Many families will choose to carry out one or two small projects to renovate and decorate their home space. While you are busy measuring and recording, don’t forget to protect your pets. Home decoration is busy enough without these little guys causing trouble.

One of the best preventative measures is to keep your pets away from the work area. You can close doors, use cages or fence gates to separate your pets. If you are unable to quarantine the area, you can place your pet in a foster home.

Safety Precautions

Lead-based paint

If your home was built earlier, test the original paint for lead before doing any type of paint-sanding work. Lead-based paint can flake off, turn into dust, and be easily inhaled by animals. Lead poisoning can cause incoordination, muscle tremors, seizures and even death. It’s also toxic to you and your children.

Before you start renovating, you can purchase a lead testing kit at a home improvement store. If you discover lead-based paint, your best bet is to hire a certified lead contamination contractor.

General paint, varnish and stain products

Most of the paints and varnishes used indoors today are water-based and can cause vomiting and diarrhea if ingested. If your pet's fur gets water-based paint, you can remove it with dish soap and water. If you're using an oil-based product, it's best to let it dry before using scissors to remove it from your pet's fur. Until then, keep an eye on your pet and do not lick the paint on its fur.

Never use paint thinner, mineral spirits, or pine oil to remove paint from animals as these compounds can cause pain and chemical burns.

Wall putty

Dogs are attracted to wall putty and eat it while it's still wet or when it's dry. Ingestion can cause vomiting, but the greatest risk is gastrointestinal obstruction. Large pieces of material may not pass through the digestive tract and may require surgical removal. Some chips contain ethylene glycol, the same ingredient found in antifreeze. If your pet vomits repeatedly, exhibits "wobbly" or drunken behavior, see your veterinarian immediately.

Tile adhesives, spray foam insulation and polyurethane adhesives

They contain isocyanates, which can swell in the stomach. This material can form into large foreign bodies that require surgical removal. Animals that ingest these products should see their veterinarian immediately.

Power Tools

The tool is of course not toxic, but when we are in the issue of home repair dangers, it is worth reminding that when using a sawKeep pets safe when using drills, drills, etc. The noise produced by these tools can sometimes encourage pets to investigate and move closer to dangerous moving parts, or to bite the tool itself or the cord.

For safety's sake, it's most important to keep your pets away from home repair products. Pets are naturally curious and can easily get into trouble.