Scented Suspects: Pet Safety in a Fragrant World

Episode 66 • 8th October 2025 • Barking Mad • BSM Partners

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Scene of the crime, your living room, a candle flickers, a diffuser hums, maybe even a spritz of fresh linen in the air. To us, it's home sweet home, but to our pets, it might feel more like an interrogation room filled with overwhelming scents.

Jordan Tyler: Today on Barking Mad, we're opening the case file on the fragrance underworld. Candles, diffusers, essential oils, sprays, and the like. And asking, are these innocent pleasures or suspects in a lineup of hidden pet hazards? Stick with us as we investigate the good, the bad, and the downright criminal side of common household fragrances when it comes to pets’ health.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Welcome to Barking Mad a podcast by BSM Partners where your host Dr. Stephanie Clark—

Jordan Tyler: —and I'm Jordan Tyler. So today we are kicking off a little mini-series. It's going to be in three parts. And this first part is going to be all about fragrances. So things we do to our homes to make them smell cozy and amazing and pleasant to us, but might actually have some kind of risk for the health and wellbeing of our pets.

So, starting with that, but there's going to be two more episodes and they're just going to keep getting juicier and juicier. The second one is going to be on like household cleaning products, houseplants that you might have in a corner, or anything you do with like lawn and garden products that your pets might be able to get into. And then the third episode is going to be food and medicine. And there is a ton of great tidbits from our experts in each of these three episodes. If you get done with today's episode on fragrance and you're wanting a little bit more, we got a treat for you. Stay tuned.

Let's get into fragrances today. Steph, why does this topic even matter? I know we were selfishly curious about this because we like to burn candles on our desks, makes us feel nice throughout the day. But why are we even doing this episode? Why does this matter to pipe parents?

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah, exactly. So, I think we need to break it down first to there's three different ways or three ways of toxicity, right? So, we have the inhalation, breathing it in. We have the ingestion, consuming it, yum yum. And then we have the contact on the skin. And most importantly right now, for at least this episode, is the inhalation part. We know that our dogs have a super powerful sniffer. And I'm not just talking beagles here. Like they all have super powerful sniffers.

And so, what may smell okay to us maybe is not so great for them. Have you ever like been to the gym and you have this person who's just doused in cologne, and you just cannot even breathe? You can't run on the treadmill because all you taste is that cologne.

Jordan Tyler: It's like physical.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah. You're like, I didn't know I could taste this, but I'm just smelling it. And I have to wonder, is it like that for our pets?

Jordan Tyler: Totally. So we'll get into the inhalation piece for sure. But the other piece that Stephanie mentioned is ingestion. And this is also a risk because anything that we're like spraying in the house or cleaning with, stay tuned for our second episode, could make its way into the pet's body anyway because they self-groom. Dogs do this, cats do this, other small companion animals do this.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I do it.

Jordan Tyler: Stephanie does it when she's had a long day. But we have to be so mindful about not only the scents that are happening in our homes, but like the way that those scents are traversing our homes and how they could get stuck to our pets and accidentally make their way into their mouths and then their digestive systems and all of that. So while inhalation is definitely the focus for a lot of this, we always have to consider the self grooming aspect just adds another level of risk.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah, so stay tuned as we get into today as we're going to talk about how to ensure that we're creating safe environments for our pets to live and thrive. So first, let's get to know today's experts. We have Dr. Tina Wismer, Senior Director of Toxicology at ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is staffed by veterinarians and veterinary technicians—woo woo!—who field calls from both pet owners and other vets.

Jordan Tyler: So, Dr. Wismer, take us into a day in the life of somebody who is at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center picking up the phone, answering poison control hotline calls. What does that look like?

Dr. Tina Wismer: Sure. We are staffed with both veterinarians and veterinary technicians and we are going to answer the phone and ask you a whole bunch of questions about what's going on. We're going to ask you what type of animal do you have, right? Dog, cat, guinea pig, bird, even large animals. How old are they? How much do they weigh? Do they have any medical problems? And then what could they have gotten into? How many pills, or how many ounces of chocolate, right? Did they the whole pan of brownies? And by using all that information, we're able to make an assessment. Okay, is this something that's not going to be a big problem and you can stay home? Or is this something where we definitely need to go to the veterinarian? And then we will help veterinarians manage cases so that we have the best possible outcome.

Jordan Tyler: Very cool. You're doing sort of triage, but you're also following through with the aftercare process as well.

Dr. Tina Wismer: Yeah, and that's a big part of our service here is, you know, speaking with other veterinarians about how to manage these.

Jordan Tyler: Next up, have Dr. Renee Schmid, Senior Veterinary Toxicologist and DVM Supervisor at Pet Poison Helpline, which is owned by SafetyCall International. Now, Pet Poison Helpline is a for-profit organization staffed by credentialed vet techs and licensed veterinarians to support both pet owners and clinics with tailored, evidence-based toxicology guidance. So, Dr. Schmidt, tell us a little bit about how the Pet Poison Helpline works.

Dr. Renee Schmid: Yeah, so we've been in business for 21 years. And so in our founders have been in toxicology and poison control for over 40 years. So we've been able to take all of the information that we've gathered over the last 21 years and the millions and millions of cases and animals that we've helped. And we can look back at that to say, all right, where did we?

You know, some of these things don't have an established quote toxic dose. And so we're able to look back and say, well, where did we see the biggest issues? What were the main signs that we saw and what treatments seem to be the most successful? And that really helps us to guide toxicology into the future and to the next steps. There's a lot of what we call species differences. And I always say that, you know, an animal, a dog, a cat isn't a small human. It's not a child and a cat is not a small dog. It's, know, they're all very, very different. And so what's really neat also about toxicology and veterinary medicine in general is that you really have to know the differences, the species differences as to this is toxic in the cat, but it's not toxic in the dog. It's toxic in the dog, but not in the cat or you know, what have you.

Jordan Tyler: So, let's talk about some fragrances, things like essential oils, candles, diffusers, all the popular things in our homes that make it smell lovely for us. How does that affect our pets? Dr. Wismer, do you guys get calls on that?

Dr. Tina Wismer: So we do. And when we think about those type of fragrance products, we have a couple different things we think about. Number one, right? Dogs and cats, their sense of smell is so much better than ours. So with these highly-fragranted products, sometimes it's like being stuck on the airplane next to that person with too much perfume or too much cologne on, right? It's not a pleasant time. So if you're gonna use these products in your house, you definitely wanna have an area that's away from those where your pets can move to if they need to.

Jordan Tyler: So, if Stephanie and I have lavender scented candles on our desk because it makes us feel better throughout the day, are we driving our dogs crazy?

Dr. Tina Wismer: Doubtful. Those are not really highly scented products compared to some others that are out there. So yeah, you're golden.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Let's talk about them sniffers.

Jordan Tyler: So remember earlier when we said that dogs and cats just have a better sense of smell than we do. And it's true. So as humans, we have about 50 million what are called olfactory receptors. And olfactory is just like smelling.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Your nose.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah. The stuff you use to smell them. Compared to dogs, dogs have 200 million. And similarly in cats. And so, this really like takes their ability to identify different scents, identify scents in lower concentrations than we can recognize them in, or identify really complex scents, like the smell of a certain disease, for example. You have dogs that can smell certain types of cancer, that kind of stuff. That is why, because they have four times as many olfactory receptors as you and I do.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I'm sure people are thinking four times, that's not—50 to 200? Really, is that mattering? But let's just take a couple of examples. So, my beagle, yes, I know it's a beagle, but this is dog on dog. We had a kibble fall between our couch cushions probably sometime earlier in the day. And my beagle was able to sniff out that one kibble in the couch cushion. I could tell you I would probably have sat there for like 10 years and never known that there was a kibble in the couch cushion.

Jordan Tyler: You would have sold the couch first.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Probably. The kibble would have probably been carried away by some bug like waiting for a Thanksgiving feast. But dogs are able to smell that smell that one kibble in that couch cushion. Or for example like Jordan was saying with smelling diseases at Mayo Clinic we actually use pets to sniff out bacterial diseases. So, if you have like an extreme stomach bug, we'll call it that for listener's sake in case you're drinking your morning coffee, you can actually take a dog around and smell the rooms and they will identify which patient has that bacterial overgrowth in their gut. And that way we can start treating them earlier. This is the level of sensitivity we're talking about. It's not just like, ew, something stinks. yeah, there's a skunk a mile down the road. Like this is honed-in, olfactory goodness.

Jordan Tyler: One hundred percent, yeah. Super well said and a great analogy.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: But I think going back to that, let's talk about concentration because that's really where it focuses in on. Yes, if you had a steak grilling in your front yard, say my husband was going to make Sunday night dinner steaks, I can smell that in my house. But if the neighbor at the beginning of the subdivision was grilling, it probably would take me a while to smell it, if at all, let alone my beagle is like drooling profusely on the floor.

He knows. But yes, let's get back to Dr. Schmid and Dr. Wismer to get a better understanding of how concentration can make a big difference in toxicity.

Dr. Renee Schmid: I like to think about the general picture. And if you think about anything concentrated, any concentrated essential oil, any concentrated liquid, potpourri, anything like that is going to be the biggest concern. Diluted products don't typically carry as much weight of concern as concentrated products do. And 99% of the time when an animal gets into trouble with an essential oil or a fragrance or something like that, it's because they got into the concentrated form.

Dr. Tina Wismer: We then also do have potentially ingestion or grooming of these products off the hair coat, depending if we're talking about like diffusers and that type of thing. And when we think about those, it truly is dose determines the poison. So if it's something like a scented candle, right, there's not a whole lot of fragrances or essential oils in those. And, you know, when animals eat the candles, dogs do that, right? We worry more about obstruction or foreign bodies than a toxicity issue. But of course, with candles, the biggest risk is fire, right? You know, I've seen many a video where the cat, you know, sets its tail on fire and that could be a horrible thing for the house.

Diffusers and those little like reed or wand diffusers also can be problematic. If they get into the liquid itself, many times those can be corrosive to the mouth, they can cause oral ulcers and certainly vomiting and grooming it off the hair coat can be also irritating to the digestive tract. So maybe not the best products to use around pets.

Jordan Tyler: So, for dogs and cats, careful use of these types of products. So if you're using an essential oil, something that's highly diluted, right? You're not just like pouring essential oil into a bowl and letting it sit there. It's diluted with water. Scent that aren't quite as strong are typically safe around dogs and cats. But there is another popular companion animal out there who is particularly sensitive to these kinds of things. And Dr. Schmid has an important message for their owners.

Dr. Renee Schmid: I have no problem with diffusers in the household unless there's a bird or there's an animal with respiratory disease and that it's in a well-ventilated area. So, if you're going to close your door, close the bathroom door with a diffuser in it and you're going to leave your pet in there all day long, that's probably going to cause some respiratory irritation. If you have a diffuser out in your living room and the doors are open and everything's kind of ventilating through, and you have a healthy dog or cat in the household, not a big issue. Birds have a very sensitive respiratory tract. And so any type of a scent, fragrance, chemical spray, anything like that can be really detrimental to a bird. And then any animal that has a respiratory disease, especially that asthmatic cat, those things can be pretty detrimental to them as well.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: And that's why canaries in the coal mine is more than just a saying.

Jordan Tyler: Oh my god, wait, is that what it is? It's because they...

Dr. Stephanie Clark: They can smell the gas before... super sad. If a canary smells the gas or whatever, carbon monoxide, there we go, it will either chirp or it will pass away depending on how strong it is and that's a warning to the coal mine workers that you've got to get up.

Jordan Tyler: My gosh, I never knew that!

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Like the whole saying, singing like a canary in a coal mine is like a warning… No? You never knew?

Jordan Tyler: I like, I had all the context clues that I needed, right? Like I should have put that together at some point, but I never quite made it there to the root cause of the fact that birds just have sensitive respiratory systems, that's—wow. Seriously, every time we record for this podcast, I like learn the most fun new fact. I love it.

So, there are a ton of different things we all use to make our houses smell amazing and they each carry their own risks for pets based on what they're made of and how they get the job done. But speaking of concentration, one of those things that's highly concentrated is essential oils. Some people swear by their therapeutic properties, but surely there are some considerations when it comes to using essential oils in the house and around our pets. So, Dr. Schmid, what red flag should we be aware of as pet owners when it comes to essential oils?

Dr. Renee Schmid: Tea tree oil is a big one that is a big kind of what I consider a big no-no or just not to use any type of concentrated tea tree oil, not just in the scented fragrances, but you'll see it also. Dr. Google is really good at telling you to use tea tree oil for hot spots and ear mites and fleas. And unfortunately, concentrated tea tree oil has a really narrow margin of safety in animals, causes neurologic issues and so should be avoided in that manner.

Dr. Tina Wismer: So with tea tree oil, it's dose, right? I mean, the products that are approved to be used on pets are like 5 % oil or less. So those aren't a big problem, right? Those are fine. The issue is when people take the 100 % essential oil and put it directly on their pet, then we've got a problem. So it truly is all about concentration.

Dr. Renee Schmid: And then depending on which essential oil it is, you can actually have some that cause liver disease or kidney disease and other issues themselves too. The other point of potpourri, like the dried potpourri, that's also usually a foreign body issue. But in cats, the big concern is that these things can cause ulcers to form. So they can cause lesions in the mouth and the tongue and the esophagus. Cats are extremely sensitive to that. You can see it in dogs too sometimes, but more often it's going to be in cats.

Jordan Tyler: And there are brands that are out there that are putting essential oils in their products. So you see there is stuff like this out on the market, but there are some brands out there who choose not to just because of the potential health risks that they could pose to our pets. And so to give us a little brand perspective on essential oils when it comes to pets and safety and all of that, we're bringing on Pete Sterling. He's president and CEO of Scouts Honor, a pet wellness brand offering environmentally conscious, cruelty-free grooming, skin, and wellness products and they're all made with natural, probiotic, and eco-friendly ingredients.

Pete Stirling: You can use essential oils with that as long as they're diluted, but you're putting a lot of faith in someone to make sure that they're doing that correctly and they've tested it. I prefer to just avoid it. Cats and dogs don't have the enzymes that humans have to help break some of this down in the liver. And it can cause some pretty serious issues—drooling, vomiting, a refusal to eat, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, lethargy. Like they go through the whole list of potential issues you can get from using essential oils on pets. don't think under any circumstances, anyone should ever apply a essential oil concentrate to their dog or cat just because of self-grooming issues about nothing else, but they can be absorbed through the skin. I think it comes down to concentration and potency. You can do it right. It's just risky.

So, if you have a well-known and well-established company that's using these oils, I don't want to say stop buying their stuff immediately. think that there are some companies out there that have done great things with essential oils. I just think it's something you have to tread very lightly around as an organization retailing these products or that is wholesaling these products because of the potential issues that could develop.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: So, going along with what Pete said, another interesting thing that pet owners over the years have gravitated towards is the word natural. But does natural always equal safer? Arsenic is natural.

Jordan Tyler: True.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: So Pete, what are your thoughts on this paradigm when it comes to fragrance for pets?

Pete Stirling: I think that people would be shocked to know what some of these natural ingredients, if you're going to go truly natural and you're going to get a USDA certified product or something that is a hundred percent bio-based, you know, it's taken directly from the original ingredient and the impact that can have from an environmental standpoint. Also the lack of differentiation between a lab produced version of the exact same chemical that's being extracted from the fruit or the flower.

d fragrance extract, it takes: 2000

Rose oil is another one that you find a ton in fragrances and a lot of cosmetic ingredients. Well, let's just say, just get a kilo of rose absolute. You're looking at between three to five tons of petals pulled from 1.7 million roses. So, you're talking five acres need to be cleared, irrigated and harvested. And that is, besides the environmental impact of just tilling that soil, working that land, you're also looking at the chemicals that are used in the cultivation. And any of these natural extracts, you're going to run into a lot of issues where you have potential irritants, allergens. The level of purity in that is very difficult to achieve. So, there could be other things in there that you don't even know are there and that are very difficult to figure out what's there, whereas when you're talking about something that's created in the lab, it's very specific, very pure, and you can use a whole lot less of it, whereas you might need to use 5% to 15 % of a rose oil extract in order to accomplish the fragrance profile you're looking for. You could use less than 1 % of a synthetic because it's so pure and get the exact same fragrance levels. It'd probably be more stable and ultimately probably little safer.

Jordan Tyler: So yeah, think all of that really just goes to show natural isn't always better, especially when it comes to the safety aspect and the environmental impact aspect. So some really interesting nuggets there from Pete. But as we're kind of going through this, it dawns on me that we use fragrances in products around our homes. We put them on ourselves. But there are some pet products out there that are fragmented, right?

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Like cat owners are like so concerned about like what it smells like the first like three to five feet in their house. And so cat litters are now coming out as scented cat litters. Is that what we need to be doing for our pets? Is that their best interest in mind?

Jordan Tyler: I mean, I know that there was one litter brand that came out not too long ago, this was earlier this year, and said they were discontinuing their scented litter line based on research. And I'm putting this all in air quotes because I haven't seen the research, it's not public, and I'm going off of a press release here that suggests that scented litter products for cats actually mess with their natural instincts around going to the bathroom. And no idea if that's true or false, but... It does kind of make you think about like, okay, what's this fragrance actually for?

Dr. Tina Wismer: So those are, yes, fragranced mostly for us, right? As opposed to cats. If they're gonna use them, it's okay, but that can be a reason for litter box aversion. But toxicity-wise, there's not enough in there to cause any kind of poisoning situation. However, I would avoid it if your cat has asthma.

Dr. Renee Schmid: Again, in the modern society, we want things to smell well. We want to have pets. We just don't want to necessarily smell that they're around. so things like cat litter that are fragranced, I don't have an issue with that as long as they don't have underlying respiratory disease. So, if they don't have any breathing issues and if they don't have any kind of skin sensitivities and that will go for any fragrance if they're trying to spray some cologne on the animal too. If they have some skin sensitivities where it turns it to be kind of red and irritated and makes them more itchy or anything like that, then I would certainly avoid those.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I feel this one in my soul. Have I been doing this wrong the entire time? We go to these trade shows and they like promote these like waterless shampoos and these like Odo sprays, like in between wash sprays. And I am so guilty of that because in the Midwest, when your dogs go out for like four to five months out of the year, they come back in smelling like toes. And it's just, am I causing an axe effect on my pet?

Jordan Tyler: No, it's a great point. There are increasingly things that we're putting directly on pets or that are made to put directly on pets, whether it's, you know, like a little powder or whatever that you just put on them and then you brush it out or even like luxury type of like cologne products. So like Dolce & Gabbana came out with one. What was it last fall? Fifi, a cologne for dogs. And it's just like, is that safe? Do we like it? What are the toxicology experts think? So Dr. Schmid, give us your two cents on spraying or using fragrances directly on our pets.

Dr. Renee Schmid: You know, moderation is the key. And if it's something that they're really getting either sprayed on directly or sprayed around, we use a, you know, kind of a home fragrance spray every once in while in the house, but I don't spray it where my dog is laying or where my cat is laying. You know, I kind of make sure it's in the room where the animals aren't really at the time. And then when it, you know, kind of it settles, but definitely any of those can cause respiratory irritation if enough of it is sprayed, particularly if it's sprayed directly on the pet. Like you said, like that teenage boy that's just sprayed it all over the place. You know, you, if you go to that extent, the pet probably needs a bath.

Jordan Tyler: So, we've talked about a ton of toxic stuff. Let's switch to what pet owners can do. is there ever a time that a pet owner can decide, do I rush my animal to the hospital or do I call somebody like ASPCA Pet Poison Control or the Pet Poison Helpline? What would you recommend there?

Dr. Tina Wismer: We always recommend you call your veterinarian first, right? It may be something that they are totally familiar with and they don't need our help. But if your vet says, hey, call poison control, we'll be more than happy to help you and them through treating this if they need to.

Dr. Renee Schmid: I would say never take a wait and see approach with animals. So if there's something that they got into that you feel isn't right, say something. And with animals, they don't react in the same way that humans do. And so it's really important to not take a wait and see. When we wait until they develop issues, sometimes it's too late to treat them, or it's more expensive to treat them and more stressful on the animal. So be proactive in the sense that when you see something, get help, seek guidance from a reliable resource, and don't take that wait and see approach.

Jordan Tyler: So, we've talked about this in many other episodes before and we're going to talk about it in episodes later on for sure. But there's a ton of misinformation online.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Gasp!

Jordan Tyler: Yep, I know. Stephanie is shocked. Her world is over. Everything was a lie. But I mean, the pet care space, nutrition and just care in general is chock full of misinformation. It's on the Dr. Google, as we fondly say, about how we can treat, quote unquote, I'm using air quotes, toxicities at home. But let's hear from the experts what pet owners should actually do if they face one of these situations, things that you can keep in your home. And we'll start with Dr. Wismer. What do you think?

Dr. Tina Wismer: With dogs, we can sometimes induce vomiting at home, but you need to talk with your veterinarian or us first, because in some cases that is not appropriate. And we need to give you an accurate dose because once again, dose determines the poison. And if you give too much, 3 % hydrogen peroxide to an animal, you can cause bloody vomiting and bloody diarrhea. We certainly don't want that. So a fresh bottle of 3 % hydrogen peroxide.

And fortunately that stuff's relatively cheap. Having a way to give that peroxide, whether it's an oral dosing syringe or even a turkey baster can be helpful. And cats, really there's nothing at home you can safely use to induce vomiting in cats. And even in the vet clinic, we don't have great results with what we do have. You know, we always joke we need that priceless oriental carpet. You can just roll out and put the cat on, right? Because they puke all over that. But yeah, most of us don't have that and then potentially having like some eye wash, artificial tears, because pets get things in their eyes just like you are.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Cats, problematic? Ha. Just kidding. This is really great, Dr. Wismer. What else can pet owners do to safeguard their pets against potential household toxicities?

Dr. Tina Wismer: So it's all about prevention, right? Keeping things away from cuts. But it's not just your family. If you have anybody that comes to visit, right? They need to know also. Probably one of the most dangerous places to be is grandma's purse, right? She's got her medication, she's got sugar-free gum, she's going to have ibuprofen or Tylenol. I mean, there's a lot of things that pets can get into. And if she doesn't normally live with them, what is she going to do when she comes over? She's going to put her purse on the floor, right? So, we need to train not only our family, but also visitors. If you've got children and they have friends visit, right? No backpacks, no duffel bags on the floor. And then also remember, puppies and kittens are horrible, right? That's why they make them so cute because they are into everything. So, your old dog was perfect, right? He wasn't climbing on the table to eat the brownies, but this new puppy, right, is a different thing altogether. So we do have to sometimes go through and re-pet-proof our home, even though we've had pets for years.

Jordan Tyler: Dear Lord, yeah, we learned the hard way when we got Lenny. Luckily, he didn't, like, actually ingest anything toxic, but when we first got him, he needed to be kindled. We just didn't realize it yet. And he ate, I want to say at least 10 of my books. I shouldn't say eight, but he really ripped them all the way up. And a pair of eyeglasses that I left out on the table before I learned this lesson, so. I mean, just goes to show they will get into anything they can get a hold of, especially if you're silly enough to leave it on the coffee table.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: As I always say with my beagle, I'll eat anything that looks maybe potentially edible… ish.

Jordan Tyler: And if it doesn't look that edible, we're still going to taste it. Just to see.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: It just has to remotely look, maybe… Kind of.

Jordan Tyler: Yeah, I'm sure we're not the only ones that have learned that lesson. But coming back to Pete—and we'll certainly continue this conversation in the second and third episodes of this mini-series on common pet toxicities, but—for today, what would your key takeaway be here?

Pete Stirling: There's an infinite amount of information available online, but it comes mostly from marketing sources. So it's not something that you can necessarily count on. A lot of times you just gotta go with your gut and don't accept absolutes. So as a consumer, have a ton of options. Now you have a million different places you can buy at it. You're inundated with just a ton of marketing for products. Those products need to be backed up by people. And if you're really concerned about the stuff, get to know the people that making those products. Because if something goes wrong, are the people that are either going to have your back or not.

Jordan Tyler: So what's the verdict? When it comes to fragrances, it's all about concentration, moderation, species, and size. What's fine for us might be overwhelming or even harmful for our pets.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: If your furry or feathered friend ever does get into something questionable, don't wait it out. Call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or the Pet Poison Helpline. Prevention and quick action can make all the difference. We've added phone numbers for both the ASPCA Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline in the show notes for today's episode below.

Jordan Tyler: And don't go far because in the next two episodes, we'll be digging into everyday household, houseplants, and lawn and garden care products, as well as foods and medicines to uncover all the hidden hazards you'll want to keep off your pet's case file.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Barking Mad. If you want to learn more about BSM Partners, please visit us at bsmpartners.net. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite leading podcast platform or share it with a friend to stay current on the latest pet industry trends and conversations.

Jordan Tyler: We'd also like to thank our dedicated team, Ada-Miette Thomas, Neeley Bowden, Kait Wright, Cady Wolf, and Dr. Katy Miller. A special shout out to Lee Ann Hagerty and Michael Johnson in support of this episode, and to David Perez for our original music in the intro and outro. See you next time!

[Blooper] I don’t know if there’s like a specific smell that I detest… Or, actually I will say, I’m not really, like, a vanilla girl. Or like a sweet scent? No—get away with that.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I sadly bought a peppermint hot chocolate candle and I thought it was going to be more peppermint than sugary sweet… It gives me like, a toothache just smelling it when I light it. So I’m like, well, that was fun for five seconds.

Jordan Tyler: Now it’s just sitting in the corner as a piece of decoration rather than a functional candle?

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Have you been to my kitchen? Did you see it in there? That’s exactly where it is.

Jordan Tyler: That’s what I do! I have like three or four candles that I have smelled and been like, “Ooh, that’s actually not what I thought it was going to be like,” and now they’re just décor.

Dr. Stephanie Clark: And you can’t gift them because you’ve already lit it… Maybe I’ll melt it and I’ll turn them into little wax melts and then put them in a cute little baggy and everyone can have hot chocolate.

Jordan Tyler: Ooh, that’s not a bad idea!

Dr. Stephanie Clark: I know, I was just thinking about that. Because if not, it’s going to go into the landfill.

Jordan Tyler: I mean, it sounds way more labor intensive, but would be less wasteful, so…

Dr. Stephanie Clark: Yeah. Anyway… let’s talk about spraying peppermint hot chocolate on cats and dogs… Nope, just kidding. [music continues]

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