Household Toxins More Dangerous to Pets Than People

Just as exposure to common household and yard chemicals affect us and our children, our pets are affected by these toxins, too. And the exposure to these toxins may produce compounded harmful effects in our cats and dogs.

Researchers for the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed blood and urine samples they collected from 40 cats and 20 dogs, all household pets. They were tracking the presence of 70 industrial chemicals in the pets’ bodies. The results of their analysis is described as startling.

Of the 70 chemicals tracked, 48 of them were present in the animals. Of those 48 chemicals, 43 of them were at levels much higher than what is typically found in humans. Stain- and grease-proofing coating chemicals (perfluorochemicals) were 2.4 times higher in the dogs than in people. Fire retardants (PBDEs) were found at levels 23 times higher in cats than in people and the cats’ mercury levels were 5 times higher. The average chemical saturation in humans for this study was based on conclusions from national studies conducted by both the EWG and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Jane Houlihan, vice president of research at EWG, suggests the elevated levels of common household chemicals in our pets is a glimpse into the future for ourselves and our children. She would like to see study become a “wake-up call” to establish more stringent safety standards pertaining to industrial chemicals that become a part of our homes.

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