Dogs have long been credited with incredible skills, from sensing changes in the weather to knowing exactly what their owners are thinking. One skill sometimes credited to dogs is the ability to sense or detect carbon monoxide.

Unfortunately, even a dog’s incredible nose can’t detect carbon monoxide, though pets can still play an important role in the early detection of poisonous gas.

Carbon Monoxide and Pets

Carbon monoxide, commonly known as CO, is an odorless, colorless, and non-irritating gas. No pet can identify the gas because CO lacks any scent whatsoever. Exposure can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning in both humans and pets.

Just like humans, pets exposed to elevated levels of CO will display specific symptoms, such as:

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Even though pets and humans share symptoms, we may not experience those symptoms at the same time. Carbon monoxide causes a condition in the body called hypoxia, which reduced the oxygen supply in your blood. This will affect smaller dogs or cats more quickly and possibly more severely than humans. This may also cause lasting health issues, so make sure any pet exhibiting these symptoms after exposure to CO gets professional veterinary care.

The Best Way to Detect Carbon Monoxide

Pet owners want to protect their furry friends in the same way they want to protect themselves and their human family members. The best way to detect carbon monoxide at home is to install CO detectors on every floor of your home. Because CO is lighter than air and will rise to the top of the room, CO detection devices should be installed at least five feet from the ground or on the ceiling.

Prioritize your CO detector placement in rooms that have potential sources of carbon monoxide, such as:

  • Fireplaces and woodstoves
  • Gas stoves
  • Furnaces
  • Gas dryers

Proper placement of carbon monoxide detectors can increase the odds of successfully detecting the presence of CO before it puts your family’s health at risk.

If you believe there may be a CO leak in your home due to the described symptoms or thanks to an alert from your CO detector, get out of the home immediately and seek emergency medical care. After emergency services inspect the home to locate the source of the leak, open windows and use fans to thoroughly ventilate the home to ensure any remaining CO is cleared before bringing your family back inside.

Trust One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning to Keep You Safe

To keep yourself, your family, and your four-legged friends happy and healthy, make routine HVAC maintenance a part of your seasonal to-do list. Our experienced, friendly technicians can help ensure your indoor air quality stays fresh and all your home heating and air conditioning systems are functioning properly. Call (800) 893-3523 or request an appointment today!