
Protect your beloved pets from the possible hidden dangers in your home!



Lead Paint Inspections for Pets? How Lead Affects Animals.
Lead-based paint can be hazardous to you and your family, but did you know that it can also affect pets? Homes and buildings built before 1978 carry the largest threat of lead poisoning due to the building materials used at the time.
As an experienced home lead paint inspection company, we have witnessed several problem areas for potential lead ingestion by pets. Learn how lead can affect animals and how to protect your furry friends.
Which Animals are Affected?
Typically, the types of pets that are harmed by lead are mammals that are allowed to roam your house freely. If they have the ability to walk around the house, they are more likely to find areas contaminated with lead. Because of this, caged animals such as guinea pigs or hamsters are less likely to ingest lead.
Most cases of lead ingestion are found in dogs, while the second most cases come from cats.
How are Pets Affected?
In most cases, animals ingest lead-based paint chips and dust. The most common sources of lead come from vinyl flooring, plumbing, windows, doorways and the soil outside of your home. Pet ingestion of lead tends to happen in one of the following ways:
1) Dogs and cats have an adventurous nature and love to explore. Your dog will sniff around in cornors, along baseboards and in the process may be ingesting lead paint chips and dust. Also, don't forget around the perimeter of the house where flaking, peeling and chipping lead based paint lays.
2) Lead may be contaminating their drinking water. Pipes, especially in older houses, may have loose lead deposits that are carried in the flowing water.
What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms from exposure in small amounts over the course of months may be difficult to notice compared to a large amount ingested at once. If any of the following symptoms are affecting your pet for weeks or months, you may need to seek veterinary treatment and perform a lead paint inspection:
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Vomiting
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Diarrhea
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Lethargy
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Poor appetite
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Weakness
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Panicky or anxious behavior
These symptoms may be the sign of other problems, consultation with a veterinarian is recommended in order to find the cause.
Call the professionals at Accurate Environmental Services today and set up your appoinment for a lead dust/soil testing!