Most of us know that mould is extremely dangerous for human health, but what about our furry pals? We spoke with Tony Muscat, owner of Inch by Inch Healthy Homes, a certified mould and air quality consultant, about how to protect pets from mould.
“Our pets are part of our homes and families as well and are equally at risk, if not more so,” says Muscat. Because of their small size compared to humans, the capillaries in pets’ lungs are weakened when they breathe in mould. This can lead to premature death.
Mould can affect pets in a variety of ways since they are always sniffing around and curious about hard to get to spaces. Some symptoms of toxic mould exposure include:
- laboured breathing;
- wheezing;
- coughing;
- sneezing;
- scaly patches;
- loss of hair;
- loss of appetite;
- lethargy;
- ear infections;
- bleeding from the nose.
“Many times these symptoms are misdiagnosed as allergies, but could be much more severe,” says Muscat.
Follow these steps to protect your pets from mould:
Conduct an air quality assessment
If pets are experiencing any of these allergy-like symptoms, Muscat recommends conducting an Air Quality Assessment, to ensure that there isn’t any mold contamination in your home. This test can cost around $150 and involves using an air cassette and analyzing it at an accredited lab to determine if there is any mould or other contaminants in the air.
Air filtration systems
If your home’s air quality is poor, you may want to consider an air filtration system. These help to purify the air that you breathe, capturing air pollutants and microorganisms that may trigger allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
Keep your home’s air fresh
Some other simple ways you can avoid mould in your home is to fix all dripping taps, dry up any water spills immediately, and change your air filter every three months or in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Opening windows regularly to allow fresh air flow into your home may also help improve your home’s air quality.
Make sure your home is healthy. Inch by Inch Healthy Homes has the tools and expertise to ensure you and your pets are living in a healthy, quality environment. visit the experts online to learn more about how they can help you.
If there’s mould growing in your home, leave the removal to the professionals. Contact Absolute Mold Removal today!
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