Can a Humidifier Benefit My Pet?
The health benefits of humidifiers are widely known to humans. Humidifiers can improve sleep, promote healthier breathing, and can reduce the risk of many airborne pathogens. When buying a humidifier for your home, it is important to remember the possible effects that your humidifier can also have on your pets. This article will explore both the advantages and the potential risks of using a humidifier around your pet.
The Benefits of Using a Humidifier With Your Pet
Similar to humans, pets receive many of the same health benefits from humidifiers. The environmental factors in your home play a key role in determining your pet's health. Mold, cigarette smoke, and accumulated dust on furnishings in your home can have a harmful impact on your pets’ health. Cats can suffer from a condition called feline asthma, which can cause respiratory issues along with a lower quality of life (Lasko). Dogs, comparably, can suffer from allergies, causing scabs and sores to form in their nose that can hinder proper respiratory function (Yamasaki). Humidifiers can help your pets breathe easily by eliminating many of the allergens in the air and maintaining a proper humidity level for your pet and its breathing. In the winter, when your pet will spend more time indoors, humidifiers become much more important to own for your pet. The humidifier will assure that your pet does not suffer from the dry air created by heaters and other heating devices. Beyond aiding respiratory function, humidifiers are also great to maintain your pets’ optimal body temperature and skin condition. Have you ever noticed your pet scratching itself incessantly? Your pet is probably dealing with dry skin. Humidifiers can help alleviate the severity of your pet’s dry skin by humidifying the air around the pet, soothing any irritation caused by dry air.
The Potential Risks of Using a Humidifier With Your Pet
Even though there are many health benefits for your pet from humidifiers, there are some potential risks associated with using a humidifier around your pet. Cool mist humidifiers and warm mist humidifiers can potentially risk your pet. Particularly, warm mist humidifiers have severe health risks for your pet. If your pet accidentally knocks over a warm mist humidifier, there is the possibility that your pet can be affected by severe scalding from the boiling water of the device. It is not recommended that a warm mist humidifier be used near a pet. Luckily, ultrasonic humidifier models offer the safety and benefits of a traditional humidifier. The Miro NR08, an ultrasonic humidifier, ensures safety for your pet along with cutting-edge technology that can monitor the humidity levels of your space. It is essential that the humidity levels are properly monitored in your space and that your humidifier is properly cleaned. The growth of bacteria and mold in a humidifier that is not properly cleaned can have severe health consequences for your pet.