There are different ways of getting rid of pet odors, such as air purifiers, but there is still debate among pet parents on whether this method works. Some will swear by it, while others seem to have doubts about its effectiveness. In this article, we try to make it clear whether air purifiers are effective on pet odors or not.
What Causes Pet Odors?
Before you remove pet odors with air purifiers, you have to understand what causes these annoying smells, and here are the most common causes.
1. Poor Grooming Routine
The main reason your pet smells bad is often because of a poor grooming routine. Pets will require regular baths and fur brushing and failure to do this leaves them with a foul stench.
Remember that most pets like playing on dirty surfaces and often have urine and feces left on their private parts, with some also getting to their fur. If you do not clean the pet routinely, all this can leave it smelly.
Pets like cats are good self-groomers, and they often clean themselves enough through regular fur licking, but there are some hard-to-reach places even for them. Hence, no matter what pet you have, it is vital to ensure you follow a good grooming routine.
2. Health Problems
Even if you groom your furry friend regularly, it can still end up smelly as sometimes the foul odors result from health problems. Health issues like skin infection, incontinence, or even allergies can leave your pet with foul odors.
Skin infections in pets are often caused by yeast or parasites, and they typically leave the animal with open wounds that can be smelly. On the other hand, allergies can lead to skin inflammation that causes oil production from skin glands. This oil has a pungent musty smell that leaves the pet with a foul odor.
3. Bad Breath
Sometimes the only reason why a pet is smelly is because of poor dental hygiene. If you allow odor-causing bacteria to build up in the pet’s mouth over time, you will always get an unbearable smell anytime it is in the house.
Besides poor dental hygiene, bad breath can sometimes occur due to an abnormality in the pet’s mouth or even an underlying dental issue. It can also manifest a problem in other parts of its body, such as diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal tract issues.
4. Anal Glands
Anal glands are a leading cause of foul odors for dogs. The anal glands are secretory glands on a dog’s rectum, and they are a vital component of its anatomy. When healthy, these glands should not emit any foul smell.
However, when the pet has a problem with the anal glands, they often produce a smelly secretion that sticks to the fur and leaves the pet smelling bad. You can quickly tell your pet has an issue with its anal glands if you see it dragging its rear on the ground.
5. Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infection in pets is more common than what many people tend to assume. Therefore, if you find that your dog or cat always has a pungent urine smell, this might be the underlying cause.
Some of the signs to watch out for to determine the dog has a urinary tract infection include frequent urination and pain when urinating.
Does Air Purifier Work for Pet Odor?
Photo: Levoit
Air purifiers can be highly effective at eliminating pet odor provided you choose the right type and make sure you buy a good quality one from a reputable brand. Regardless of what is causing the pet odor, it always takes the form of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are gaseous pollutants with tiny molecules.
Therefore, any air purifier you choose needs to have a formula that deals with VOCs to eliminate pet odors effectively. Additionally, the air purifier should have a HEPA filter that can remove pet dander from your space.
Air purifiers with activated carbon are also highly effective at dealing with foul pet odors. Activated carbon is porous, which means it will absorb more odor-causing compounds.
Conclusion
Air purifiers provide a simple but effective way of dealing with bad pet odors, provided you choose the right one. Pet odors are often a result of a poor grooming routine, health issues, and bad breath. Hence, besides using an air purifier to eliminate the bad smells, it is also crucial to address the underlying source.