Products You Should and Shouldn't Use Around Your Pets

There are many products on the market that contribute to a clean home, and a physically and mentally healthier family within the home. While natural household cleaners and essential oil products can be helpful for humans, they may pose a risk to our more furry family members. If you own a pet, it’s important to ensure their health and safety. An important thing you can do is ensure you are using household products that won’t harm your pets.

Cleaning Products

Common natural house cleaning products include vinegar, coffee grounds, and coconut. Vinegar in particular is effective at killing germs, and can be used on any surface. It’s also not toxic to pets, in particular, you can even give your dog a drop of vinegar in their water bowl for flea prevention.

Coffee grounds are good for cleaning out your fridge and even makes for an effective ant repellant. Coconut oil is also a good household cleaner, and can also be used as a wood polish. Both coconut oil and coffee grounds will not pose a risk to your furry friends.

Another thing to keep in mind is to ensure that the chemical house cleaners you buy are safe to use around your vulnerable pets. Read the label. Make sure it has words like “green”, “non-toxic,” and “biodegradable” to ensure your pets won’t be harmed by exposure to these products.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are helpful to humans for a variety of reasons, but they might not be the best thing for your pets. Dogs and cats have sensitive noses, and the smell from these oils alone might be too much for them. There are a few oils that may be beneficial to them in very small doses, but be sure to do your research into finding out what the safe oils are.

Some examples of essential oils that can be beneficial to both dogs and cats are lavender and frankincense. Lavender can soothe anxiety, as well as burns and itching on your pet’s skin. Frankincense can be used to boost immunity, and can also act as an antidepressant. Some oils that can be used for dogs are chamomile (which can be used as an anti-inflammatory and an anxiety-reliever) and cedar wood (which can act as a pest repellant and promote hair health). Some oils that can be used for cats are cardamom (which can help with digestion, and relieve heartburn) and helichrysum (which can rejuvenate skin and promote heart health).

If you are going to give any of these oils to your pet, make sure you use a tiny amount, and if your pet has a reaction, act fast and get them help as soon as possible. Not every oil is a guarantee, not every product will be 100 percent, as can be seen from doTerra vs. Revive. There are essential oils that you must keep away from your pets at all costs. There is a long list that includes cinnamon, clove, garlic, juniper, and wintergreen, among many others. It is vital that you do your research and make sure you are not exposing your pets to anything that might poison them.

Be Careful

Despite your best efforts, accidents can happen. If any kind of cleaning product or essential oil gets on your pet’s skin, or worse, if your pet ingests those products, you need to act quickly to get them help.

Symptoms to watch out for in pets are as follows: difficulty breathing, vomiting, muscle tremors, unstable walking, depression, and others. If your dog or cat doesn’t seem to be themselves, and you think they may have been exposed in some way to some cleaning product or essential oil, call the Pet Poison Hotline or your vet, or bring them to an emergency animal medical center IMMEDIATELY. Act as fast as possible, it will increase your pet’s chances at survival. Keep all these important details in mind: do your research, be careful, and be smart. These will be essential in keeping your family, your pets, and your home happy and healthy.