But, while there may be no other humans that you are responsible for, do you have any pets? If you do, you might want to reconsider allowing your pet to stay with you until you can have the mold removed. Our pets are particularly at risk for developing mold-related health complications.

Something that has recently come under fire is the use of dogs to detect mold in homes and other buildings. This is not only ineffective compared to other methods, but it is also very harmful to the health of the dog.

By the time the health complications of the dog show as symptoms, it is often too late to do anything about it and the animal must be euthanized. These dogs are trained to deliberately inhale mold spores, which is something that humans are repeatedly told NOT to do.

Humans are told that they should always wear respirators when having anything to do with mold, so why would it make any sense to use a dog to do this job when there are other methods that are so much more effective? A dog cannot tell you what kind of mold you are dealing with, how toxic it may be, or in what quantity it exists in the home.

Dogs have not only been shown to contract aspergillosis from contact with mold, but also other conditions such as blastomycosis.

Aspergillosis can form as allergic reactions involving coughing up blood, fever, and weight loss, among some other symptoms, but it can also show up as the growth of fungus in different cavities of the body both in humans and in pets.

Aspergilloma often have no symptoms at all and when they do finally surface, their symptoms can also include the coughing up of blood along with other symptoms of aspergillosis.

Blastomycosis is caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis and it occurs more in large male dogs that are of hunting breeds than most others, however, all dogs are at risk. It has been known to cause pets to develop pneumonia, other respiratory infections, and skin infections.

If you suspect mold in your home, think not only of your own and your familys health, but also of your pets. They are some of the most at risk.