Sewage backups can be quite disgusting, and if you have a dog, you need to take steps to protect your canine from the sewage. Wondering how to keep your dog safe? Take a look at these tips:
1. Take proactive measures.
If you really want to protect your home and your dog from a sewage backup, take proactive measures to avoid one. Don't flush things down the toilet that your plumbing cannot handle -- ideally, you should only put toilet paper and feces and liquids down the drain. If you are thinking about adding a sewer line attachment for doggie doo (a special drain you attach to your existing sewer line), make sure your speak with a plumber first to be sure that your sewer pipes can handle dog waste. Keep in mind that if you put dog waste into your pipes and you have a backup, there will likely be dog as well as human poop in it, and dog waste contains a lot of things that may be harmful to humans such as hookworms, roundworms and a long list of others, so take care to protect yourself if you have a sewer backup as well.
2. Get help quickly.
If you see a bit of sewer backup in your bathtub or shower, don't wait for it to get worse. Call a plumber as soon as possible so they can assess the backup and help you avoid a huge overflow of sewage into your home. That helps protect your dog by not exposing him to a massive puddle full of poop that he might want to splash around in or snack on.
3. Close off the area.
If you already have a huge sewage backup, make sure that you close off the area to your dog while you wait for the plumber to arrive. Many dogs are drawn to the smell of poop, and in fact, dogs are so adept at sniffing out poo that professionals use them to find sewer leaks.
Don't let your dog be tempted by the flood; if possible, close the door to the affected room, and place a towel under the door to stop the flow of sewage out from under it. If the sewage backup has spread through multiple rooms, secure your dog alone in an unaffected room.
4. Take the risk of sewage seriously.
In most cases, if a dog eats a bit of his own poop, he is not going to have complications or health issues as a result. However, eating human waste or sewage is different. If your dog ingests raw sewage he may come down with leptospirosis, a bacteria also found in stagnant water. In most cases, dog's don't show signs. However, as the leptospira invade your pup's body, he may get a fever and other signs of bacterial infection including liver failure. You can vaccinate against this, so if you are dealing with sewer backups on a regular basis, you may want to speak with your vet.
Want more tips on avoiding sewer backups or keeping your family and your pets safe if sewage backs up into your home? Contact an emergency plumber today.
Share18 July 2016
Welcome! My name is Frances, and this is my first blog. Whether you found me through a Google search or were passed my link by a friend, I am so glad you found my blog. I plan to fill it with a range of commentary on the world of contracting and construction work, and I hope that you find my ideas compelling and creative. I am a dog trainer, but I have always loved the world of construction. I tend to work a lot on the weekends and evenings, when my clients are off work. As a result, I have a lot of time to write during the day, and I decided to create this blog. Thank you for reading.
