It’s so nice to see green on the ground and flowers springing up all over town but the garden can quickly turn into a garden of deadly dangers for your dog. Here are a few things to watch out for when your pets go exploring in your garden:
- Bait-Rodent, snail and slug bait are hazardous and even deadly to pets. If you suspect your dog ingested a bait, contact your vet immediately, note the suspected pesticide if possible, the time ingested and any symptoms your dogs may be exhibiting.
- Blood Meal-Blood meal is used as an organic fertilizer and is exactly what it says it is, blood. It’s flash frozen animal blood that can cause vomiting, diarrhea and inflammation of the pancreas.
- Bone Meal-Bone meal is an organic fertilizer made of animal bones ground into a fine powder. When it’s ingested bone meal can cause a stomach obstruction, almost like a cement wall within the stomach.
- Insecticides-While no one likes pests in their gardens, insecticides have irritants that can cause gastrointestinal issues for your pet. If you suspect your pet has ingested an insecticide you should contact your vet and poison control immediately.
- Fertilizers-Fertilizers contain a variety of dangerous chemicals that can be fatal to your dog. If they are ingested they can cause severe symptoms such as seizures, difficulty breathing, fever, water eyes, urination, defecation and even death.
Having a pet doesn’t mean you have to put an end to your green thumb, but do be mindful of what products you are using and where. Always read the labels and ingredients on any product you are using and be sure to take precautions as noted on the labels.
Having a pen or secluded area your pets can enjoy while you work is always a bonus because it allows them to be with you without putting them in danger. Make sure to clean up after your yard work, and don’t forget to put those tools out of reach. Any tools you used can contain traces of the chemicals you’re trying so hard to keep out of reach.