STOP! I CAN'T STAND THE SMELL

IF PAINT FUMES UPSET ME, WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MY DOGS!

Well summer is here and I was promised that when the warmer weather came, my husband would decorate my office.

This is not something I relish and to be honest, decorating is not high on my priority list. You see, I am very sensitive to the smell of paint, my husband thought it was a ploy to get out of giving a hand but honestly, it makes me feel so ill that I have been known to pass out when exposed to gloss paint in particular, not a good look!

I tried to get rid of the smell

I have tried lots of methods over the years to absorb the paint smell, buckets of water in the room, cut up onions, lemon juice, leaving windows open, shutting windows, using a fan etc etc etc all of which have made little to no difference. The only thing that makes it any better is if I leave home for a couple of weeks whilst the work takes place (a fabulous excuse for visiting friends or a holiday) even then, when I get home, the lingering smell makes me moan A LOT apparently, although I don’t recognise that.

I must have a nose like a dog!

It has been a family joke over the years but it doesn’t just happen at home, I have to ring ahead to any accommodation I might stay in to make sure they haven’t decorated recently and if previous places of work had the decorators in, I was put on annual leave for a couple of weeks.

Someone once remarked that I must have a nose like a dog because I am so sensitive, which got me thinking. What is it like for our dogs whose nose is the most sensitive organ in their body? Well if my experience is anything to go by, pretty awful!

Research

I set about doing some research into paints used in decorating our homes and found a plethora of information about the effects of paint fumes on our and our animal’s health ranging from irritating eye problems to serious cases of pneumonia – so I wasn’t making it up, it appears lots of people suffer.

Apparently it is the volatile organic compound (VOC), which are the smelly chemicals in conventional paint. A study carried out by Karlstad University and the Harvard School of Public Health linked low VOC water-based paint to a higher concentration of propylene glycol and glycol ethers (PGE) in bedroom air which are in turn linked to an increased risk of developing asthma, hayfever and eczema in children. That is not something I wanted for my family.

ENOUGH

That was it – change was afoot! I found a really interesting article written by Little Knights, a paint company who have their products independently verified as being 100% Volatile organic compounds (VOC) free.

Here is an extract from the article.

Using paints containing VOCs can have an adverse effect not only on you and your human family members, but also on your much-loved pets.

Paint fumes can harm animals as well Just as the chemicals called VOC's (volatile organic compounds) that evaporate from conventional paint as it dries can cause problems for humans, so they are also harmful to household pets. Paint fumes can irritate your pet’s eyes and respiratory system, as well as cause nausea, dizziness or an allergic skin reaction.

Dogs have an extra sensitive sense of smell

The olfactory system (sense of smell) is the main sense used by dogs and is extremely sensitive and efficient. Up to 30% of a dog’s brain is dedicated to smell functions and it has been estimated that the percentage of a dog's brain devoted to analysing odours is 40 times larger than that of a human.

For this reason they sense smells humans don’t even notice and are more susceptible to irritation caused by pain fumes. If your dog shows signs of illness, such as coughing and hacking, after being exposed to paint fumes, contact your vet.

Mould found on walls can make pets sick

Mould and mildew on interior walls are usually found in damp, warm conditions where there is poor ventilation. As the saying goes, cats are curious by nature, as are dogs, so they are likely to explore any mould that appears on walls. And just as this fungi can harm humans, so pets can be made poorly if they come into contact with it. Black mould produces a mycotoxin that in worse cases can damage the liver and cause fatal haemorrhages.

Anti-bacterial paints cut the spread of pet bacteria

Studies have found that homes where there are pets contain more and a wider range of bacteria. Nasties they carry include salmonella, campylobacter and leptospira. When pets rub up against walls these bugs can get passed on spreading bacteria that could affect your family.

Protect your birds

Until relatively recently coal miners employed caged birds such as canaries to detect any dangerous gases in the pit. Birds were used because they are extremely sensitive to fumes and react to them before humans notice.

Even the slightest exposure to some airborne chemicals could be devastating to your pet bird. These include carbon monoxide as well as particles found in insecticide sprays, hair spray, perfumes, paint fumes, room deodorizers and even bleach or ammonia fumes.

Don't forget fish!

Fish are often overlooked in any discussion around paint fumes and pets but they could suffer more than most if dangerous paint fumes fill the room where their aquarium is situated. This is because fish tanks have air pumps that draw in air and therefore fumes, from the room. Distressed fish who have been overcome by fumes can be found gasping at the surface.

To avoid this you could extend the pump tubes so they can draw air from an unpolluted area when a room is being painted or switch off the aerator until the worst fumes have dissipated. Using paint that does not emit harmful fumes is another solution.

Do you watch Vet On The Hill?

TV vet Dr Scott Miller has sung the praises of Little Knights paint after using it in his new veterinary practice; he even is using it in his kids rooms & home...

Let the Decorating Commence!

Suffice to say that my husband, as I write, is decorating our hall with Little Knights 100% VOC free paint and currently I can only detect the slightest of odours, I do not have a headache and I am my usual chirpy self. Win Win, I’m happy, my pets are happy, my family is happy (because I’m not moaning) – but wait – I think I have done myself out of a holiday!

Here is a link to Little Knights website and the link to the full article.

I have no affiliation with Little Knights - I just really like their paint!