What We Know (and Don’t Yet Know) About EMFs and Pets

Pets are part of our family. When it comes to their health, we typically think about buying the right food, making sure they get enough exercise, and creating an environment where they can thrive. But there’s one part of their environment many of us don’t often consider: electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

After all, our homes are filled to the brim with signals. Wi-Fi routers, smartphones, Bluetooth devices, smart appliances, and even some pet gadgets like automatic feeders and GPS collars all give off EMFs, exposing us and our pets 24/7.

So what does science say about EMFs and pets ? Let’s take a closer look at what we know, what’s still unknown, and what we can do to create the safest environments for our furry and feathered friends.

One major difference between people and pets is size. A smaller body often means higher relative exposure to electromagnetic radiation. This is part of the reason scientists sometimes study animals to understand how EMF exposure might affect humans as well, although those tests are generally limited to rodents.

On top of that, animals often have heightened senses. Some species, like birds and bees, actually navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field. Dogs and cats may not rely on it the same way, but they do seem to notice things in their environment that we miss. Have you ever seen your pet react to a sound you couldn’t hear? Or start whining when a storm is approaching, even before the first clap of thunder? These superior senses make them much more sensitive to their environments than humans.

And now, technology has entered the pet world. Wireless GPS collars, invisible fences, smart feeders, and even Bluetooth toys are common and widely used. All of this adds to their daily EMF exposure. 

Animals have been part of EMF research for decades, with lab studies looking at how electromagnetic exposure could potentially impact both biology and behavior. Here’s what the scientific community has found when looking at how EMFs impact animals:

A 2017 study conducted by Pathophysiology showed exposing rats to non-ionizing radiation (the kind emitted by our electric and wireless devices) of  2.45GHz  caused detrimental changes in their brains, leading to a decline in learning and memory and an increase in anxious behavior. For comparison, 5G connections can operate in frequency bands up to  40GHz. This study also found exposure to EMFs caused  oxidative stress  and a decrease in brain antioxidants.

A 2023 study aimed to find out if electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi could affect the growth and brain health of baby rats. They exposed pregnant rats to EMFs and measured their offspring’s body size, as well as a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which is important for healthy brain development.

The results were striking. Baby rats exposed to EMFs grew more slowly and had lower levels of BDNF compared to the control group. For these rats, EMF exposure during pregnancy seemed to negatively affect physical growth and brain-related development. 

Researchers depend on rodent studies to determine the link between EMFs and fertility in order to understand how exposure might affect human fertility, but this data could also shed light on EMF and fertility in other mammals as well. A 2012 study showed that EMF exposure can affect reproductive health by potentially changing hormone levels, disrupting the function of ovaries and testes, and even influence fetal development. Effects depend on how strong EMFs are and how long the exposure lasts.

However, technology has rapidly evolved since 2012, so further research is needed to really know how our modern 5G connections and other tech may influence animal and human fertility.

So what don’t we know about how EMFs affect pets? It turns out, quite a lot:

• Long-term effects: What happens when pets are exposed to EMFs all day, every day, for years? We don’t have clear answers on that, only controlled lab studies that measure a specific duration of EMF exposure.

• Species and breed differences: A Great Dane and a Chihuahua have very different bodies. Could their exposure be different too?

• Interactions with existing health conditions: Could EMFs make anxious dogs more anxious, arthritis flare-ups more common due to inflammation, or other chronic issues worse? Or not?

The truth is, science hasn’t caught up with the rapid growth of technology when it comes to humans or animals. But that’s not a cause for alarm; it’s simply a reminder to be more intentional about our tech usage and wellness habits for us and our pets.

We don’t need all the answers to start making thoughtful choices for our pets. A few simple changes can help cut down on unnecessary exposure while still allowing you to enjoy the convenience of that automatic feeder or watching your kitten chase that interactive Bluetooth-powered toy. Here are a few easy suggestions to implement right away:

• Keep pet beds away from routers or smart appliances. Exposure increases with proximity, so simply creating space between your tech and the place where your pet sleeps can make a difference.

• Only use GPS or smart collars when needed, like on hikes or trips, instead of 24/7. If your pet primarily stays indoors and there’s no risk of them bolting when outside, think about shutting off the signal to the collar when home.

• Shut off devices when not in use. Especially at night, consider powering down your Wi-Fi router to reduce the constant EMF noise in the background.

Wellness goes beyond food, exercise, and fresh air. It also includes the invisible environment we live in every day. Pets share those spaces with us, so by creating a cleaner electromagnetic environment for ourselves, they benefit too.

Aires devices won’t block EMFs, and we wouldn’t want them to. Without the signals, our devices wouldn’t work. Instead, they restructure the EMFs in your space, creating a more coherent electromagnetic environment that supports wellness for humans and animals. 

We know EMFs affect animals, but we don’t yet know exactly how that plays out for our family pets. While the research continues to evolve, awareness is a powerful first step.

After all, our pets rely on us to make choices for their health. Staying curious, making small adjustments, and considering wellness tools like Aires helps to create a safer, more balanced environment for the whole family.