Have you ever thought about how your renovation may affect your pooch? I’m fairly sure outside of planning a lovely veranda for them to curl up on, most of us don’t really give a second thought to the impacts that a renovation may have on our dog or cat.
It turns out that it’s not only humans that are susceptible to horrific health impacts of mesothelioma. Although there isn’t a lot of readily available, compiled information in Australia, there have been several studies done in the UK, Italy, and America showing concerning asbestos exposure outcomes to pets.
These are the most likely scenarios to impact domesticated pets.
- Home renovations happening around the pet
We might send family members away for the weekend, but it’s not nearly as likely to banish the dog for its own safety. If you’re removing asbestos materials from your home, there is a high chance that they will escape into the air and be inhaled by your pet.
- Second hand asbestos on clothing
This is a particular concern if you work with asbestos. Asbestos removalists, plumbers, electricians and other trades that may come into contact with asbestos during a day’s work should be sure to use proper protection in the form of disposable coveralls. Otherwise, when you walk through the gate, greeted by you trusty four-legged friend, you may in fact be giving them more than a pat or a hug.
- Asbestos legacy
I’ve known lots of dogs who just love rolling around under the house, especially to escape our hot summers. If you’ve renovated an old house, you may not even spare a thought for what drops through under the sub floor. In the old days lots of people would throw off cuts and bits of building debris under the house – out of site out of mind. We often discover properties that need the subfloor soil remediated to rid it of asbestos legacy, so if your dog is curling up in the dirt below your older home there is every danger of them ingesting asbestos legacy.
It’s not just the lungs and breathing of your dog or cat that can be affected. According to information from vets compiled by asbestos.com, mesothelioma can affect the lining of their abdomen, the lining of the heart, and the lining of the testes. These are all very similar to the health issues humans face when asbestos fibres get stuck within the body, creating inflammation which leads ultimately to cancer.
It is highly likely that many dogs who are dying prematurely from tumours and cancers could be suffering from the effects of asbestos.
We all love our dogs, so please next time you go to rip out your bathroom, remove your old eves, or do some other work around the place, take care. If you’re disturbing asbestos, get an experienced, licensed, asbestos removalist in to ensure the surrounding area doesn’t become contaminated. Put your pet’s, your family’s, and even your neighbour’s safety first.
HTS Group can remove and remediate asbestos in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley NSW, on the North Coast and throughout regional NSW.
The following sources have been referenced in the above article
Tompot, C. (2023, May 30). Protecting Your Pets from Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure. Asbestos.com. Retrieved July 24, 2023, from https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2015/11/09/protecting-pets-mesothelioma-asbestos-exposure/
Tompot, Cara. "Protecting Your Pets from Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure." Asbestos.com, 30 May 2023, https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2015/11/09/protecting-pets-mesothelioma-asbestos-exposure/.
Tompot, Cara. "Protecting Your Pets from Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure." Asbestos.com. Last modified May 30, 2023. https://www.asbestos.com/blog/2015/11/09/protecting-pets-mesothelioma-asbestos-exposure/.
