborhoods treated by lawn care companies or insect control programs. Canine residents and passers-by absorb pesticides through their paw pads, noses, mouths, and lungs.

What can concerned dog lovers do to help keep yesterday’s toxic exposure from becoming tomorrow’s health problem? Plenty, say the experts.

Wash the dog
Of course, if you are aware your dog has been exposed to toxic smoke, dust, or chemicals, the first thing you want to do (after taking care of yourself and the rest of your human family) is to wash him as thoroughly as possible. Consult a poison control center or veterinarian regarding exposure to unfamiliar chemicals in the aftermath of a disaster such as a train derailment or overturned truck. But whether or not you are familiar with the chemicals that your dog was exposed to, wear rubber gloves when bathing him.

Don’t forget to wash your dog’s collar, leash, and any bedding that he may have come in contact with prior to the bath. Use a simple soap or shampoo – no insecticidal shampoos – and rinse especially well; poison control centers suggest that people rinse themselves for at least 15 minutes after skin exposure to chemicals. Don’t neglect the dog’s feet, which should be scrubbed well. Search and Rescue dogs working at the World Trade Center were bathed daily, and so should any dog exposed to smoke or dust.

Consult a holistic veterinarian
While many conditions respond well to home care, be ready to consult a veterinarian if your dog shows symptoms that might result from smoke inhalation, exposure to chemicals, or other hazards, including vomiting, coughing, weight loss, a loss of appetite, behavior changes, or limping.

Flushing the system
An adequate supply of clean, fresh water is always important for your dog’s health. But it’s absolutely critical for dogs who have to flush toxins from their bodies. “Because it hydrates the body and flushes toxins from the system, water should be given to any dog recovering from a disaster,” says Stephen R. Blake, DVM, of San Diego, California. Dr. Blake recommends that carbon-filtered or spring water be available to the dog at all times; tap water may contain impurities.

In fact, everything in the dog’s diet and environment should be free from toxins and pollutants, says Dr. Blake. “This is not the time to introduce any new chemicals or prescription drugs, including systemic treatments for flea and tick prevention or routine vaccinations. The body has to work hard to get rid of the toxins it has already absorbed; it doesn’t need any new ones.”

Pro-protein
What you feed your dog following toxic exposures can also make a difference in his speedy recovery. “The body needs easily assimilated protein, with all its amino acids and peptides, in order to repair and rebuild damaged tissue,” says Beverly Cappel, DVM, of Chestnut Ridge, New York. “This means feeding the highest quality protein, preferably organically raised, pasture-fed beef, lamb, chicken, and other meats.” She also recommends adding vitamin C, antioxidants, and food-source vitamins and minerals for optimum healing.

Dr. Cappel is an advocate of raw-food diets, and most of her clients already feed their dogs home-prepared diets that include raw meat. If a dog on such a diet has been exposured to toxins, she recommends that the owner strive to make sure the food the dog eats is as chemical-free as possible. If a dog eats commercial food, the owner should try to improve the quality of the food, but Dr. Cappel would not recommend starting the dog on a raw diet at that time. “If a person is feeding kibble, it should be the best quality kibble available. But you wouldn’t want to begin a raw diet, healthful as it may be, when the dog is stressed.”

Dr. Blake also recommends increasing the protein intake of dogs exposed to hazardous conditions by adding two ounces of fresh meat, eggs, cheese, or cottage cheese to each six ounces of whatever the dog is already eating. “If the dog is on a commercial food,” he says, “this is a good time to upgrade to a brand with a higher proportion of protein, which should be from whole meats rather than byproducts.”

Predigested protein improves canine health, for it is easily assimilated and quickly heals damaged tissue. The supplement Seacure, made from fermented deep-sea fish, is 85 percent protein. Most dogs love its strong fishy odor. The recommended human dose of six capsules twice a day can be adapted to any dog’s size, but for serious repair work, the body can utilize twice or four times the maintenance dose. After injuries heal, the maintenance dose continues to improve digestion and support detoxification.

Goat milk molecules are smaller than those of cow’s milk, making them easier to digest, and many nutritionists recommend raw goat milk or cheese, or predigested goat milk protein for optimum canine health. A supplement called Goatein, made from goat milk that is free of antibiotics or growth hormones, has been predigested through a lactic acid fermentation process to make it more bioavailable while eliminating its lactose (milk sugar). The result is a blend of digestive enzymes, probiotics (beneficial bacteria), prebiotics (substances that feed beneficial bacteria), amino acids, and peptides that repair damaged tissue, improve digestion, and boost immune function. Goatein powder mixes easily with food or water.

Fresh green tripe, unlike the bleached tripe sold for human consumption, is such a concentrated source of enzymes, peptides, and other nutrients that some call it a miracle cure. Severely ill, injured, and damaged dogs have recovered rapidly on green tripe, which can be added to food or fed in place of other foods. Its high odor awakens interest in all dogs, even the apathetic and depressed.

Green foods and herbs
Wheat, barley, oat, and other cereal grasses are known for their ability to bind with and remove toxins from the body. The same is true of green foods such as spirulina, chlorella, edible algae, and sea vegetables such as kelp.

Green foods are rich in chlorophyll, which has been used for centuries to clean and disinfect wounds, remove infection, and enhance healing. Taken internally, green foods provide vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that have a tonic effect on all of the body’s systems. Most health food stores sell a variety of green powders, frozen wheat grass juice, and in some cases, freshly squeezed wheat or barley grass juice.

Because green foods are highly concentrated, they should be taken in small quantities while the body adjusts. Large doses of green juices or powders cause nausea and vomiting. Adding small amounts of minced or pureed grasses, other green foods, and seaweeds to every meal is a sensible strategy for removing residues of chemicals a dog has ingested, inhaled, or absorbed.

Mucilaginous herbs have a soothing effect on inflamed mucous membranes and help repair damaged tissue. Dr. Cappel recommends feeding the dog mullein leaf following smoke inhalation or other lung damage. Other mucilaginous herbs, such as Iceland Moss, Irish moss, marshmallow, and slippery elm bark, help improve digestion. Teas, tinctures, and powdered herbs can be added to food or water.

Colostrum
Every mammal produces colostrum immediately after birth, and this “first milk” protects newborns from infection while their immune systems develop. Researchers document a wide spectrum of immunoglobulins, antibodies, and accessory immune factors in colostrum that stimulate the body’s defense against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Colostrum strengthens the immune system, helps prevent allergies and autoimmune disorders, stimulates tissue repair, helps build lean muscle tissue, and regenerates nerve, skin, bone, and cartilage.

Dr. Blake recommends an organic bovine colostrum from New Zealand. “It’s excellent for keeping the intestinal tract as healthy as possible, so dogs can utilize all the nutrients in their food,” he says. “Because the immune system depends on the intestines, optimum intestinal health translates into optimum immunity. The growth factors in colostrum repair damaged tissue throughout the body, including the lungs, so colostrum helps dogs recover from smoke inhalation and other damage. Also, colostrum supports detoxification; it helps the body remove any toxins the dog ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.”

To improve the endurance of sled dogs and other working dogs, Dr. Blake recommends giving a half-teaspoon of powdered colostrum per 25 pounds of body weight per day. “That’s twice the maintenance dose,” he says, “and this same amount will help dogs recover from serious injury or exposure to toxic chemicals. If possible, mix the powder with water and give it on an empty stomach at least half an hour before the morning meal.” When the dog shows improvement, he reduces the dose to a quarter-teaspoon per 25 pounds of body weight per day.

“You can also use colostrum topically on wounds,” Dr. Blake says. “Mix a teaspoon of colostrum with enough water to make a thin paste and apply it to the wound. Dogs like the taste of colostrum, so try to distract the dog for five minutes to give it a chance to be absorbed into the skin. In my experience, wounds treated with colostrum heal at least 50 percent faster.”

Enzymes
Digestive enzymes given with food improve its assimilation, and enzymes given between meals work throughout the body to relieve inflammation and repair tissue. (For a detailed introduction to systemic oral enzyme therapy, see “Banking on Enzymes” WDJ January 2001.)

Systemic oral enzyme therapy has four main effects on the body: It is anti-inflammatory, fights fibrosis, cleanses the blood, and modulates the immune system. Most disease states involve two or more of these conditions, which explains how enzymes treat, repair, cure, and prevent most chronic and acute diseases.

Wobenzym tablets have a clear, sugar-free coating; Fido-Wobenzym is the red, sugar-coated product with a canine label that recommends 1 to 3 tablets per day as a maintenance dose for dogs. Anyone treating a dog for trauma, smoke inhalation, asbestos exposure, or other injuries will want to use substantially larger doses for a week or more. Regular Wobenzym, which is sugar-free, is sold in larger jars than Fido-Wobenzym, making it more economical.

Aromatherapy
Most Americans associate aromatherapy with scented candles, but in Europe, aromatherapy is a highly regarded branch of medicine that utilizes essential oils. Essential oils are the highly concentrated “life blood” of plants, collected through steam distillation or carbon dioxide extraction. Therapeutic essential oils are produced in small batches at gentle temperatures from organically grown or wildcrafted plants.

“Therapeutic-quality essential oils maintain the biological activity of the plants,” explains Dr. Blake, “and certain plants have unique healing properties. In my experience, frankincense essential oil is most helpful for repairing the immune system and supporting detoxification. It has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antitumor effects. Applying frankincense essential oil to a dog’s paw pads causes the oil to be absorbed through the skin while the dog inhales its vapors, which most dogs enjoy. Also, the paw pads contain many acupuncture points, which are activated when you apply essential oils.”

Blake recommends placing one drop of full-strength frankincense essential oil on each pad, a total of five drops on each front foot and four on each back foot, once per day, massaging gently.

“Be sure to use a therapeutic-quality essential oil,” he cautions. “This treatment can be dangerous if done with inexpensive synthetic or inferior oils. Continue daily treatment until the dog shows improvement. Once the dog has recovered, when his eyes are bright and clear and his energy level is strong, use it every other day, then whenever his energy seems to decline or when the dog is working or under stress.”

For search and rescue dogs, tracking dogs, and field dogs that depend on their sense of smell, Dr. Blake suggests waiting until the day’s work is over and then treating the paws with frankincense.

Flower essence remedies
The final phase of Dr. Blake’s treatment plan for dogs affected by disaster utilizes Bach flower remedies. “Flower remedies affect dogs on an emotional level,” he says. “They really help during this time of transition, when the traumatic event is over but its memory is still strong.”

To use flower essences, mix two drops of each essence in a one-ounce dropper bottle, preferably one with a glass rather than plastic dropper. Fill it three-quarters full with spring water and a quarter with brandy or vodka, which acts as a preservative so that the mixture keeps for a week or two. Alternatively, omit the alcohol and prepare the formula every day or two.

Dr. Blake’s formula for dogs recovering from disaster combines two drops each of walnut, crabapple, star of Bethlehem, wild oat, and wild rose flower essences.

During and immediately after a disaster, apply this formula frequently, such as every hour. When the dog is home again and life returns to normal, give it twice or three times per day until the dog recovers emotionally. Then use only as needed.

Flower essences can be given by mouth, two to three drops at a time, added to drinking water, applied to the paw pads or bare skin (inner ear flaps, abdomen, or underarm), or sprayed in the air around the dog.

“Most dogs will bounce back within a week or two on this formula,” says Dr. Blake, “but some take longer. If you don’t see improvement after a month of daily use, consult with a flower essence expert for a formula for your dog’s specific needs.”

We hope that you and your dog never come into contact with dangerous toxins. But whether you (or someone you know) has a dog that suffers an unexpected exposure, or if you and your dog are among the heroes who deliberately put themselves in harm’s way in order to attempt to save others in a disaster zone, keep this information on hand. It just may prevent serious illness days or weeks after the trauma.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Could Your Dog Be Breathing In Toxins in Your Home?”
Click here to view “Drinking the Purest Water Possible is Important to Your Dog’s Health”
Click here to view “How to Detoxify Your Canine Naturally”

-by CJ Puotinen

CJ Puotinen is the author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats, and several books about human health including Natural Relief from Aches and Pains, published last summer. She and her husband live in New York with Samantha, a nine-year-old black Labrador Retriever, and two cats.

Many of us breathe a deep sigh of relief when we leave the high-stress work, school, or social world behind and walk into our familiar, comfortable homes to be happily greeted by our canine companions. But few people realize how potentially dangerous those breaths can be – those and every other breath you and your companion animals take in your home.

While we often consider our homes as sanctuaries – places of peace and safety – we may actually be living in danger zones filled with toxic airborne chemicals. Many of the building materials and housekeeping substances we use in our homes are air pollutants, capable of causing acute and long-term damage to our health, as well as the health of our dogs. We are only rarely aware of indoor air pollutants in the air we breathe – and many people are completely unaware of the potential damage that diminished air quality has on the health of every animal (including us) breathing that air. In fact, our companion animals are even more vulnerable than we are to the damaging effects of indoor air pollution.

It’s in the air

When chemicals evaporate into the air (the scientific term for this is “volatilize”) at room temperature, they become part of the air we breathe. When volatile organic compounds (VOCs) become airborne, they can influence the health of any animals (including humans) in the home. Elevated temperatures (during warm seasonal periods, or when indoor heating units are engaged) and humidity can release even greater quantities and numbers of the chemicals into the air, thereby increasing the number of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) in our “breathing space.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “indoor air pollution poses high risks to human health, especially sensitive populations, and has ranked among the top four environmental risks in relative risk reports.” Studies show that indoor air in homes is, on average, two to 20 times more polluted than the outdoor environment. Most people are shocked to learn that it’s not unheard-of for indoor chemical concentrations to rise to as much as 100 times the outdoor air concentration! But even at much lower levels we find TVOCs to cause the onset of chronic disease in both humans and animals.

Today, we are seeing new causes and mutations of disease as a result of the rapidly expanding development of the synthetic chemical industry. A study by the EPA found a staggering 900 chemicals commonly present in the home environment – from dry-cleaned fabrics, shampooed carpets, household cleaning products, foam in upholstery, carpet glues and pads, to perfumes and colognes. Between 150-200 chemicals are considered to have the potential to cause cancer and genetic mutations.

Effects of exposure
This “soup” of synthetic chemicals can affect multiple body systems and is cited as causing health-damaging effects to the musculoskeletal system, upper respiratory tract, nose and sinuses, immune system, digestive system, heart and blood vessels, endocrine system, reproductive system, central nervous system, internal organs, and skin. These diseases are directly linked to the presence of these chemicals in the indoor air environment.

Our reference data comes from animal laboratory studies and human exposure incidences in homes, office environments, and industrial settings. Some of the exposures are from acute, high level exposures of toxic substances (particularly in industrial settings and animal laboratories), while others are from chronic, low levels. Exposure to low levels of chemicals can cause allergic sensitization of the airways in animals, indicating the weakening of systems, and further reducing the animal’s ability to cope with the increasingly polluted indoor environment. It is these chronic, low levels of chemicals that we are addressing in the indoor home environment.

The common organic compounds found in our homes have many known health-damaging effects, even in low levels. While many have the potential to cause emotional disturbances (a depressed central nervous system resulting in low energy, depression, and decreased appetite) in our animals, it is the mutagenic (mutation-causing), teratogenic (fetal damage-causing), and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) properties that are the most impairing and life-threatening.

The most prevalent health effects from exposure to chemicals are skin diseases (dermatitis), respiratory impairment (irritation, sensitization), neurotoxic effects (adverse effects on the central nervous system), and cancers from long-term exposure, along with a number of diseases affecting specific organs such as the liver and kidney. The degree of health impairment is very much dependent on the level of exposure, its duration, and the individual exposed.

Of course, all individuals – human or animal – display varying levels of sensitivity to airborne pollutants. By the early 1990s, 15 percent of the human population had already developed heightened sensitivities to chemicals, according to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). It is unknown what percentage of our canines experience chemical sensitivities, but we do know, that like humans, dogs with strong, healthy, immune systems will be less susceptible to the toxic overload than dogs with chronic disease (such as hot spots, ear infections, allergies, asthma, diabetes, thyroid, intestinal, urinary problems).

Some dogs (with strong immune systems) may live in homes with chart-topping levels of air pollutants, and not visibly display signs of poor health. On the other end of the scale, other dogs may immediately suffer acute distress – such as asthma, anxiety, depression, itchy, runny eyes, or severe skin irritation – from the introduction of any new or existing toxic chemicals in the home. But because most people have a generally low level of awareness of indoor air quality and its potential affect on their dogs, even if a dog does show signs of sensitivity, few people can make the connection between the signs and their true causes. And long-term exposure to even very low levels of toxins can cause insidious and deadly effects.

Pesticides pose special risks
Of the approximate 200 such chemicals currently known to cause cancer in humans (with many more known to cause these disease states in animals), pesticides are among the most serious. Pesticides are designed to kill, and do not discriminate. Pesticides are commonly found in pet products for dogs such as flea collars, flea powders, shampoos and dips, carpet treatments, house foggers, and even some pet foods. Chemicals found in these products include organophosphates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, synthetic pyrethroids, petroleum distillates, synergists, petroleum hydrocarbons and aromatics, including xylene and xylene range aromatic compounds.

Chlopyrifos (Dursban), an organophosphate insecticide, is one of the most prevalent compounds in pet products. Due to the health-damaging effects of Dursban, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented a phase-out in pet products for 2001, and has added Diazinon to follow suit. Chlopyrifos causes peripheral neuropathy (nervous system disorders), involving the nerves of the limbs. The symptoms are unusual sensations (numbness, burning, tingling ) muscle weakness, or difficulty with coordinated movement. Chlopyrifos also causes genetic damage. In a study of over-the-counter pet pesticide products, nearly 50 percent are known or suspected to cause tumors or cancer, upward of 40 percent are known or suspected to cause reproductive damage, and more than 25 percent are known or suspected to cause genetic damage.

Samples of indoor dust have indicated pesticides in significant amounts in household dust tracked into the house and present in carpeted floors. Dr. Marion Moses cites a recent study showing that “dogs were more likely to have lymphoma if their guardians used chemical lawn treatments.”

Dogs more vulnerable
As we mentioned earlier, our companion animals are even more vulnerable than we are to the damaging effects of indoor air pollution. There are several reasons for this.

First, it is not unusual for dogs who live inside to spend almost 100 percent of their lives indoors. Even dogs who are walked for, say, a total of an hour every day, are still indoors for 23 hours a day!

Second, many common solvents have a higher molecular weight than air; thus they settle toward the floor. Any animal that spends most of its time near or on the floor is more susceptible to these chemical exposures.

Due to their body mass and their rate of respiration, dogs, like infants, are also more susceptible than we are to toxic chemicals in the air. For their body size, the amount of air they breathe is substantially more than a child or an adult, thereby exposing them to greater quantities of toxicants than we might breathe in the same air space. Also, the short life span of dogs leads to shorter latent periods during which biological effects from pollution can be detected.

If they are paying attention, humans are able to recognize and investigate the early symptoms of ill health when they themselves experience them – things like headaches, feelings of depression or anxiety, and nausea. Obviously, our dogs are not able to let us know they are experiencing such subtle, early signs of declining health. Not recognizing the disease-causing potential of pollutants in the indoor air can result in our animals’ symptoms, over time, developing into worsening disease states such as reproductive abnormalities, genetic mutations, cancer, and other chronic disease. While the onset of acute disease among animals has fallen over the past 40 to 50 years, Don Hamilton, DVM, says the rise in chronic disease is increasing annually.

Learn about chemicals
With few exceptions, nearly every commercial and consumer product we use in our homes and yards today has a health-damaging component to it. However, with an increased awareness of these risks, you can work toward effectively lessening the toxic burden in our indoor and outdoor environment for your family, human and canine. There are some basic methods that anyone can use to help identify how, why, and when to avoid the use of products that have the ability to contaminate their indoor air. The best method is education – educating yourself about the products you use by researching each of the listed ingredients on the packaging.

The product label is the place to begin your investigation; most products give a list of active ingredients. Unfortunately for the consumer, it is often the “inert” ingredients that are most health-damaging, and these are not disclosed to the consumer and are considered proprietary information by the manufacturer. This is especially troubling when you consider that some products contain upward of 99 percent inert ingredients! Of course, few of us are familiar with the health effects of the chemicals that are listed on the label. However, concerned consumers can gain access to this information.

Product manufacturers are required by law to complete a “Material Safety Data Sheet” (MSDS) on every chemical product they produce and make it available to consumers upon request. The MSDS includes a list of the active ingredients: the hazardous chemicals in the formulation, the degree of health effects, safety procedures when handling the product, and even cleanup instructions in case of a spill. (Again, unfortunately, even the MSDS does not contain information about the product’s inert ingredients; the only way to get this information is through your doctor or veterinarian.)

Do make it a point to look up every chemical listed on the label of products you consider using; chemical reference books such as the Merck Index list the health-damaging properties of every compound. This research will help you determine the safety of the product before using it in your home.

Don’t judge a product on the basis of the warnings on the label or even the MSDS alone. While these serious and valid warnings are based on toxicology tests, currently only two to three percent of the 100,000 chemicals in production today have been tested for toxicity. Chemicals not tested and classified as hazardous by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can be used in products and not required by law to be listed on the manufacturers’ MSDSs.

Trust your nose
You can also learn to identify many potentially dangerous aromatic air pollutants by their odor and by your (or your animals’) physical health response to them. Our sense of smell is reptilian – hardwired to our brain This is our most primitive sense, upon which we can instinctively rely when we are exposed to a toxic chemical. It is important to register the odor upon initially entering your home. Within 20 seconds, our olfactory senses desensitize to any odors present. Remember how wonderful the aroma of sautéed garlic and onions smells upon coming into the kitchen from outdoors, and how quickly we become accustomed to the initial pleasure.

Unfortunately, a toxic chemical will register an entirely different physical response. The onset of a dull headache, rapid heart beat, difficulty breathing, tearing eyes, and/or sharp pain in the skull are possible responses to a chemical exposure. If you pay attention initially, you will be closer to identifying the source and removing your dog and yourself from the potential harm. While identification of the air pollutants is important, understanding what to avoid in the first place is even more important.

Change purchasing patterns
Prevention – that is, simply not bringing potentially dangerous products into your home – is the most effective strategy for preserving the safety of the air you and your dogs breathe. If building or remodeling your home, avoid using products that are known to be harmful. Sheet vinyl flooring, for example, contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and plasticizers, which are linked to cancer. Choose ceramic tiles instead.

When maintaining an existing home, try to use natural products. Consider how this simple act can prevent unneeded chemical exposures. Using a vinegar and water solution, for example, can prevent exposures to the ammonia, naphthalene, chlorine, and ethylene glycol commonly found in most brand-name glass or floor cleaners. A naturally maintained lawn sporting bio-diversity (read, containing a few weeds) keeps our dogs safe from health-damaging herbicides (for example, 2,4-D, atrazine, glyphosate, trichlopyr – weed killers that can damage kidneys and other organs). Hand washing delicate clothing versus using a dry cleaning service keeps perchloroethylene (Perc) from entering our homes (Perc has been linked to cancer in humans). Many air fresheners contain paradichlorobenzene, a carcinogen; a simple lemon or vinegar solution for cleaning will lend our homes a pleasing aroma that is far healthier.

Thinking “old-world” rather than “modern-technology” when selecting products will keep you attuned to the plethora of chemicals that infiltrate and cause health-damaging effects.

In general, look for alternatives to any petroleum-based products you want to buy. All petroleum-based products “off-gas,” that is, release health-damaging chemicals into the air. Instead of petroleum-based products, choose inert, self-maintaining, natural materials. There are low- and non-toxic alternative materials for every home and yard activity. When painting, look for a water-based paint with fewer than 50 VOCs (check out the manufacturer’s specification sheet for this information). Use wool area rugs over a hard flooring surface instead of a tufted carpet (backing adhesive has styrene butadiene which is linked to sick building syndrome). And in your yard, remove rotting timbers from the foundation of the house to avoid the introduction of termites and the use of toxic chemical spraying.

Unbeknown to us, our own personal hygiene can introduce harmful chemicals into our homes. Synthesized perfumes contain neurotoxic chemicals. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found 884 neurotoxic chemical compounds used in the cosmetic and perfume industries. When the EPA tested random samples of perfumes and automobile products off the shelves, without exception, each one contained a common solvent: toluene. Along with formaldehyde, this chemical is one of the most prevalent health-damaging solvents to which our animals and we are exposed. It is classified as a carcinogen and neurotoxic chemical. Our use of incense, wood-burning stoves, and cigarette smoking can exacerbate upper respiratory problems in our dogs. Many dishwashing and laundry detergents as well as fabric softeners release scents that contain harmful chemicals. Shop carefully and wisely and avoid these exposures. There are many alternatives available today that can give us some relief from the harmful effects.

Finally, consider the impact of everything you use and do in your indoor and outdoor environment – it all adds up!

For example, the use of formaldehyde is ubiquitous in today’s homes; it is used to preserve paints and stains, is a carrier in fabric dyes, a component in composite woods such as plywood and particle board – and is a known human carcinogen. The prevalence of its use in common household products is reason alone to discontinue buying products that contain it.

As you can see, awareness and conscious action are major keys to preserving our health, as well as the health of our beloved canine companions.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “How to Detoxify Your Canine Naturally”
Click here to view “If Your Dog is Ever Exposed to Chemicals – React Quickly”
Click here to view “Toxins That Can Arise in Dog Food”

-By Kathleen Dudley

Kathleen Dudley lives in New Mexico, where she is a professional indoor air quality consultant, writer, and photographer. She teaches and lectures in college and conference circles on material toxicity and indoor air quality, and has had an interior design practice for 22 years. Ms. Dudley’s photography appears in Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs by Don Hamilton, DVM.