Domestic pets can be destructive to our homes

As most of you know, my company often cleans problems properties. Those problems range from sewage back-up to eliminating the odor from a dead body. In this week's article, I would like briefly to discuss animal feces in the home.

Animals can be very destructive to a home, especially to its walls and flooring. Staining from its feces penetrate carpets and sub-flooring. Male cats spray walls and furniture. The urine penetrates deep into sub-flooring, causing a constant off-gassing of hydrogen sulfide. The gas can be overwhelming and can actually cause health problems for those constantly around it.

Cleaning a surface that has deeply penetrated animal urine can be very demanding. Usually, it requires drying compounds, naturalizing agents, sanding and sometimes removal of the carpet, sub-floor and drywall.

Cats especially often carry a parasite called toxoplasma gondii, which causes a disease known as toxoplasmosis. The Center for Disease Control estimates there are more than 60 million people in the United States infected with it.

Those infected with it have a few symptoms because a healthy person's immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing the illness. However, pregnant women and those of us with a compromised immune system should be cautious because this parasite could cause serious health problems.

Toxoplasma can be accidentally transferred to humans by swallowing cat feces from an animal that is shedding the parasite in its feces. This usually happens when the hand comes in contact with the parasite through gardening, cleaning the litter box, or touching anything that has come in contact with the cat feces. For example, eating fresh garden vegetables that were not thoroughly washed before consumption or biting your finger nails after cleaning a litter box.

Some folks who have toxoplasmosis report feeling as if they have the flu with swollen lymph glands or muscle aches and pains that last for more than a month.

If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (255-2266), or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed Do?

Copy written by Edmond E. Maden, Certified Forensic, Fire, Flood, Mold Inspection & Remediation Contractor. Ed is the CEO of Northwest Executive & Enviornmental Services, LLC.