Borax Dangerous for Cats and Dogs: Are you making a list of things to do for spring cleaning? You may have heard good things about borax, which you can use to clean your home or yard.
Borax is a natural mineral that is usually found as a white powder. It is used to make cleaning products, home items, and bug sprays. These goods, on the other hand, are often poisonous to our pets and are some of the worst for them.
Now for the important questions: Is borax dangerous for cats or dogs? If not, is it safe to clean with this natural ingredient?
Can borax poison cats and dogs? Which is a shame. Borax is thought to be natural, but it can have bad effects on people and animals.
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Is borax dangerous for cats and dogs?
Borax is the best thing to use to make your house shine and your yard look great.
Some popular things that use borax as an ingredient are
- Toilet bowl cleaners
- Laundry detergent
- Pesticides
- All-purpose cleaners
- Paint
Because it has so many uses, you might be wondering how dangerous borax is for your dog or cat.
“Borax, the soap used to make slime, is not dangerous for pets,” says Heather Handley, DVM, Senior Consulting Veterinarian, Clinical Toxicology at the Pet Poison Helpline. “If eaten, vomiting may stop on its own.” For smaller pets, this may be more important.
Boron may not be very dangerous for pets, but it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to their health. No matter if you’re cleaning with borax or just having fun with it, you should know how it can affect your dog, cat, and even you!
Our pets, especially cats, have better senses and are more sensitive than people. Because of this, some flowers and essential oils can be harmful to our furry friends.
If your dog or cat gets borax on them, they might have reactions like these:
- Gastrointestinal upset (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain)
- Lethargy
- Drooling
- Respiratory system irritation
- Eye irritation
- Skin irritation (e.g., redness)
- Excessive thirst
- Blood in urine
A borax overdose can lead to kidney damage, seizures, and even death in the worst cases.
The CDC says that borax can irritate the eyes, skin, and upper respiratory system of humans. It can also cause dermatitis, nosebleeds, coughing, and trouble breathing when it comes into contact with these areas. Borax can also make you sick, give you stomachaches, and make you have diarrhea if you eat it.
Because it has bad effects, borax might not be the best thing to use. If you have pets or kids, you should look for a safe option.
How much borax is toxic to dogs and cats?
“Any ingestion could cause an upset stomach and self-decontamination via vomiting,” according to Handley.
Handley further asserts that the ingestion of the lethal dose of 974 mg/kg, or approximately 1 gram of borax per kilogram of their body weight, by a dog or cat, is “improbable.”
In addition, 5–10 grams (approximately one teaspoon) can be lethal to children, and 10–25 grams can be deadly to adults.
Is Borax for Fleas Safe for Cats or Dogs?
Has an infestation of fleas devastated your companion and home? If so, you may have read that applying borax to carpets and furniture can effectively eliminate those bothersome pests.
However, how secure is it?
“As long as the cat or dog does not directly ingest the insect bait, then signs are not expected,” according to Handley. “If the bait were licked, then there would be a possibility for mild signs.”
You could keep a room off-limits to your pets while applying borax powder to carpets and furniture and ensuring its safety through meticulous cleanup with the necessary precautions. Should that not be a viable option, it may be prudent to contemplate alternative courses of action. (Additionally, as a flea treatment, never administer borax directly to your pet!)
The following are safer alternatives to flea prevention and treatment:
- Prevent fleas by bathing your companion and applying a flea comb.
- Maintaining a clean environment by regularly vacuuming and laundering pet linens
- Utilizing a flea medication formulated specifically for your canine companion, including spot-on treatments, oral drugs, sprays, shampoos, and so forth.
- Maintaining a flea-free environment for your pet and your residence by using year-round flea prevention
What to Do If Your Pet Licked or Ate Borax
Have you discovered that your interested dog or cat has licked borax? Determine the quantity that your companion consumed and wash its mouth. Additionally, rinse their epidermis and the area around their eyes to prevent further irritation.
“Treatment is not usually needed unless the pet develops protracted vomiting,” according to Handley. “If a very large amount was ingested and the pet is not already vomiting, then a veterinarian should be consulted.”
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 are helplines that are available around the clock, subject to change.
We advise containing toxic cleaning products such as borax in a location where they are inaccessible to children and pets or searching for alternatives that are safe for pets. You can ensure the safety of your pets and maintain a tidy residence in this manner.