Some common cleaners and deodorants are deadly for pets

The Toxic Home

We almost lost our first puppy due to toxic home cleaning products.  He was sick for days, and required acute medical care.  Being able to reduce harmful chemicals that your pets are exposed to is a big step towards good Health.  Chemical (both good and bad) is part of our life and is impossible to avoid.  However, learning what are the nasty chemical and trying to avoid them, would be wise.  We are listing some of these nasty chemical in this article, please feel free to suggest others.

When we shop, we should always read the label to ensure we are not buying things to use on our body or our pet's body that have unwanted and harmful things.  Some of this harmful chemical are synthetic or extracted from natural material (still being called natural !!!)

• Ammonium lauryl sulphate - "Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) is another surfactant variation commonly put into cosmetics and cleansers to make them foam. ALS is similar to SLS, with similar risks" 
• DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) - DEET is found in most fly repellent.  It is researched to be harmful to Pregnant women as it can caused dead cell.  Research shown that DEET can also rot leather and plastic and decrease skin defenses.
• Margosa extract – a neem tree extract; if ingested can cause liver damage
• Silicone - Silicone prevents hair from breathing and without oxygen the hair cannot regenerate. 
• Sodium Benzoate - A widely used chemical preservatives that are slowly phasing out in human products due to link to cancer.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) -Almost always found in both human and pet shampoo.  It is a common and effective cleaning agents and they have been an industry standard. However, they can be abrasive and can impact to theskin and eyes negatively. 
  
  SLS strips off your skin's natural moisture barrier, irritating skin and leaving it rough and dry. SLS is also absorbed into the body and is known to mimic the hormone estrogen potentially posing health risks such as PMS and menopausal symptoms, dropping male fertility, and even increase in breast cancer. SLES on the other hand is the alcohol form of SLS. While it may be slightly less irritating, it may also pose dangers as it cannot be metabolized by the liver, making the side effects much longer lasting. Tests have also shown that SLS/SLES can cause hair to become weak and brittle, leading to hair loss.  STOP using products with these chemicals!
• Synthetic Fragrance - Many pet and people products are made more attractive to buyers by adding synthetic fragrance.  Synthetic fragrances are primarily made from petrochemicals and attempt to duplicate the smell of a specific plant, and as found in a 1986 report by the National Academy of Sciences, 95% of the chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are known toxins and synthesizers capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions including asthma.   Synthetic Fragrance is considered to be among the top 5 known allergens; known to cause and trigger asthma attacks; usually contains hormone disrupting phthalates affecting fertility.  For long term health, both you and your pet should avoid anything with synthetic Fragrance.
• Triclosan - If you are using any antibacteria soap, check if you see Triclosan. Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical, you can find it in toothpastes and antibacterial soaps. It can disrupt thyroid function and hormone levels in people. 

• Zeolite - when inhaled, the powder can cause mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. The particles can also produce abnormal changes in some white blood cells. 

Other harmful chemical that we will elaborate further

• Benzalkonium Chloride
• Carmine
• DEA
• Lake Dyes
• Lead
• Nanoparticles
• Petroleum jelly
• Phosphates
• Synthetic Dyes
• Tea