Question on carpet fresh and dogs

[MrsReber]

My vet told me a while back that Carpet Fresh was bad for dogs skin. My dog, a Bichon, has allergies. I stopped using it for a long time, then started using it again in the bedrooms (the dogs pretty much stay out of there). I just recently started using it again in the living room/dining room because we are selling our house and I don't want it to smell "doggie" when people walk in.

I have a question, though, and I want to know if this is conincidence or if there may be something to it.

About 3 or 4 years ago, my dog had some seizures. The bloodwork all checked out okay and the vet said maybe she got into something or there was some other cause. She had about one seizure every 6-8 weeks after that, then it stopped completely after maybe a year.

We got a new dog, a 2 year old yellow lab. About 2 weeks ago, DH yelled at him for being on the couch. The dog seemed pretty shook up. DH and I have been struggling with the couch issue thanks to his first owner! The dog, Dallas, goes into his crate and has a seizure. DH thought maybe it was stress? Last weekend, we were away. MIL stayed at the house with the dogs. Dallas saw something out the front window and started to bark. Then he stopped barking and had a seizure.

DH asked Dallas's second owner (a co-worker of his) if Dallas ever had a seizure before. She had him for 8 months and said he never had one.

Am I crazy or could there be a connection between the carpet fresh and the seizures? I have to ask this question since it's been bothering me. Is it just coincidence or could a household cleaner cause a reaction like that in a dog? By the way, the Bichon isn't having any problems at the time and I try to limit the usage of the carpet fresh to areas where they don't typically lay down.

So, am I nuts or what?? :D

[Laurielee]

I dont think you are crazy, many carpet cleaners can cause allergic reactions in dogs, it could be an allergic reaction and not a seizure per say, but I am sure the resident vet techs can answer that.

Try just using plain baking soda in the carpets instead of the premade carpet deoderizers, ti could be somethign else in the invironment too causing these reactions.


Laurie

[krhm]

I don't know about the carpet fresh causing problems for animals, but when our vacuum broke and I took it to the repair shop, the guy told me there was nothing worse for vacuums. If the baking soda works, I'd go with it just to be on the safe side for both your animals and your vacuum!

[Robyn1007]

I don't have an answer and unfortunately McGeiger is out of town until tonight or tomorrow but hopefully she'll check in when she gets back. I haven't seen Beckms around in awhile or am I just dreaming?

[Jazzmatazz49]

What is the point of using carpet fresh? Does it make your vacuum pick up the dirt better? I know about the covering odors part, but I would think something else would work for that. I've never used it but I've never had indoor pets either. I hope your doggie feels better!

[LakeMartinGal]

What is the point of using carpet fresh? Does it make your vacuum pick up the dirt better? I know about the covering odors part, but I would think something else would work for that. I've never used it but I've never had indoor pets either. I hope your doggie feels better!
Carpet Fresh for pets has an ingredient that loosens the dog hair from the carpet, making it easier to pick up, supposedly. It does have baking soda, also, for odor control. Seems to me, if you have a good vacuum, like the Dyson Animal, you wouldn't need the hair-release... none of my dogs have had a problem with this, but we don't use it every time, either...

[MrsReber]

Yes, I buy the pet hair release. It's supposed to break the static bond between the hair and the carpet. We have got some dog hair, too!!

I don't use it all the time, I just use it because it keeps the house smelling good for a few days. Okay, not that my house stinks, but I fear that it might smell like a dog. We may just be used to the smell, you know? I want it to smell nice when people come in.

I'd love for a vet to weigh in on this. I know that it's not great for their skin, just wondering if there was any connection to any other problems.

[EmilyK]

Are you going to be working with a realtor? We asked ours point blank if our house smelled like pets at all. They told us it absolutely did not and they would have told us as soon as they walked in, if it did.

We have 2 indoor cats as well as DS (who is all over the carpets), so the only thing I use is baking soda. It might be worthwhile to hire somebody to steam-clean your carpets or to rent a machine. I found that it really helped in our house (the dog doesn't live with us anymore, but I still thought it had a dog "funk" if you got down with your nose to the floor).

As far as finding out a vet's opinion, I googled "vet questions" and got several sites specializing in Q&A. Maybe you'll get some good information from one of them?

[mcgeiger]

I don't know anything about carptetfresh specifically, but cleaning and perfume agents can both cause skin problems, and then they ingest it when they groom themselves...
as for the seizures, I would go for an exam; and if there is another one before you go, time it with a watch (people often overestimate by a facotr of 10 or more!) and write down everything you can about the circumstances and the behaviors before, during and after the seizure. There are many, many causes of seizures, many of which are fairly easily treatable. If your vet seems unwilling to work it up, I would ask for a referral to a specialist.