Last Updated on November 21, 2015
Having too much mold in your home is known to have many negative health implications. However, the one thing that many people tend to forget is that this is not only limited to human beings. If you happen to have pets in the home, you should remember that they are also likely to be affected by the presence of too much mold in the household.
If you value them, therefore, it would be wise for you to do all you can to ensure that you get rid of all mold. This is particularly important when you are thinking of moving into a new home and own pets. However, even if you already have your own home, making sure that it’s inspected on a regular basis for the presence of any mold is warranted. Happen to be a pet owner? You should consider the following issues when considering mold inspection in Toronto as well as remediation:
The effects of mold can be just as bad on pets
Some of the common conditions that human beings are likely to have when exposed to mold for a long time include pneumonia and skin infections. Pets are not excluded from such conditions. They are also likely to get respiratory infections, and in some cases they will even have infections of their fur. This is particularly important if the pets have medical conditions that reduce their immunity, or if they are at extremes of age.
If you notice your pets exhibiting behaviors such as having difficulty in breathing, you may need to have the home inspected for mold. Remember that leaving the mold in place means that even if you have the pet treated, it might end up contracting the same condition in future. In addition to that, it may also cost you more to treat them, since the cost of medications might increase.
It’s important to reduce exposure time
When you want your pets to be minimally affected by the mold, you will need to reduce the exposure the pet has to the mold. Of course, this involves making sure that any mold infestation is correctly and effectively treated. Since mold remediation is a tricky business, you should consider working with a high quality contractor to get it done.
In addition to that, you should also limit movement of the pets to parts of your home that have the mold, if possible. A good example of this is the basement, in which case you can simply have it locked up. This way, you can reduce scenarios where the pet strays into the basement and stays there for too long, increasing the chances of contracting the infection.
Pets can increase spread of mold
If you are a pet owner, you should keep in mind that they can act as the agents for spreading mold to the rest of the household. This usually happens when some of the mold spores fall on the pet fur. The pet can then spread them to other parts of the house with ease. By keeping in mind the above, you will reduce the risk of this happening. Minimizing exposure to the mold-infested areas will ensure that no spores fall on the animal fur, and making sure that the infestation is treated as fast as possible will also ensure the same.
In summary, if you are a pet owner, the issue of mold in your home should be at the back of your mind. As you can see from the above, there are many ways in which mold and pets can interact, normally to the detriment of the pet and the rest of the household.