Protecting Your Pets Against Mold

As many Evansville, Indiana area homeowners understand, mold is a very bad thing! Not only does it cause damage to your home, but it can also result in severe health problems for you, your loved ones and your pets if left untreated. It can affect your pets just as it can affect your family. If mold is present it will often cause your pets to get sick faster and more frequently. Since household pets are generally much smaller than humans, their likelihood of being exposed to mold-related illnesses is significantly increased.

The symptoms you’ll see in your pet will vary from animal to animal. Due to size, the symptom(s) you see in your 50lb dog will be different than the symptom(s) you see in your 5lb rabbit or 1lb hamster. Some common symptoms you may see in your pets if they are exposed to include:

mold
• Excessive scratching (with no fleas present)
• Sores may develop from excessive scratching
• Excessive licking
• Hair loss
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Runny nose & eyes
• Labored breathing
• Wheezing sound when breathing
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargic

You should be familiar with your pet’s normal behavior, such as their eating habits or energy levels. If you notice any behaviors out of the ordinary, contact your local vet. Your vet can also provide with you with more information about mold and how it may affect your pet(s).

If you believe your pet is suffering from exposure symptoms, contact your vet immediately. If you’re unable to get an appointment right away, remove your pet from the house to avoid continued exposure. If your pet reenters the home while the mold is still present, it can result in permanent damage to their respiratory system, or in some cases can result in death.

Often, homeowners will wipe down the mold affected surface with bleach. While the surface of the material will be mold free, the surface is still not safe. Mold often grows deep into porous material and bleach can only hit the top of a surface, leaving a good majority of the mold left to grow back.

(812) 464-2402
24hr Emergency:
(812) 461-2264

901 Keck Avenue
Evansville, IN 47711