27/03/2020
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Pets
The colder weather is always met with most of us trying to stay warm: firing up our home furnaces, wood stoves and perhaps running auxiliary heat sources. With cold weather comes the reminder to change the batteries in my smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 430 people die of CO poisoning, while approximately 50,000 people visit the emergency department each year due to accidental CO poisoning. Pets are also at risk.
Major Sources of Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as natural gas, propane, gasoline, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. According to the CDC, unvented kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas stoves and water heaters, woodstoves and fireplaces, automobile exhaust from attached garages and environmental tobacco smoke can all be sources that release CO as a major pollutant. CO is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause illness and even death when inhaled by humans and animals and has been implicated in fatalities of people and/or their pets.
Recognizing the Symptoms
- Ataxia (difficulty walking)
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Feeling better when not at home
CO is heavier than normal room air and will be in higher concentrations closest to the floor, often putting our small pets at risk while owners may be unaware of the effects. Animals that are sick in the home may feel better once they have reached the veterinary clinic, given the chance to breathe safer air. Pets can present with a history of staggering or reluctance to move; nausea or vomiting; and simply sleeping more than usual. Higher levels of exposure can lead to seizures and death. At low concentrations, fatigue can be seen in healthy people and chest pain in people with heart disease. At higher concentrations, impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; nausea. Toxic levels can cause flu-like symptoms that clear up after leaving home. Tragically, inhalation can be fatal at high concentrations.
Levels in Homes
Average levels of carbon monoxide in homes without gas stoves vary from 0.5 to 5 parts per million (ppm). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), levels of carbon monoxide near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 ppm and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher. Statistics from the Home Safety Council indicate that while CO alarms can save lives, less than one third of American homes have a CO detector installed in their home. CO poisoning is entirely preventable. Take a carbon monoxide alarm seriously: immediately move outside to fresh air and call 9-1-1.
Steps to Reduce Exposure
- Keep gas appliances properly adjusted.
- Consider purchasing a vented space heater when replacing an unvented one.
- Make sure that heating units are vented properly and vents are working properly.
- Use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters.
- Install and use an exhaust fan vented to outdoors over gas stoves.
- Open flues when fireplaces are in use.
- Choose properly sized wood stoves, certified to meet EPA emission standards.
- Make certain that doors on all wood stoves fit tightly.
- Have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune-up all heating systems (furnaces, flues, and chimneys) annually.
- Repair any leaks promptly.
- Do not idle the car inside an attached garage.
- Install CO detectors on every level of your home, especially near sleeping areas.
- Take a CO detector with you when you travel (Check with your airline’s regulations: non-lithium batteries can typically be checked in your airline baggage).
If any of your pets show symptoms of CO poisoning, remove them from the area immediately and seek veterinary medical attention. Immediate care and a blood test can be helpful in determining the likelihood that carbon monoxide is the cause of ill health. Install and maintain CO detectors to ensure early warning to protect yourself, your family and your pets.
About the Author
Dr. Colleen Lewis is a 1996 graduate of Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Her career has taken her to many places as a practice owner, consultant, embryologist, and mentor. She enjoys mixed animal practice, teaching, traveling, farming and high school sports with her husband, Andrew and their three boys.
