I really wasn't surprised by the reports. Especially the one on toxins and pollutants. Our pets' systems are smaller than humans, they process things differently than we do, and they are closer to the ground (generally speaking) so they pick up all sorts of chemicals that are either ingested or absorbed into their systems.
The pollutant study was done by the Environmental Working Group .
They noted that just as children ingest pollutants in tap water, play on lawns with pesticide residues, or breathe in an array of indoor air contaminants, so do our pets. But with their compressed lifespans, developing and aging seven or more times faster than children, pets also develop health problems from exposures much more rapidly. And for anyone who has lost a pet to cancer or another disease potentially linked to chemical exposures, this sentinel role played by pets becomes a devastating personal loss.
This is some of their findings:
Dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people, according to our study of plastics and food packaging chemicals, heavy metals, fire retardants, and stain-proofing chemicals in pooled samples of blood and urine from 20 dogs and 37 cats collected at a Virginia veterinary clinic.
Average levels of many chemicals were substantially higher in pets than is typical for people, with 2.4 times higher levels of stain- and grease-proof coatings (perfluorochemicals) in dogs, 23 times more fire retardants (PBDEs) in cats, and more than 5 times the amounts of mercury, compared to average levels in people found in national studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and EWG (Figure).
Dogs: High levels of plasticizers,
grease-proof chemicals,and
fire retardants
35 chemicals detected - 40% at higher levels
in dogs than people
Cats: notably high levels of fire
retardants, high levels of plasticizers,
and grease-proofing chemicals
46 chemicals detected - 96% at higher levels
in cats than people
In America there are 8 times more companion dogs and cats than there are children under five. Seventy percent more households have dogs or cats than children of any age. These pets are often beloved family members, and yet they can be subjected to chronic, constant exposures to chemical contaminants in homes, yards, and parks that pet owners cannot always prevent.
As cats meticulously groom themselves, they lick off accumulated dust that studies show can be contaminated with the neurotoxic fire retardants PBDEs and reproductive toxins called phthalates that were found in the cats we tested (Bornehag 2004, Stapleton 2005, Wormuth 2006). A dog eating scraps from the floor may also swallow dirt and dust tracked in from the outdoors and contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides (Colt 2004, vom Lindern 2003). A flea collar can spew droplets of insecticide that can be lethal to cats (Linnett 2008). Dogs and cats often eat food processing and packaging chemicals that contaminate their food, day after day and year after year, resulting in cumulative exposures with unknown health risks (FDA CVM 2008b). Chew toys might contain plastic softeners, foam beds might be infused or coated with fire retardants and stain-proofing chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects, and plastic water bowls might leach hormone disruptors.
The article talks about not much can be done to prevent this. I disagree to some extent with some of this. There is a lot you can do to prevent an overload of chemicals for your pets and yourself. There are non-toxic cleaning products out there like Method products that are safer to use for your pets and kids. You can also clean with simple food items like vinegar.
Don't use pesticides on your lawn, actually the best non-toxic pesticide is soapy water! It's true! You can reroute your washing machine drain water, using non-toxic, non-phosphate, detergents and water your lawn and flowers with it. It will kill the bugs, and provide water for plants and a lovely lawn. Not using Teflon cookware is another way to stop polluting your home. Avoid using plastics as much as possible. I know that one is hard. But you can use glass or pottery to feed and water your pet from. Use natural fibers around the house, and for pet toys. These are just a few things you can do to help minimize the toxins in your house. There is even paints for the walls that is friendly and non-toxic. And for the smokers, here is another reason to quit, the secondhand smoke is worse for your pets than your kids.
So..... again, back to reading labels. Reading all labels is a good habit to develop. And if it sounds like something you wouldn't put in your mouth, you can bet it doesn't belong in your kids' or pets' mouths either. It takes very little time actually to research effective non-toxic products for you and your home. Think about it, your skin is the biggest organ of your body, and it absorbs all sorts of things. So, those yucky toxic smells and cleansers you use gloves to use are also being absorbed through your skin and by breathing it in. And in the case of floor cleansers or where your cleansers are stored they are more concentrated down at your kids and pets levels than where you are.
Oh and leave off the flea collars and flea repellents. Those are so very toxic! If you have an indoor cat, vacuuming regularly with some lavender or cedar in the canister will collect and kill fleas in the bag/canister naturally and smell nice. Be sure to dump the canister and bag after each vacuuming. A bath regularly for the dog making sure to get the soap down to the skin level and good grooming will kill and wash the fleas down the drain. Be sure to let the soap stay on for a few minutes with good contact to the skin. These are simple low cost remedies that are non-toxic.
I could probably go on and on right about now, but think I'll stop here.
Figures, I no sooner post this entry, then this article appears on the Washington Post about the loopholes and dangerous chemicals.
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