Are Humidifiers Good For Dogs? – A COMPLETE Guide

The Short Answer is:

It is beneficial for dogs to have a humidifier for several reasons: The first benefit of humidifiers is that they can make dogs’ breathing easier. Second, our dogs’ skin can become dry if indoor air has a low level of moisture. Third, the mist produced by the humidifier will moisten the nasal passage of the dog, allowing them to breathe more easily. Fourth, humidifier devices can complement the dog’s treatment by alleviating symptoms of allergies (eg: runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing) by dissipating more moisture into our home’s air.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “Are Humidifiers Good For Dogs? – A COMPLETE Guide“.

We benefit from humidifiers because they provide us with a better quality of life. Can dogs also benefit from humidifiers?

Dogs can suffer from dry air in dryer environments or when a heater is constantly running at full blast to keep the house warm.

As a result there are many questions regarding the health of pets.

Are all humidifiers safe for dogs? What is the best way to determine if your dog needs a humidifier? Are there any humidifiers that are better than others? (hint: yes)

What can you and your dogs do to help?

Here we provide the answers to our precious pups’ most important questions and the courses of action we can take to protect them.

What does a Humidifier Do?

Moisture in the air can be maintained with humidifiers. A humidifier that has water in it will produce a warm or cold mist.  

Home humidity levels should be between 30% and 50% according to environmental protection agencies.

Both owners and their pets benefit from that level of humidity. 

By using filtered water both humans and pets can benefit from humidifiers because tap water may contain microorganisms and inorganic materials that can cause respiratory problems.

How Are Humidifiers Good for Dogs?

When it comes to humidifiers one question always arises: “Are humidifiers good for dogs?” There is a yes to this question.

It is beneficial for dogs to have a humidifier for several reasons:

1) Open Air Passages

The first benefit of humidifiers is that they can make dogs’ breathing easier.

Especially when our dogs suffer from allergies that cause an inflamed nasal passage this is especially true.

It is also possible for allergies to cause scabs and sores inside the nose causing a nosebleed.

Due to these factors it will be difficult for the dogs to relax during the day and sleep through the night.

Water vapor can be released into the air by humidifiers. An increase in moisture allows mucus clogged in the dogs nasal passages to flow more freely with an increase in humidity. 

Humidifiers can relieve cold-like symptoms and provide our dogs with much-needed relief throughout the day.

2) Soothes Skin

Our gods’ skin can become dry if indoor air has a low level of moisture.

This can manifest in dogs as restlessness and constant scratching as well as hair loss.

Dry skin can be soothed with moisture from a humidifier. There is often a noticeable change in the fur leather and demeanor of the animal after a few days.

3) Eases Snoring

Some breeds of dogs such as bulldogs and pugs are more prone to snoring due to their psychological makeup.

Snoring can also be caused by obesity and excessive tissues on the neck and throat of some dogs.

The mist produced by the humidifier will moisten the nasal passage of the dog allowing them to breathe more easily.

Additionally this can prevent your dogs from getting a dry mouth and throat.

4) Allergy Relief

Seasonal allergies can affect dogs just like humans.

We humans are not the only ones affected by allergens in the air – our beloved dogs are as well.

As a result a humidifier device can complement the dogs treatment by alleviating symptoms of allergies (eg: runny nose itchy eyes and sneezing) by dissipating more moisture into our homes air.

How to Tell if Dogs Need a Humidifier?

It is important to determine whether our dogs need a humidifier before purchasing one for them.

Symptoms of colds and allergies can help us determine this.

Dogs with runny noses sneezing issues or allergies could be affected by humidity levels. 

As a humidifier improves the moisture in the air it may also benefit the dogs nasal passages help to relieve cold symptoms restore the skin and enable normal breathing.

Further as microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses thrive and spread rapidly in dry air a humidifier can assist in combating them by increasing humidity.

Are Humidifiers Safe for Dogs?

It is almost always a good idea to use a humidifier for dogs.

It may however not be safe for our dogs to use a humidifier in certain situations. The selection of a humidifier is therefore difficult.

In order to answer this question we need to examine the different types of humidifiers.

Generally there are two types:

• Humidifiers that emit a cool mist
• Humidifiers that emit a warm mist

It is suitable for cold places to use a humidifier that produces warm mist. As well as killing harmful bacteria the warm mist helps to kill other contaminants. 

Warm mist humidifiers however can pose a threat to our dogs since they boil water to produce mist.

The dog may accidentally (or even try to) topple the device resulting in them being burned!

Therefore in this situation it is important to place the warm mist humidifier in a separate room that is tucked away safely from dogs.

However cool mist humidifiers often offer a better option for pet owners. As compared to warm mist humidifiers these cold humidifiers are safer and quieter.

In turn this creates a more relaxing environment for both owners and dogs!

Which Humidifier is Best for My Dog?

It is safe to use a cool-mist humidifier if your dogs suffer from allergies or asthma.

Alternatively if the humidifier is shared between you and your canine a warm mist humidifier can be a suitable and often effective option; just make sure that it is out of their reach.

Other Precautions to Take

Does high humidity affect dogs?

Moderate temperatures and high humidity can make it difficult for dogs to cool down.

Perspiration tends to evaporate slower when there is a lot of air present.

In addition to controlling the humidity level in our home open a window every so often to let the stagnant air escape.

A cozy place to sleep is also essential along with keeping them hydrated exercising and keeping them hydrated.

Whenever your dog shows strange behavior such as loss of appetite lethargy or is experiencing a cold you should consult your veterinarian right away.

Humidifiers can alleviate symptoms by getting you to the optimal humidity level but a visit to the vet can help to treat the root of the problem by providing professional advice.

Points To Keep In Mind

A humidifier is a great addition to any home. However there are a few things to consider before installing a humidifier.

• Static air should be allowed to leave the room whenever possible
• Make sure your dog stays hydrated at all times especially during the summer
• Humidifiers should be kept away from dogs where they can not easily access them
• Whenever you notice any severe signs or symptoms contact a veterinarian immediately

Are Vicks Vaposteam humidifiers safe for dogs?

Vicks

The Vicks brand of air humidifiers is specifically made to evaporate Vicks into the air.

One of the main ingredients of Vicks is camphor which is an excellent way to unclog and soothe nasal passages.

And as it turns out camphor is toxic for dogs.

As well as being dangerous if your dog ingests it Vicks and other products with eucalyptus menthol or tea tree oil are very strong smelling.

These products can be overbearing for dogs since they already have an extremely sensitive sense of smell.

Menthol products can also cause your eyes to burn.

It is not possible for me to use a product that could burn my dogs eyes as he already has very sensitive dry eyes.

This is another thing I would not have thought could be a problem with humidifiers.

High-pitch sounds

A humidifier that uses ultrasonic waves is one type of humidifier that is popular.

In essence it means that the sound frequencies it produces when running are above the range of what people can actually hear.

A very quiet humidifier is what its meant to be.  It is absolutely true for people.

The frequencies it creates however can be extremely loud and alarming for dogs. The least that can be said is that it is uncomfortable.

Besides using ultrasonic frequencies to repel pests and animals there are also products that use ultrasonic frequencies to control excessive barking in dogs.

Not exactly the reason I was looking for a humidifier for my dog.

The product seems like a good fit for someone who wants to add humidity to their bedroom and also control their neighbors barking dog. Thats something someone should invent

It might have just happened to me.

Bacteria

Viruses bacteria and parasites can cause serious illnesses in dogs. When there is a source of bacteria like a humidifier nearby they can develop dermatitis.

Germ farms are infamous for being found in humidifiers. Not only is it a result of poor maintenance and bacterial growth but its also because of no maintenance at all.

Additionally they can disperse bacteria and minerals already present as well as the humidifiers water.

I do not mean to pick on them but ultrasonic humidifiers are not equipped with filters to help keep these pollutants out.

When you talk about using a humidifier for your dogs you must make sure the humidifier has a good filtering process and uses distilled water.

Warm mist vaporizers

By boiling water into vapor a warm mist vaporizer or humidifier works.

There is a general safety issue for animals but it is even more important for small children.

It is recommended that these humidifiers be placed in an area where children and animals will not be able to mess with them.

Since they only add humidity to the air and do not do much to ease sinus congestion placing them higher up is not an issue in terms of their effectiveness but will keep your little ones including dogs safe from getting burned.

Aromatherapy Diffusers

In addition to being aromatherapy diffusers humidifiers can also be used as aromatherapy diffusers.

Concerning the issue that dogs have with Vicks and other mentholated products

Dogs can be adversely affected by many of the essential oils used in air diffusers.

It can be very uncomfortable for a dog to breathe essential oils such as cinnamon peppermint Wintergreen and citrus.

If ingested they can be poisonous.

Thats all there is to it. It turns out that buying a humidifier for your dog isnot as straightforward as I thought.

Dogs can definitely benefit from humidifiers as well as your other animals as long as you take this into consideration; however not all humidifiers are created equal and not all humidifiers are suitable dogs.

How safe are ultrasonic humidifiers for dogs?

Some dogs may not tolerate them even though most of them are safe to use around dogs. It is possible for higher frequencies to irritate a dogs ears.

In particular dogs are capable of hearing frequencies up to 60000 Hz. Our perception of ultrasonic humidifiers is that they are completely silent.

Ultrasonic whistles do not affect all dogs in the same way. When this device is turned on barking is a common reaction.

By keeping the appliance as fast as possible you can prevent your dog from getting upset.

There is no doubt that most dogs calm down without an ultrasonic humidifier nearby. You can also read the product specs to learn about the noise levels and how high the frequency is that your dog can hear.

Conclusion

Are Humidifiers Good for Dogs?

Based on the above discussion we can conclude that humidifiers are beneficial to dogs. Humidifiers generate moisture that provides greater comfort and eases breathing.

It is also safe because it is only water being dispersed.

Nevertheless if knocked over warm-mist humidifiers could be dangerous for dogs. As a result of boiling water it can burn a dogs skin.

It is therefore safer to use cool-mist humidifiers for both dogs and young children.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.