Protecting Your Pet from Household Water Damages
Protecting your pet from household water damages.
by Todd Sweeney
Just like humans, pets are susceptible to dangers in their immediate environment, more so in the home. One often overlooked threat is water damage, whether from a natural disaster or a leaky pipe. This post will discuss how to protect your pet from household water damage and ensure their safety and wellbeing.
Protecting your pet from household water damages- Potential Household Dangers
It’s surprising the potential dangers that can lurk around a house, posing a threat even to beloved pets. For example, waterlogged areas create slipping hazards. Stagnant water also breeds bacteria and parasites, which could sicken a pet if consumed.
Mosquitoes use standing water to breed. They transmit diseases like heartworm in dogs. For pets who aren’t strong swimmers, pools and open water sources also risk drowning.
Gardens seem full of curiosities for pets to explore. But after rain or watering leaves puddles, pets are drawn to the dirty water. Drinking it leads to illness. Yet, clean, fresh rainwater has some benefits for pets.
Water Damage Implications
The chaos caused by water damage extends beyond just physical injuries. When rugs, carpets, or wooden floors get wet and aren’t dried properly, they become perfect breeding grounds for mold and mildew. These fungi can cause adverse health effects in pets if they inhale the spores.
If your pet ingests mold while grooming themselves after exposure or via contaminated food and water bowls, this could lead to gastrointestinal issues. More severe symptoms include respiratory distress, bleeding disorders and neurological problems in pets.
Last but not least, the emotional trauma of experiencing a water-damaged home can have long-term psychological impacts, causing pets to display signs of depression, aggression or anxiety.
Water Damage Expert Insights
The Water Damage Specialist plays a pivotal role in minimizing exposure to hazards. They are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to prevent further damage, clean up affected areas, and restore your home. This process involves removing standing water and any heavily damaged items.
Their thorough cleanup includes sanitizing furniture, patios, carpets, rugs, and pet items. They also dry out saturated items to prevent mold growth. Lastly, these specialists can provide insights on how best to protect your pets during such events in the future.
In summary, enlisting help from professionals is crucial in mitigating dangers posed by water damage and ensuring your pet’s safety.
Protecting your pet from household water damages- Pet Safety during Flooding
Your first priority during a flood should be moving your pet to higher ground. An upstairs room works best as it’s less likely to flood. Always maintain calmness around your pet; they can sense stress which could scare them even more.
Ensure you have an emergency kit readily available that includes essentials like food, medication (if necessary), bottled water, and first-aid kits for your pet. Also ensure your animal companions are properly identified with collars and tags should they accidentally escape during stressful situations.
An inside room without windows can serve as the perfect shelter during heavy storms or hurricanes. A few favorite toys or blankets will make this safe space feel more inviting for your worried pet.
Preventing Bathroom Accidents
Dripping faucets and leaky toilets pose hidden threats as pets often resort to these pools for drinking water. Keep bathrooms sealed off or toilet lids closed when not in use to prevent your curious fur baby from consuming contaminated water.
Remember to always dry wet surfaces in your bathroom – a slippery floor can result in unintended injuries. Also, be vigilant about common bathroom items like cleaning agents, lotions, and medications; some of these can be toxic if ingested by pets.
Creating a safe environment involves constant commitment and awareness. By doing this, you can significantly reduce the risk of water-related accidents and see that your pet stays in good health and spirits even on the rainiest days
Kitchen Hazards for Pets
The kitchen can hold many potential dangers for pets too. Water spills from dishwashing or cooking pots could scald or cause a slip hazard. This is why it’s so important to clean up right away whenever there’s a spill.
Appliance leaks are very problematic, not only causing water damage on the floors but also being an electrocution risk. Regular appliance check-ups can help to spot potential problems early before they become disastrous.
Garden and External Hazards
Gardening activities can potentially lead to water damages that pose a risk to your pets. For instance, if you water your garden often, some areas may become muddy or oversaturated, which can attract your pet and lead to the ingestion of harmful soil contents.
Also, be aware of toxic plants. Certain plants in your garden might hold water in their leaves, stem or flowers which your pet might attempt to drink. Such water might contain plant secretions which could be toxic for your pet.
Consider covering pools or ponds with fencing or mesh, particularly if your pet can’t swim. This safeguards against the tragedy of accidents leading to drowning.
Safe Pet Drinking Water
Pets must have access to clean, fresh drinking water at all times. Change their water every day and ensure the vessel holding it is clean to prevent any bacterial contamination.
You might consider investing in running water fountains designed for pets as these encourage consumption due to their constantly filtered and oxygenated water supply, quite resembling a natural river stream.
Avoid letting them drink from pools, toilets, or puddles as these may contain dangerous bacteria or chemicals. Encouraging your pet to only drink from designated vessels also reduces chances of other forms of water-damage exposure.
Mitigation Measures Post-Disaster
Post-water damage events such as flooding or pipe bursts entail certain safety measures for both you and your pet. First, do not immediately allow them to roam around the affected areas as there might be hidden dangers such as sharp objects hidden under debris or harmful substances washed into your home.
Clean and sanitize everything thoroughly before letting your pet back into normal spaces. It’s equally important to keep an eye on them even after things return to normal in case they ingested or were exposed to something harmful during the incident.
Finally, remember to clean and sanitize your pet’s belongings too such as their food bowls, toys, and beddings. This prevents secondary contamination.
Managing Wet Floors
When home carpets become drenched from flooding or leaks, acting swiftly to dry them is crucial for avoiding permanent damage. Professional carpet drying services use heavy-duty equipment like powerful truck-mounted extraction machines, industrial air movers, and commercial dehumidifiers that rapidly pull moisture to the surface and evaporate residual dampness far better than typical household fans or humidifiers can.
Technicians will thoroughly monitor moisture levels with sensors and repeat the drying process as needed until carpets and pads are restored to safe levels, limiting mold risks and the need for full replacement. Turning to these experts early on facilitates the most complete drying results.
The Conclusions
Pets are vulnerable members of the family, often unaware of looming dangers around them. Water damage has far-reaching implications beyond physical injury – bacteria, toxins, molds, trauma…etc.
As responsible pet owners, preventative measures are vital. Equally crucial is post-disaster sanitation and mitigation steps in ensuring they continue living in a safe and healthy environment.
Similarly important is educating ourselves about potential dangers lying around homes – which are pets’ playgrounds. With this knowledge at hand, you can confidently guarantee the safety of your beloved furry friends regardless of season or unforeseen water damages within your home.
